About the Institute
Board of Advisors
The 29-member, nonpartisan Institute Board of Advisors is a diverse cross section of some of Florida's most respected and successful business, civic, and community leaders. It includes CEOs from private, public, or non-profit organizations; the former Chairman of the State Board of Education; past presidents of the Jacksonville Bar Association; a former President of the American Medical Association; the Chairman of St. Vincent's HealthCare system; the first Chairman of the Jacksonville Children's Commission; leaders of several multi- billion dollar companies; a former Jacksonville Mayor; and industry and public leaders in education, finance, banking, public infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, and other areas.
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- The Honorable Jason Altmire
- John D. Baker II
- Michelle Bedoya Barnett
- Henry Brown
- Giselle Carson, Esquire
- The Honorable Ander Crenshaw
- Jed V. Davis
- Shantel Davis
- J.C. "Jay" Demetree, Jr.
- Fred Franklin, Jr.
- Patrick J. Geraghty
- Chris Hand
- Robert Harris
- Arezou "Ari" Jolly
- Elizabeth Feustel Krajewski
- Jane R. Lanier
- David Miller
- James L. O'Leary, Esq.
- Megha Parekh, Esq.
- Willard Payne, Jr.
- Paul I. Perez, Esq.
- Devin Reed, Esq.
- Robert M. Rhodes, Esq.
- Robert "Bobby" L. Stein
- David Strickland
- Nicole B. Thomas, FACHE
- Aundra Wallace
- Michael J. Ward
- Chuck Wodehouse
Our Advisors
The Honorable Jason Altmire
Dr. Jason Altmire is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Career Education Colleges and Universities, the largest national trade association representing the career education sector of higher education. Jason Altmire is author of the book 'Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It'. He is also a former Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Government, and Community Affairs for Florida Blue. Prior to joining Florida Blue, Altmire served three terms as a United States Congressman in Washington, D.C. Before being elected to Congress, he led the Department of Government Relations and Community Health at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Earlier in his career, he helped lead the legislative effort for the Federation of American Hospitals in Washington, D.C. and served as an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University, focusing on politics and policy. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Unite America, and the advisory boards of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, the Washington Political Film Foundation, and the Center for Effective Lawmaking at the University of Virginia. Jason Altmire holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Florida State University, a Master's Degree in Health Services Administration from George Washington University, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Florida.
John D. Baker, II
John D. Baker, II is the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FRP Holdings, Inc., a real estate company based in Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Baker is a director of Blue Water Industries Holdings, LLC, and a senior advisor for Brinkmere Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm. From February 2008 until October 2010, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc. Before joining Patriot, Mr. Baker was President and Chief Executive Officer of Florida Rock Industries, Inc. Mr. Baker maintains leadership roles in several community educational organizations including Tiger Academy, KIPP School Jacksonville, and the YMCA of Florida's First Coast. Mr. Baker currently serves as a member of the JEA Board of Directors. He previously served on the Board of Directors for Wells Fargo & Company, Jacksonville Port Authority, Progress Energy, Vulcan Materials, Hughes Supply, Texas Industries, Inc, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association,Bedoy Rotary Club of Jacksonville, YMCA, Florida Tax Watch, Associated Industries of Florida, Florida Council of 100, and Woodberry Forest School. Mr. Baker received a B.A. from Princeton University and graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law.
Michelle Bedoya Barnett
Michelle Barnett is a founding shareholder of the law firm of Alexander DeGance Barnett. She is a former Jacksonville Bar President and recipient of the Jacksonville Bar Professionalism Award. Ms. Barnett is currently serving as the Chair of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.Prior to founding the firm, Ms. Barnett was an associate attorney at the national law firm of Holland & Knight, LLP. Ms. Barnett is a 2012 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, a past member of the City of Jacksonville Ethics Commission, the Jacksonville Housing Authority and the Fourth Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission. Ms. Barnett is also a member of the Florida Blue Key. Ms. Barnett received a B.S.B.A., with honors, in Finance, from the University of Florida, and is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School.
Henry Brown
Henry Brown is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Miller Electric Company. A Jacksonville native, Mr. Brown is a third-generation leader of Miller Electric Company, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, H.E. Autrey, his uncle Ron Autrey, and his mother Susan Walden. After starting his career in Public Accounting with Deloitte and working as a financial analyst in the shipbuilding industry, Mr. Brown joined Miller Electric Company in 2001 as the Controller. He moved up through the company as Vice President and later Sr. Vice President of Corporate Operations. He became CEO of the company in 2012. Mr. Brown serves as Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors of the Jax Chamber and is a member of the Jacksonville Civic Council and NECA’s Electric Council. He serves as President of the Board of Directors of the North Florida NECA Chapter, and Chairman of the Executive Advisory Board for Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business. Mr. Brown is a graduate of Stetson University where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Masters of Accountancy.
