Jacksonville Public Education Fund welcomed several new members to its Board of Directors this summer

9/12/2016

Jacksonville Public Education Fund welcomed several new members to its Board of Directors this summer

King, Jones, Oliver, Greene, Page, Park and Jones join board of directors 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., September 12, 2016 — The Jacksonville Public Education Fund gained seven new members of its Board of Directors this summer. Ronnie King, Coley Jones, Marsha Oliver, Hugh Greene, Lisa Page, and Kay Park have accepted their nomination as directors of the independent nonprofit organization.

Ronnie King, certified Software Engineer and owner of Scratchwerk, LLC., was voted in August 19. King is an active community volunteer and has held leadership positions in several community organizations including National Society of Black Engineers, 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Urban League Young Professionals. He is also a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Coley Jones was voted in August 19. Jones is Vice President of the Middle Market Banking Group with TD Bank. Jones supports his community by serving on the Leadership Development Committee for Leadership Jacksonville. As well as serving on the board of directors for Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Eldersource as Treasurer.

Marsha Oliver, Director of Public Affairs for the City of Jacksonville joined the Board June 5. Oliver is as equally committed to her community, as evidenced by her memberships on a number of nonprofit boards and organizations. In addition, Oliver is a certified Community Coach, designated by the Nonprofit Center (Community Foundation of Jacksonville). 

Hugh Greene, President and CEO of Baptist Health and CEO of Coastal Community Health, was voted in June 4. Greene currently serves on the Board of Citra Health Solutions. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Jacksonville Civic Council, the regional CEO group. He is the recipient of many awards including the 2015 Thompson S. Baker “Solid as a Rock” Award by Junior Achievement; the 2012 Humanitarian Award by OneJax; and the 2013 Distinguished Business Leader Award by the University of North Florida’s Coggin College of Business. He was named “Grassroots Champion” for Florida by the American Hospital Association in 2009 for his political involvement on behalf of hospitals and subsequently received the “Spirit of Advocacy” award by the Florida Hospital Association in 2013. Greene currently serves on the Regional Policy Board of the American Hospital Association.

Kay Park replaced Kifimbo Holloway-Parnell as the non-voting ex officio Florida Blue Teacher of the Year representative in June. Park is a native Floridian and has been teaching in elementary schools for 32 years. With both parents in the teaching profession, Kay was inspired to teach at an early age. She spent her days in the classroom, and evenings teaching English as a Second Language to Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees.  After living briefly in Virginia and California, the Navy brought Park and her husband to Jacksonville. She has served as grade-level chairman, as a directing teacher for college interns, and as a mentor for new teachers.

Lisa Page joined the Board May 20. Page was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division in Jacksonville.  She serves on the Executive Board of the Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, the Steering Committee of the Women’s Giving Alliance, and is involved with other charitable organizations.

The appointments were unanimously approved by the current Board of Directors, which includes:

  •        Cindy Edelman, Chair, Teacher and Community Volunteer
  •        Poppy Clements, Vice-Chair, Community Volunteer
  •        Michael Ward, Treasurer, Chairman and CEO, CSX
  •        Dr. Shannon H. Perry, Secretary, Community Volunteer
  •        Dr. Jordan Baker, Ph.D., Retired DCPS Principal
  •        Ricardo A. Bedoya, Commercial Litigator
  •        Gary Chartrand, Executive Chairman, Acosta, Inc.
  •        The Honorable Brian Davis, Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge
  •        Ronnie A. Ferguson, Former President & CEO, Jacksonville Housing Authority
  •        Kevin Hyde, Partner, Foley & Lardner
  •        Donna Orender, CEO & Founder, Orender Unlimited, LLC
  •        Matthew Rapp, Executive Director, The Players Championship
  •        Anita Vining, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

The Board also includes two additional non-voting ex officio members: Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools and the Honorable Ashley Smith Juarez, Duval County School Board chair.

Contact Deirdre Conner, Director of Advocacy & Communications, at (904) 345-0597 or Deirdre@jaxpef.org for more information. 

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About the Jacksonville Public Education Fund

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund is an independent nonprofit organization that works to inform and mobilize the community to advocate for universally high-quality public schools for all children. For more information, visit www.jaxpef.org or call (904) 356-7757.

DID YOU KNOW?

 

93%

of public schools in Duval County earned an "A," "B," or "C" in 2021-2022.