Children’s Campaign, Inc. - Board of Directors
Debbie Mason, Board Chair
Known as a catalyst for change, Debbie Mason, APR, Fellow PRSA has spent her career leading and facilitating organizations in generative transformation to reach common goals.
Debbie has 28 years experience in the management of marketing, public relations, research and planning services through experiences in the agency, corporate and healthcare sectors at a national level; although she says it’s her work during the last decade in which she’s found a match for her passion of building nonprofit organizations and strengthening the communities they serve. She is well known for her ability to successfully execute large-scale community planning facilitation to set and reach collective community visions and goals.
In May of 2009, Debbie joined the United Way of Broward County after serving for seven years as president of Strategists, Inc., a consulting firm providing training for change management, strategic planning, team-building, fundraising, advocacy, communications and marketing.
Debbie is active in her profession serving as president-elect of the PRSA Foundation Board and as an executive committee member of the PRSA Association/Nonprofit section. She is a member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, Society for Nonprofit Organizations, Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Florida Public Relations Association.
Debbie has been recognized in her industry by many honors and awards. Two highlights include being named in 2005 as a “PRSA Fellow” as one of less than 1,000 professionals recognized nationally for lifetime achievement in the public relations profession and service to her community. In 2003, her counseling firm, Strategists, Inc. won a national award, the Silver Anvil for her work with child welfare issues in Broward County, Florida.
Her current civic commitments include serving as the chair of the board for the Children’s Campaign, Inc. of Florida, a public policy watchdog organization focused on improving Florida’s care for children. Debbie is a multi-generation native Floridian, originally hailing from the north Florida area. She continues to work with select clients through her Strategists, Inc. firm.
Sandra L. Cook
After serving 17 years in a variety of consulting and senior management positions at Hewitt Associates (a global human resources consulting and outsourcing firm, currently listed on the NYSE), Sandy and her husband, Bob, retired and settled in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Sandy has BS and MS degrees in Business Administration from Wichita State University.
She currently serves as Vice President of the Board of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, Chair of the Community Research Team of the Women’s Giving Alliance, and is a member of the WJCT Board of Trustees, UNF’s Fine Arts Center Advisory Council, The Garden Advisory Committee of The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens and the Board of the Children’s Campaign. Sandy graduated from the 2006 class of Leadership Jacksonville.
Dot Inman-Johnson
In 1986, Dot became the first African-American woman elected to the Tallahassee City Commission, and went on to serve as Mayor. Dot also served as Chair of the Human Development Policy Committee of the National League of Cities.
An Associate Professor at the Florida State University Laboratory School, Dot has also served that educational institution as a Program Administrator for the Full-Service School Program, Community Resource Director for the Family/School/Community Partnership, and Assistant Professor for Art, K-6.
Current community service roles include President, Girl Scout Council of the Apalachee Bend; Chairperson and Founder, Stand for Children of the Big Bend; and the Strategic Planning Committee, Children's Defense Fund, Southeast Region. Awards and recognitions include Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Omega Psi Phi, Graduate Chapter; Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Arts - Community Service and Education Award - American Association of University Women; Outstanding Woman of the Year, Tallahassee JayCeettes; and Outstanding Citizen of the Year, Tallahassee Chapter of Frontiers International; and George W. Conoly Community Service Award, Tallahassee Chapter of the NAACP.
Dot earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Clark College.
Sean Pittman
Sean Pittman, Esq. is the President of The Pittman Law Group.
Florida Trend Magazine labeled Sean the “One to look for” in the new wave of politics in Florida. He was honored with a seat on the Miami Herald Legislative Ranking Committee that annually ranks member performance of the Florida House and Senate, and is generally regarded as an “expert” in the legislative process. His alma mater, Florida State University, honored him with the “Sean Pittman Leadership Award” given to the outstanding student leader at the Presidents annual leadership awards night.
Sean has been heavily involved in state government over the past 15 years as chief lobbyist for the Florida Student Association, Member of the Florida Board of Regents and Presidential Search Committees for Florida State University, University of Central Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast University. He served as law clerk to House Speaker Peter Rudy Wallace and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks (Past Chair of the Public Service Commission); staffer to Governor Lawton Chiles; attorney and assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; and staff attorney to the Florida House of Representatives, under the leadership of House Speaker John Thrasher.
In addition to his legal and lobbying efforts, Sean serves as a co-host for the exceedingly popular North Florida political talk show, “The Usual Suspects.” The Usual Suspect airs on the CBS Network and is broadcast in 27 counties across North Florida and South Georgia.
Sean earned his Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University-College of Law.