Giselle Carson, Esquire
Giselle Carson is a shareholder with Marks Gray, P.A. practicing primarily in the area of immigration law representing employers and individuals. She is a former President of the Jacksonville Bar Association. Ms. Carson served as General Counsel of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and is a member of its Board of Directors. She serves on the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Board and is a graduate of Leadership Florida and Leadership Jacksonville. She has received many distinguished recognitions including an AV peer review rating from Martindale-Hubble, Jacksonville Lawyer of the Year (2013) and Top Rated Immigration Attorney by ALM and Martindale-Hubbell. She was born in Cuba and is fluent in Spanish and French. She is a marathoner and two time Ironman triathlon finisher. In 2015 she will have completed all six World Marathon Majors. She is married to Jeff, a physical therapist, marathoner, and triathlete. She received her bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy from McGill University, Montreal, Canada and a J.D. with high honors, from Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville, Florida.
The Honorable Ander Crenshaw
Former Congressman Ander Crenshaw is currently Senior Council on the Government Advocacy and Public Policy team at King & Spaulding in Washington, D.C. Former Congressman Ander Crenshaw represented Florida’s 4th Congressional District for 16 years. During his tenure, Crenshaw established himself as a respected voice on defense issues and a champion for our military. He fought for key priorities for Northeast Florida and led the way to bring the Jacksonville National Cemetery to the area and to make Naval Station Mayport the East Coast homeport for all Littoral Combat Ships and Naval Air Station Jacksonville the East Coast home for all P-8 aircraft. Crenshaw, a member of the Appropriations Committee, chaired the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee. He served both on the prestigious Defense Appropriations and the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittees. Prior to Congress, Crenshaw worked in the private sector as an investment banker and served as Florida’s first Republican Senate President. Job creation and economic prosperity for all have been the driving forces behind Crenshaw’s public service. He currently serves on the board of The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Former Congressman Crenshaw graduated from the University of Georgia and received his law degree from the University of Florida.
Jed V. Davis
Jed V. Davis is Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of DDI, Inc., which operates the Davis Family Office headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and serves as an officer and/or director of its affiliated entities. Through these entities, he oversees various business operations and investment interests in land and timber properties, master plan community developments, commercial real estate, and the private and public equity markets. His commitment to the community is reflected through his involvement with charitable boards and organizations both on the local and national level. Nationally Mr. Davis serves on the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees. Locally he currently serves on the Executive Advisory Board for the Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University, the Board of Trustees for The Bolles School, and is the founder and Director of Jax Lax Youth Lacrosse Club. Mr. Davis is a graduate of the Episcopal School of Jacksonville and the University of North Florida, Magna Cum Laude.
Shantel Davis
A Jacksonville, FL native, Shantel Davis was recently named Vice President Sales, Southeastern US with The Greenbrier Companies. Prior to this role Shantel worked for CSX Transportation for 20 years serving in various leadership roles in Sales & Marketing and Real Estate. She is a proven leader who values diversity of thought, experience and culture in shaping strategy and vision for her teams. Shantel traveled the U.S. and Canada fostering relationships while growing profitable businesses in various commodities. She is active in various community and civic organizations. Shantel is a board member for The Sulzbacher Center, University of North Florida Foundation, Goodwill Industries of North Florida, and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. In July 2019, Shantel was appointed to the Florida State College of Jacksonville Board of Trustees by Governor Ron DeSantis. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Communications and Criminal Justice from the University of North Florida and her MBA from Jacksonville University. Shantel’s most rewarding and humbling position is being a mommy to her daughter, McKinley.
J.C. "Jay" Demetree, Jr.
Jay Demetree is the President and CEO of Demetree Brothers, Inc., a Florida based real estate service company. He serves as Managing Member and President of Pentagon Properties, LLC, a limited liability company with investments in real estate, banking, chemical, bio tech, and communications. Mr. Demetree currently serves as a Director on the boards of both growing and established companies and serves on numerous charitable boards including St. Vincent's Hospital Foundation, Inc., the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Ronald McDonald House Advisory Board of Jacksonville, Ascension Florida Board of Directors, and the Jack and Betty Demetree Family Foundation. He is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. degree.
