Kristie has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor since 2000 and is recognized as an Infant Mental Health Endorsed professional by the states of Michigan and Florida. Kristie has a Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychology and a Doctorate degree in the same field. In January of 1997, Sarasota County became the first county in Florida to privatize child welfare and Kristie was hired as a mental health counselor to work with young children in the foster care system. She has completed the 18-month infant mental health training through Florida State University’s Harris Institute, and in 2003 she received specialized Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Diagnostic training through the University of Washington. Kristie has formal training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy and is a trained facilitator of the Circle of Security Parenting program. Kristie has expertise in the areas of infant/young children’s mental health, trauma-informed care practices, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and has presented workshops on various related topics at local, state, and national conferences. Kristie is happily married with boy/girl twins and is a native Floridian.

Charmian Miller has over 20 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer in the non-profit industry. She has an extensive background with Federal, State and Local Government funding sources. She is a Certified Grant Writing Specialist and has an expansive fundraising background. Charmian has played an integral part in community based collaboration projects including the development and implementation of Community-Based Foster Care project in Manatee County in 1998, the development and implementation of Legislation regarding Residential Group Home Care, specifically 2001 Florida Senate Bill 1214 and the development of the Collaborative Funding Application for Manatee County Government and United Way of Manatee County. Charmian is a huge children’s advocate and goes above and beyond her role to support what she believes to be the right thing to do

Kimberly earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Oakland University and her Master of Arts degrees in counselor education and clinical mental health from the University of South Florida in 2010. Kimberly has received training in several promising and evidence-based models including CPP, COS, FMF, CPRT, and ARC. Kimberly's clinical experience is focused in early childhood assessment and counseling for families with complex needs. This work has called for collaboration with schools, child welfare, prevention services, and multidisciplinary teams to best serve children and families. As an administrator, Kimberly is interested in preventing compassion fatigue for frontline professionals and supervisors; facilitating trauma and resiliency informed culture; and promoting community partnership to improve family navigation through child-serving systems. Kimberly enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.

Kate Reed has spent two decades in the nonprofit and corporate sectors leading development, strategic planning and marketing efforts. She most recently served as the regional resource development director for the Salvation Army where she worked exclusively with high-capacity funding partners and, previously, as the chief advancement officer for All Star Children’s Foundation. Before moving to Sarasota in 2019, Kate was the chief marketing and advancement officer for Girl Scouts serving four states in the Midwest. Prior to this, over a tenure that lasted 16 years, Kate served in senior leadership positions at SONIFI Solutions, a leading provider of media and connectivity solutions for hospitality and healthcare organizations. As CPO, Kate will focus on deepening the culture of philanthropy at The Florida Center.

Kate says that addressing early childhood trauma resonates deeply—and personally—for her. Her time spent working with vulnerable children opened her eyes to how important it is to reach them at a young age. “A secure early childhood sets the stage for successful adulthood. Forming positive connections and providing children with the support and opportunities they need to develop these connections is precisely The Florida Center’s mission. I am honored to be part of its remarkable team.”

Kate lives with her young son in Sarasota where they enjoy participating in many of the community’s vibrant cultural and recreational offerings.

Melissa Bradley earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Argosy University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida. In 2015, she obtained her license as a mental health counselor and now serves as clinical director at The Florida Center. Melissa’s expertise lies in treating children from birth to age 5, as well as working with their caregivers, with a focus on enhancing parent-child relationships.

Melissa has been a certified Zero to Three trainer in the DC:0-5, The Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood since 2020. She is an Infant-Mental Health Endorsed Professional at the clinical-mentor level through the Florida Association of Infant Mental Health and is a qualified supervisor for the Florida Board of Mental Health Counselors. Melissa has completed specialized training in: the Circle of Security Parenting program; child-parent psychotherapy; child-centered play therapy; and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Melissa is deeply committed to aiding children navigate through challenging experiences while simultaneously bolstering family dynamics to cultivate stronger relationships for the future.

Tamra graduated with a master's degree in social work from Loyola University in Chicago (2005) and a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Iowa (1993). Tamra is a bilingual licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience working in early childhood and prevention. Previously, Tamra was the lead trainer in the Midwest for ACT Raising Safe Kids, an evidence-based violence prevention curriculum. In addition, Tamra has been trained in a number of other evidence-based curriculums including Circle of Security Parenting, Families Moving Forward (FMF), Helping the Non-Compliant Child, Chicago Parent Program and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Tamra was certified in Kundalini Yoga in 2001 in Santiago, Chile and has continued to further her education in both yoga and mindfulness for young children. Tamra practices mindfulness and meditation on a daily basis as a way to stay grounded and be present both at work and at home.

