The LiveFree! Excellence Award Winners are:
Cheri Wright-Jones, Tampa Bay Regional Vice
President of Allegany Franciscan Ministries
Cheri joined Allegany Franciscan Ministries in 2011. She is responsible
for Allegany Franciscan Ministries’ grant-making and community engagement activities in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Cheri’s career
has focused on increasing access to healthcare services and building capacity within non-profit organizations. Cheri earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of South Florida and a Master of Science degree from Florida A & M University. Cheri is active in the Tampa Bay
area including the Moffitt African American Advisory Board, Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, and the Greater Tampa Chapter of Jack and Jill of America.
Gay Lancaster, JWB Children’s Services Council
D. Gay Lancaster has served as the Executive Director of the JWB Children's Services Council since September 2006. Ms. Lancaster oversees
the funding of programs that deliver critical services to more than 73,000
children in Pinellas County. She has been associated with numerous professional and community organizations including, Leadership Tampa Bay
and Leadership Pinellas. She is also associated with a charity event benefiting the Children’s Home Society, including co-authoring a cookbook.
Ms. Lancaster has an M.A. in Criminal Justice from Nova University, and
a B.A. in English from the College of Education at the University of Kentucky in Lexington,
Kentucky.
Maria Roberts, Personal Enrichment through Mental Health
Services
Maria Roberts is the Senior Director of Children’s Services at Personal
Enrichment through Mental Health Services. She has over 20 years of
experience in direct service, program development and management with a
professional goal to help expand and improve systems of care for individuals and families in our community. Maria is a member of the Department
of Children and Families Partners for Promise and serves on the LiveFree!
Key Leader Council, Eckerd Community Alternatives Advisory Board,
and the Pinellas County Substance Exposed Newborn Task Force. She
serves on the Florida School of Addictions Studies Board of Directors and is a Past President. Maria is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Healthcare Risk Manager
and an approved Clinical Supervisor in Florida. She holds Master’s degrees in Psychology
and Business Administration.
Heaven Taylor-Wynn, Jack and Jill Youth Club
Heaven Taylor-Wynn is a freshman student in the International Baccalaureate program at St. Petersburg High School. She is a member of the
drama club and will perform in Goldfever in January. Heather is also a
cheerleader with the Rock Solid Allstars. a member of the National
Achievers Society at St. Petersburg College, and a member of the Jack
and Jill Inc. Pinellas County chapter, LiveFree! club. Heather also volunteers as a tutor for elementary aged kids at her church.
Nancy Hamilton, President and CEO, Operation PAR, Inc.
Ms. Nancy Hamilton holds a master’s degree from Troy State University
Public Administration College, a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice
from the University of South Florida with an associate’s degree in Early
Childhood Development. She is a Certified Criminal Justice Addictions
Professional (CCJAP) and a Certified Addictions Professional
(CAP). Ms. Hamilton has more than 40 years experience in behavioral
health care services, including more than 39 years as a trainer, adjunct
instructor and teacher in prevention, intervention and treatment services.
Martha Lenderman-Community Advocate
Martha Lenderman retired after 30 years of service to the State, having
served at one time as the state’s Baker Act director. Martha’s many contributions to the mental health and substance abuse field include: assisted the
Legislature in the 1996 rewrite of the Baker Act; wrote the Florida Administrative Rules governing the Baker Act; developed the model Baker Act
and Marchman Act forms; developed the Baker Act facility survey instruments for DCF and Agency for Health Care Administration; and wrote the
state’s Baker Act and Marchman Act Handbooks. Martha served as a
member of the Florida Supreme Court Commission on Fairness, addressing
the Baker Act. She works with courts, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and professional associations throughout the state on the appropriate use of the Baker Act
and serves as an expert witness in litigation.
Charles Bigby – Jack and Jill Youth Club
Charles Bigby is a junior at Manatee School for the Arts majoring in dance. He is a participant in his schools competitive dance
team called “MSA Heat”. Charles is also the Co-Capitan of the
Schools Competitive Go-kart racing team. His extra-curricular
activities include participation in a scientific scuba diving team
called, Teen Research Underwater Explorers (T.R.U.E), he is a
photographer, the teen president of the Pinellas-Manatee County
Jack and Jill of America, Inc, and a member of LiveFree!. He is
also an active member of the Manatee County Sheriff’s
Explorers Program.
Brenda Lizeth Vargas,
LiveFree! Largo High Club President
Brenda Lizeth Vargas Pioquinto is a sophomore at Largo High School and
currently in ExCEL magnet program. She is the current President of the
Largo High School LiveFree! Club where she has developed leadership
skills and learned to believe in her capabilities. Her goal is to make changes
and help her community.
If you know someone whose outstanding efforts personify a
positive role model in building healthier communities and
would like to nominate them for a LiveFree! Excellence
Award, please contact:
Jackie Griffin, MS
LiveFree! Executive Director
6655 66th Street North
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Phone: (813) 503-5658 ■ jgriffin@operpar.org ■
Fax: (727) 545-7584
Help us build a healthy community!
Excellence Awards
Investing in Community & Prevention
Investing in Community & Prevention
Each quarter, LiveFree! honors individuals in our
community for their excellence.
How can you become a steward of the Pinellas Prevention System?
Join LiveFree!’s General Membership: Sign-up for the coalition
mailing list to receive prevention updates, eNews, community
event flyers from membership, Be the Wall activities, etc.
Please contact livefree@operpar.org or call (813) 503-5658
to join today!
Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, our Website
and our Blog.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livefreeFL
Twitter: Twitter.com/livefreefl
LiveFree! Website: www.pinellascoalition.com
LiveFree! Blog: www.livefreeblog.org
Thank You for honoring our awardees with us!
2013 Florida’s Kids and Alcohol
Partnership for Success: The Power and Promise of Community
March 21, 2013
Palladium Theater:
253 5th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701