Fred Franklin, Jr., Esquire
Mr. Franklin is Managing Director of Rogers Towers and Chairman of the firm's Board of Directors. Mr. Franklin is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. His practice is concentrated in the areas of complex commercial litigation, land use litigation and negligence litigation, including personal injury and wrongful death claims. His experience includes the representation of banks and federal banking agencies involving the workout and foreclosure of commercial and real estate loans. Mr. Franklin also has extensive experience litigating title insurance claims and other real estate matters. Mr. Franklin is a former prosecutor and previously served as General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville and its independent agencies, including the Jacksonville Port Authority, the Jacksonville Electric Authority, the Duval County School Board and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. As general counsel, he was the chief legal officer for Jacksonville’s consolidated government. Mr. Franklin received his undergraduate degree from Jacksonville University, and his JD from the University of Florida.
Patrick J. Geraghty
Pat Geraghty is President and CEO of GuideWell, a $30 billion not-for-profit mutual insurance holding company focused on transforming health care. Mr. Geraghty is a member and past chair of the Florida Council of 100, a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization of Florida business leaders who advise the state’s governor on how to improve the economic growth of the state and the economic well-being of its residents. He also serves as chair of the board for AHIP, an organization that represents health insurance providers across the country; and a member of the boards of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, including chair of its Health Policy & Advocacy Committee (HPAC); National Institute of Health Care Management (NIHCM); and Tampa Electric Co. (TECO). His work with United Way, MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation and the American Cancer Society are among his most important commitments outside his board engagements. Mr. Geraghty is considered an expert voice on a range of health care topics including health care reform, next-generation payment strategies, innovation in health care and the benefits of wellness and prevention programming. He is frequently sought after for his insights on important health care policy matters in Washington, D.C. and Tallahassee, Florida. Mr. Geraghty holds a Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University and has participated in executive education programs at Harvard University School of Public Health and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Chris Hand, Esquire
Chris Hand is a Jacksonville native with a long record of public service. He currently leads Hand Law, which helps clients anticipate and address opportunities and challenges with government. From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Hand was Chief of Staff at the City of Jacksonville. He recently authored the 50th Anniversary update to A Quiet Revolution, which chronicles Jacksonville’s consolidated local government. Mr. Hand previously served as speechwriter and press secretary for then-U.S. Senator and former Governor Bob Graham. With Senator Graham, Mr. Hand is co-author of America, the Owner’s Manual: You Can Fight City Hall – and Win, a guide to help Americans flex their citizenship muscles and make government respond. He has also served in the United States Electoral College, as policy advisor to gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham and on the transition team for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried. Mr. Hand helped to lead the Groveland Four Clemency Coalition, which worked to obtain pardons for four unjustly accused Floridians. Mr. Hand graduated from the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs and the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law.
Robert Harris, Esq.
Robert Harris, Esq., is the Founder and Managing Partner at Harris Guide Rosner, P.A. Mr. Harris was appointed by Governor Scott and Governor DeSantis as past Chairman of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nomination Commission, and currently serves as a member. After graduating from the University of Florida College of Law in 1975, Mr. Harris worked for Ed Austin as an Assistant State Attorney for three and a half years. He then practiced general litigation for seven years before founding Harris Guidi Rosner in 1986, focusing on personal injury and general litigation. Mr. Harris served as a member of the JEA Board of Directors from 1993 through 2000, serving as chair from 1997 through 1999. He is actively involved in community service, serving on the World Affairs Council and participating in Leadership Florida and Leadership Jacksonville. Mr. Harris earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 1972, Cum Laude, and the University of Florida College of Law in 1975.
Arezou "Ari" Jolly
Ari Jolly serves as an Expert Counsel at Guidewell Mutual Holding Corporation ("GMHC"), where she is responsible for providing primary legal support to the Investment as well as the Corporate Development operations of the GMHC enterprise. Prior to joining Florida Blue in Jacksonville, Florida. Ms. Jolly was also an Officer in the United States Navy from 1983-1990 and the recipient of a Navy Achievement Medal (1987). She is a member of the Florida and Jacksonville Bar. Ms. Jolly also serves on the boards of the Greater Jacksonville Area USO, the Naval Continuing Care Retirement Foundation, Inc. (Fleet Landing) and, the American Public Transportation Association. In 2019, Ms. Jolly was reappointed by Governor DeSantis to the board of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and served as the JTA Chair from 1-1-2021 to 12-31-2022. In the fall of 2021,Ari assumed the Chair responsibilities for the Board of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and effective January 2023 she joined the Board and Executive Committee of JAX Chamber, where she also serves as the General Counsel. Ms. Jolly graduated from Jacksonville University (1983) and the Florida State College of Law (1990) with Highest Honors. While at the Florida State College of Law, Ms. Jolly was an Associate Editor on the Law Review as well as a member of the Oder of the Coif. Ms. Jolly is also an honors graduate from the Naval Legal Justice School, Newport Rhode Island (1984).