Pam received her bachelor’s degree in 1989 and began working in child welfare in 1990. She is a state certified child welfare professional and has certifications in maternal/child health. Pam has more than 25 years of experience in the area of child welfare, family preservation and maternal/child health, 20 of which were served in a management role. Most of her experience is specialized in children birth to 6 years of age. Pam was previously employed with The Center and returned to continue her passion for working in the child welfare system. Pam states that the most important thing in her life is her family, so having a family-focused approach in her job comes somewhat natural

Shaun earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in business from Florida Southern College. She went on to achieve certifications as a parent educator, coach, and trainer from the Academy of Parenting Education and Coaching (formerly the International Network of Children and Families). Shaun founded Life Lessons of Manasota, LLC, in 2002, offering parenting classes, courses, and coaching. She is a member of the 12th Circuit Family Court Professional Collaborative, serving as a board member from 2009-2018, secretary from 2011-2017, and as the communication liaison since 2018. In 2015, she was awarded Member of the Year from Next Generation Divorce. She is excited to further her passion for empowering children by educating parents, childcare providers, teachers, and others.

Debbie earned her Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the University of South Florida in 1991. In 2015, she became a peer reviewer for Healthy Families America. Debbie has been working with children and families in the fields of domestic violence, child welfare and child abuse prevention since 1991. She began working for The Florida Center in 1997 and has been part of the Healthy Families program since 1999.

Kim earned her bachelor’s degree in speech and audiology from SUNY Cortland in 1981 and a master’s degree in communication disorders/speech-language pathology from Boston University in 1983. She maintains a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) since 1984. Kim has 36 years of experience working with young children birth to 9 years of age. She has worked with many children who have had established diagnoses and/or developmental delays leading to areas of need in oral-motor/feeding, articulation and/or language and literacy skills to include receptive, expressive and pragmatic language delays or disorders. Kim has always been mindful of respecting the feelings and thoughts of others both at home and at work. She stays busy with home projects, outside sport activities, socializing with friends and families, and most of all keeping up with her husband and Jack Russel terrier. Being well rounded has always been important to her in keeping herself energized and focused; it makes home and work a pleasure!

Amy earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a focus of Mathematics and Language Arts from Oakland University in 2002. She went on to achieve her Master's Degree in 2008, also from Oakland University, with a focus on Early Childhood Education.
Amy has been working with children for over 30 years. She has supervised and supported multiple early childhood education sites for over 15 years in her home state of Michigan, Arizona, and the state of Washington.

A local graduate of Palmetto High School, Juan attended State College of Florida for Education. He is planning to pursue his Bachelor's in Business Administration from USF.
Born and raised in Manatee County, Juan has previously worked in Human Resources for Hurley and Bealls. He brings over 15 years of Human Resources experience with him.
Juan has helped coach the chess club and hockey club at Stewart Elementary. He has also coached little league baseball for over 15 years. Not only does he enjoy developing a passion for these hobbies, Juan also feels these interactions with both youth and parents help him understand different points of views when it comes to their needs.

Denise earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and special education from Rutgers University and her Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Denise is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, has earned the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate, from USF MUMA and is recognized as Infant Mental Health professional in the state of Florida.
She has over 25 years of experience in organizational development, facilitation, project management, corporate engagement design, internal communications, SaaS platform implementation, consultation and human services. Denise serves as a thought leader and partner and is dedicated to facilitating development, growth, and advancing the human experience in the workplace.
She enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, experimenting with and sharing recipes and tasty dishes. Having lived outside the USA for 8 years of her adult life, Denise particularly enjoys time spent travelling with her partner of 27 years and meeting up with friends and family all around the world.

Eddie Pérez-Ruberté is an Operational Excellence consultant, facilitator, author, speaker and thought leader. He co-authored the book Healthcare Quality Management: A Case Study Approach with Dr. Zac Pruitt and Dr. Candace Smith.

Eddie is currently Senior Lean Internal Consultant at BayCare Health Systems leading the deployment of the lean management system and culture. Eddie is a Certified Lean Expert and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt from the American Society For Quality. He is an internationally known speaker on applications of Lean in Healthcare, employee engagement and healthcare quality, high-reliability and performance improvement. Eddie held an appointment as Instructor of Health Care Systems Engineering for the College of Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Eddie teaches Lean and Six Sigma certification courses at multiple universities and healthcare organizations around the world. He offers various Lean training and Leadership programs through his consulting company, Areito Group.

Eddie is a member of the Leadership Sarasota class of 2020.

Eddie was first exposed to The Florida Center via United Way in January 2015 and he has been involved with the agency in various capacities ever since. He truly believes in the mission of The Florida Center and has seen first-hand the impact it has on the families of the children we serve. His wife Aneddail is an active volunteer in the classrooms and a member of the gala committee.