Ed Rodriguez
Ed is president of Connectiv Solutions, LLC, a government relations, business development, and management consulting firm based in Tallahassee , Florida . The firm’s focus is mixed-income housing and mixed-use real estate development as well as business and economic development. In addition, Mr. Rodriguez is Florida Director of Progress through Business, Inc., a not-for-profit organization focused on stimulating business and economic development in underserved communities throughout the U.S.
Ed’s career has spanned the public (Governor Jeb Bush’s and President George H.W. Bush’s administrations), private (GMP Companies, IBM Corporation, Coopers & Lybrand Consulting, and AT&T Corporation) and not-for-profit (RAND Corporation; Florida Black Chamber of Commerce) sectors as well as military service (Air Force Academy, Air Force Reserve and Naval Reserve). A native of San Juan , Puerto Rico, Ed’s education includes a BA from the University of Texas at Austin , an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania , and an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University .
Ed was founding chair of the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce, and currently serves on the U.S. Department of Treasury Community Development Advisory Board, and the boards of the Florida A&M University Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce, the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce.
Leon Russell
Leon W. Russell currently serves as the Director of the Office of Human Rights for Pinellas County Government, Clearwater, Florida. He has held this post since January of 1977. In this position Mr. Russell is responsible for implementing the county's Affirmative Action and Human Rights Ordinances.
Mr. Russell served as the President of the Florida State Conference of Branches of the NAACP from January 1996 until January 2000, after serving for fifteen years as the First Vice President. He also serves as a member of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP, having been first elected in 1990. He has served that board as the assistant secretary and currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Board. He is a member of the International City Management Association; a member of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators; a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies; Chair of the Minority issues Advisory Council of the Children's Campaign of Florida; past President of the Alternative Human Services Board of Directors; volunteer for the United Way of Pinellas County; past Board Member of the Pinellas Opportunity Council, past President and Board Member of the National Association of Human Rights Workers; and as past President of the Florida Association Of Community Relations Professionals.
Marytza Sanz
As founding President/CEO of Latino Leadership, Inc., Marytza Sanz has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life of families in Central Florida through the implementation of social enrichment programs that incorporate leadership development and empowerment, education advancement, and economic community development into its daily activities. Mrs. Sanz also lends her expertise to the University of Central Florida President’s Minority Advisory Board, the Homeless Coalition and Florida Devereux boards.
Marytza Sanz’s work in voter engagement and health education has received national and statewide coverage from media outlets such as CNN, Univision, Telemundo, the St. Petersburg Times, and the San Juan Star. Weekly, Mrs. Sanz’s message can be heard on her radio program, “Al Oído de la Comunidad”. Before founding Latino Leadership, Mrs. Sanz worked for the Census Bureau and served as the Central Florida Hispanic Outreach Coordinator for the Gore/Lieberman campaign.
Most recently, Marytza Sanz was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to serve on Florida’s 2010 Statewide Complete Count Committee to ensure a comprehensive count of Florida’s population during the 2010 Census. Currently, Marytza Sanz resides in Orlando, Florida with her wonderful husband, two daughters, son-in-laws, and new granddaughter.
Mark Snipes
Mark Snipes, is the former Chief Fiscal officer for the Early Learning Coalitions of the Big Bend, Inc. Mark has a B.A. in accounting from the University of North Florida Jacksonville , and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.
Mark is a former manager of Deloitte & Touch, where he provided clients with aufit, consultant, financial advising, risk management, and tax services. He also served as chief financial officer at a community bank in North Florida.
Linda Sutherland
Linda currently serves as Executive Director of Orange County Healthy Start Coalition and Administrator of Orange County KidCare Outreach.
Linda is a former school board member for Orange County Schools and is a lifetime member of the Florida PTA and National PTA.
Her current community service roles include Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions; Orange County Primary Care Access Network, Success by Six; Orange County Readiness Coalition, United Way Fund Distribution Panel Chair; Health and Human Services Qualification Review Board, Health Communities Initiative; Children's Advocacy Center School Health Advisory Committee; District 7 Child Abuse and Neglect Task Force, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition; Safe and Drug Free Schools Committee, Jeppesen Vision Quest; University of Central Florida Early Childhood Advisory Board; Eatonville Foundation; and Central Florida Children's Museum.
Among the many community service awards Linda has received, in 2003 she was the recipient of the Women's Resource Center Summit Award and Orange County Council of PTAs Children's Friend Award.
Linda earned her graduate degree in Business Administration from Marymount College.
Linda and her husband Douglas have one son and one daughter.
