Policy Center Staff

Position: Vice President of Model Programming & Partnerships

: Stephanie works as the VP of Model Programming and Partnerships where she has operational responsibility for all therapeutic programming. Stephanie is a Licensed Social Worker and Certified School Social Worker. She has over 20 years of experience working in schools and in the mental health field. She has provided direct service, acted as a behavioral and educational consultant to school staff, and served as the Clinical Director of a child and adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program. Stephanie brings enthusiasm and passion to advance the strategic vision of the Policy Center to provide high quality therapeutic programs to girls.

Position: Survivor Mentor I

Position: Clinical Manager

: Sakenia is a Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern (RCSWI) and provides therapeutic services within our See the Girl: In the Community program. In 2020, Sakenia was awarded the First Coast Girls Initiative Program Advocate of the Year. She brings 20 years of experience working with children and families within social service agencies, including early childhood education and other school-based programs. She worked as a Family Advocate and Prevention Specialist with Jewish Family & Community Services and as an Achievement Advocate with Communities in Schools. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Liberty University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida State University.

Position: School Based Program Manager

Email: [email protected]

: Kimberly is the School-Based Program Manager in the innovative girl-centered intervention programs, See the Girl: In Elementary and See the Girl: In the Middle. She supervises interns, provides training to school staff and employees, and manages the ongoing needs of elementary girls and their families. She brings to the Policy Center more than 13 years’ experience in social services, having earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Georgetown University.

Position: Survivor Advocate

: Jenn is a Survivor Mentor lI with the See the Girl: Open Doors program, which provides services to women and girls ages 10-24 in North East Florida. In 2018, Jenn completed training to become and peer support specialist, and now uses her own lived experiences to support those who are navigating mental health diagnoses, substance abuse, and/or psychological trauma. In 2018, Jenn opened a women’s boutique and heard often from customers how her shop helped to build other women’s confidence in themselves. Through her own personal healing, Jenn recognized a greatness in herself and her desire to bring that feeling to other women, which led to her to the Survivor Mentor position at the Policy Center. Her compassion and drive to walk alongside girls and women through their own healing is unwavering.

Position: Open Doors Clinician I

Position: School Based Care Manager

: Michelle serves as a School Based Care Manager for the See The Girl In Elementary Program. She has served in the field of education for over 20 years. Her journey began as a paraprofessional. She then became a substitute teacher, followed by a career as a classroom teacher. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Notre Dame of Maryland University. In the community, Michelle volunteers with various agencies such as the Duval County Public Schools Parent Academy and the Guardian Ad Litem Program. Michelle lives by the Mahatma Gandhi quote, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Position: Mental Health Professional

: Amber currently serves as a Mental Health Professional at Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center. She is native to Jacksonville, Florida but went to college in Hattiesburg, Mississippi where she earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology at William Carey University. She remained in Hattiesburg and earned her MSW at the University of Southern Mississippi. As an undergraduate student, she founded an HIV Support Group and AIDS Coalition, the first of its kind in Hattiesburg. She has years of experience working as a therapist for birth mothers, foster children, and their biological families at Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. She has volunteered and worked for Girl Scouts for 13 years, as a troop leader and professionally as a Membership Manager and most recently as a Community Development Manager, a position that focused on Title 1 and grant funded programs. She also has experience as both a preschool/school age teacher with traditional and unique needs students. She strives to make a difference in the lives of people from all walks of life. Her passion does not only extend to humans, she is also passionate about wildlife rehabilitation and she has been a volunteer for the Wildlife Rescue Coalition of Northeast Florida for many years

Position: Care Manager

: Brandy is the Care Manager for See the Girl: In the Community, providing advocacy and support to girls in the juvenile justice system. Brandy has been working with at-risk youth since 2011. She previously managed the Community Justice Board Program, an alternative to prosecution for youth based on restorative justice in Tucson, Arizona. This work allowed Brandy a chance to broaden and promote individualized, goal driven and strength-based programming within the justice system. Brandy’s advocacy works includes working with victims of crime on local and state levels, providing support during prosecution and post-conviction. She has her Master’s degree in Community Development from Clark University.

Position: Regional Advocate I

: Savanna is currently employed in the See the Girl: Open Doors program as a Regional Advocate. She is a point of contact when helping survivors who are in need of resources during their journey to recovery. She is there to offer support when survivors are navigating their new lives. Being able to lend a helping hand through the lens of trauma-informed care is of the utmost importance to her. She has been able to use her strong sense of justice and passion for making sure that no voices go unheard, into advocacy work that prevents survivors from becoming revictimized.

Position: Victim Services Coordinator

: Jacey is a Masters level mental health professional with 20+ years in the human services/social work field. She has a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a Masters in Human Services Management and Leadership and holds a Bachelors in Health Education and Community Services. She has certifications and diplomas in Trauma Informed Care, Anger Management & Conflict Resolution and Domestic Violence. Her career has spanned services with various underserved populations as a direct service provider, crisis intervention coordinator and case manager, as well as positions in management and supervision. Jacey has worked as a lead clinician for a mobile response team, as a trauma therapist and team coordinator for an Anti-trafficking Team. Her spare time is spent facilitating and co-facilitating domestic violence groups twice weekly for a community based organization. Jacey’s heart and focus is on providing services that promotes healing and empowerment for broken and forgotten individuals while helping them become empowered through discovering their inherent worth.