Sarah has worked in education for 20 years. First as a classroom teacher and then as a school psychologist. She currently works as a Licensed School Psychologist with Herrera Psychology (a local private practice) and Telement (a sister company that contracts with local agencies). Her primary role is to work with students who attend area charter schools. She provides individual and group counseling consults with school teams and parents, and administers psychoeducational assessments. She also provides individual therapy and evaluation through private practice. Sarah’s passion lies in helping children become the happiest, healthiest, and most successful versions of themselves. Sarah is thrilled to serve on the board of the Florida Center and hopes to provide support for the great work being done. She firmly believes in the mission of building and fostering strong families and expanding the potential of young children.

Ms. Janine Colpitts is a licensed certified public accountant and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee graduate. With over 15 years of combined experience in public and private accounting, Janine joined Suplee, Shea, Cramer & Miller, PA in 2021 as a Tax Manager. As a Tax Manager, Ms. Colpitts specializes in individual and business taxation, tax planning, and research as well as provides supervision, training, and mentorship of staff and senior accountants. Janine has experience working in both corporate and public accounting, which has strengthened her ability to support clients’ accounting needs across multiple industries.
Ms. Colpitts has very strong ties to the community as a Sarasota, FL native and is a member of several organizations, including the American Institute of CPA’s (AICPA), Florida Institute of CPA’s (FICPA), The Leading Edge Alliance, and former community board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast. In her downtime, Janine enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 children, and four-legged friends as well as reading, yoga, going to the beach, boating, paddle boarding, crossword puzzles, and painting.

Judge Curley graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman, Okla. with a Juris Doctorate. She began her legal career as a prosecutor with the Office of the State Attorney in Manatee County. In 2001, she worked as defense counsel for a national insurance company. In 2004, she accepted a position to represent plaintiffs Shapiro Delgado law firm in Sarasota. In 2006, Judge Curley was elected to the Circuit Court bench, beginning her term in January of 2007. She was assigned to the family division, civil division, and criminal division and serves a four-year assignment in the juvenile division where she presides over dependency and delinquency cases. She became familiar with The Florida Center through its Early Childhood Court program, which is operated in partnership with the Safe Children Coalition. Judge Curley is involved in a variety of community organizations because she enjoys making a positive difference in the lives of others residing in Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto counties.

Neal Horen is the Director of the Early Childhood Division at the Center for Child and Human Development, and the Director of the HOYA clinic in the Department of Psychiatry. In that capacity, he oversees the Center's efforts in early childhood including work in professional development, technical assistance, research and evaluation, and clinical services.

Dr. Horen has been a leader in the field of early childhood mental health for the last two decades. He has assisted all states, a number of tribal nations and territories, and hundreds of communities in the development of systems of care for young children and their families. Dr. Horen has provided technical assistance and is considered one of the country's leading experts in the development of a system of care in early childhood. He is the lead on early childhood for The TA Network.

In addition, Dr. Horen has co-led the Center's efforts around Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. He serves as co-lead of the National Center of Excellence on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and lectures extensively across the country. He has led a number of state and community efforts to build mental health consultation services. Dr. Horen co-leads the mental health efforts at the Head Start National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness. He presents across the country on issues related to early childhood mental health including addressing challenging behavior, addressing trauma in young children and their families as well as staff wellness.

Dr. Horen is a licensed child psychologist providing therapeutic services and provide mental health consultations to young children and their families. He works closely with other members of the Department of Psychiatry in coordinating services and support for families.

Tim is a manufacturing executive who has worked internationally across a broad range of industries including medical, aerospace, automotive, and semiconductor capital equipment. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan and his master’s degree from Syracuse University. He has held senior management positions with Danaher, Emerson Electric, and Welch Allyn. In 2008 he became CEO of Arnold Magnetic Technologies, an Audax portfolio company. Most recently he was President of the Specialist Components Division of Essentra PLC, a U.K based manufacturing conglomerate. He has served on boards of child advocacy centers in both New York and Illinois and continues to advocate for children by serving on boards and committees for several non-profits. Tim has been married to his wife Teresa for 32 years and has two grown daughters. They recently relocated to the Sarasota area and are excited to become involved with The Florida Center and continue their passion for helping children.

Jeff Woodin is the commercial banking team leader for Centennial Bank for West Coast Florida. A resident of Sarasota since 2005, Jeff has served on the boards of several area-based nonprofits, for which he held various committee and board chair roles. Jeff served on the board for PACE Center for Girls for three years; Hope Family Services for six years; and Community Haven for four years, for which he was finance chair for a year then board chair for two. Jeff previously served on The Florida Center’s board of directors and served as the finance chair for one year then as board chair for three consecutive years before terming off. Jeff’s passion has always been for children and families and began his second term with The Florida Center in early 2024. Jeff and his wife, Debbie, have four children and three grandchildren. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys woodworking and building and repurposing furniture and antiques.