Kathleen Waltz
Waltz's publishing career spans thirty-four years in Chicago, Virginia and Florida. She retired from Tribune Company in February 2008 as president, publisher and chief executive officer of Orlando Sentinel Communications and vice president of Tribune Publishing with oversight of the Daily Press and the Virginia Gazette on the Virginia Peninsula and The Morning Call in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania.
As publisher of the Orlando Sentinel, Waltz held overall responsibility for news, editorial and business aspects of the company. Business lines included the daily newspaper, companion and stand alone web sites, weekly Spanish language products, direct mail and commercial printing.
Prior to joining the Orlando Sentinel, Waltz was president, publisher and chief executive officer of the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia and vice president and general manager of the South Florida based Sun-Sentinel Company.
Waltz began her career at the Chicago Tribune in advertising sales and rose through various management positions to become vice president of developing businesses. This included responsibility for ancillary Tribune Company products such as Tribune's Spanish language publication Exito, real estate finders service RELCON, alternate delivery service Precision Home Delivery and early on-line effort Chicago OnLine in partnership with America OnLine.
Waltz holds a bachelor's degree from DePaul University School for New Learning in Chicago and completed the Advanced Executive Program at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
She and her husband reside in Florida.
Bill White
Bill White served most recently as the Elected Public Defender of Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties.
Appointed Chief Assistant Public Defender in 1976, Bill provided 34 years of service to the community in the Public Defender’s Office. In his tenure with the Public Defender’s Office he tried every type of criminal case, argued before the Supreme Court of Florida, and presented pleadings in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bill received the National Legal Aid and Defender Association’s Defender Services Award (the highest national honor given to an assistant public defender), the Florida Public Defender Association’s Outstanding Service Award, the Florida Public Defender Association’s President’s Award, and the Kesler Mentoring Connection, Exemplary Volunteer Mentor 2006.
He is active with Take Stock in Children, serving as the Chair for the Leadership Council, a member of the student selection committee, and mentor to five students.
Bill grew up in north Florida and attended local public schools. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science at the University of Florida, he earned his Juris Doctor Degree, University of Florida, College of Law. He served with the United States Navy – 1968 – 1972. Bill and his wife Judy have been married 41 years. They live in Neptune Beach, have one daughter and a granddaughter, who is perfect.
Of Counsel
General Counsel – Pro Bono: Al Geske
Al has extensive knowledge of advocacy activities permissible for 501 (C)(3) tax-exempt organizations and was primary legal counsel to Children's Campaign, Inc. in its formation and application to the Internal Revenue Service.
Headquartered in Washington D.C., Al practices in the area of taxation, representing clients in Internal Revenue Service matters and those seeking favorable tax legislation or the issuance of beneficial Treasury regulations. A large part of Mr. Geske's practice involves tax planning, including obtaining Internal Revenue Service rulings as to proposed transactions.
The author of several articles and books, Al is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the State Bar of Texas. He is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Court of Federal Claims. Earlier in his career, he was an Attorney and Assistant Legislation Counsel with the staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation (1975-81) and an Attorney and Assistant Branch Chief with the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. (1970-74).
Al earned his B.A. in Economics, with highest honors, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1964 from Southern Methodist University. He earned his J.D., with honors, in 1967 from the University of Chicago, where he was a member of the Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. In 1974, Mr. Geske earned his LL.M. in Taxation, with highest honors, from George Washington University.
Public Opinion Consultant: Bruce Barcelo
A political pollster and native of Jacksonville, Bruce Barcelo advises on politics, public affairs, and organizational positioning. His clients have included dozens of political candidates and committees, the Republican Party, Chambers of Commerce, think tanks, and major Florida corporations. Active in education reform, he was a member of the original design team for the Florida Chamber Foundation’s WorldClass strategy. He has worked extensively in international democracy-building efforts, traveling five times to the Ukraine to teach modern polling techniques and political communication in that emerging democracy. Over the past several years his work with leaders of opposition parties in Haiti was instrumental in planning for a successful post-Aristide democracy. His work with JCCI’s groundbreaking “Beyond the Talk” Race Relations Study has been honored by Folio Magazine and the Jacksonville Urban League. In 2004 he was named by Florida Trend as one of Florida’s 174 most influential leaders.
Bruce has been active in the Florida and Jacksonville Chambers of Commerce, Leadership Florida, the MountainTop Institute, the Florida Children’s Campaign, Junior Achievement, JCCI, the Republican Party, and St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Bruce and Anne have a daughter Paige who has thoughtfully provided them with the world’s most perfect grandsons, Miles (6) and Collier (almost 3.)