Elizabeth Feustel Krajewski, MPP/JD '16
Elizabeth Feustel Krajewski joins the board as the MPP Alumni Representative in her capacity as Chair of the Public Policy Alumni. Ms. Krajewski is the Legal Administrator and Operations Director of Florida Women's Law Group. Prior to joining the firm, Elizabeth served in policy research roles for the Jacksonville Public Education fund and Jacksonville Civic Council. Ms. Krajewski also served as a program manager and adjunct professor in public policy at Jacksonville University. Ms. Krajewski was among the inaugural cohorts of Jax Chamber's Hightower Emerging Leaders Fellowship and the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network's Millennial Cohort. Ms. Krajewski received her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law and Masters in Public Policy from Jacksonville University as a member of Florida's first JD-MPP program. Her graduate research led to a successful half-penny sales tax campaign to fund public education infrastructure in Jacksonville. Ms. Krajewski received her Bachelor of Science in Economics from Jacksonville University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and with University Honors. Ms. Krajewski serves as the founding chair of JU's Public Policy Alumni Network.
Jane R. Lanier
Jane R. Lanier, CFRE is a Certified Fundraising Executive in Jacksonville, Florida. She owns and operates her own consulting firm, Lanier Consulting and Strategy Services, having served in leadership positions in the philanthropic fundraising field since 1991. Ms. Lanier was President and System Chief Development Officer of St. Vincent’s HealthCare Foundation in Jacksonville, Florida from 1999 through 2019. During that time she was responsible for establishing, directing and implementing the fundraising program; in addition to distribution, investment and management of Foundation assets. Jane Lanier currently provides consulting services in the areas of donor development, cultivation and philanthropy to a limited number of non-profit organizations. She has 30 years of experience in fundraising, business and education fields. Ms. Lanier has served as President of the Ascension Health Council on Philanthropy, Director of the YWCA Children’s programs in Jacksonville, and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities in Jacksonville. She has served as President of the First Coast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and as a volunteer with civic organizations in the Jacksonville community. She is a recipient of the national award from the Catholic Health Association of the United States for creativity and breakthrough thinking, the Sister Mary Concilia Moran Award; the St. Augustine Diocese Catholic Business Women’s Award and the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence Award. She is a graduate of Georgia State University and holds a B.S. degree in Education. She and her husband, Randy, have two married daughters and five grandchildren.
David Miller
David Miller is the Co-Founder of Brightway Insurance, one of the largest property and casualty insurance retailors in the country. With annual sales approaching $1 billion, Brightway has earned recognition from Forbes as the #1 Franchise to Buy in the U.S., from Entrepreneur Magazine as the No. 1 insurance franchise in the country, and from Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the country 10 times. Miller serves as Chair of OurJax and is a leading supporter of the Emerald Trail, LiftJax, City Year, Read USA, and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. Miller currently serves on the Senior Advisory Council for OneJax, and actively supports the Sandy Miller Metrotown Institute, which brings youth from all over the city together to build character and develop future leaders. He also actively supports the United Way. Miller has served on a number of other boards, including Leadership Jacksonville, The Chamber of Commerce, The Jacksonville Civic Council, and Jewish Community Alliance, where he is a past president. He and his wife Monique have two children, Josh and Leah.
James L. O'Leary
James L. O'Leary is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Haskell, a $2B+ global architecture, engineering, and construction company with operations throughout North America & Latin America, Asia and Africa. Mr. O’Leary is active in several civic and professional organizations, including the Design-Build Institute of America, Construction Industry Roundtable, Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2003, Jacksonville Civic Council, Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center Board of Directors, and Thrive Scholars Jacksonville Advisory Board. Mr. O’Leary was a recipient of the Florida EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2021 and has served as a Florida EY Entrepreneur of the Year judge 2021 – 2024. Mr. O’Leary is a University of Florida graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in construction management and received additional executive education at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Mr. O’Leary is a Certified General Contractor.
Devin Reed, Esq.
Devin Reed is the Chief Legal Officer responsible for Legal, Human Resources, Procurement, and overall regulatory compliance with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
Mr. Reed was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1995. He practiced law with McGuireWoods, formerly Mahoney, Adams & Criser, from 1995 to 2002. Mr. Reed served as an Assistant General Counsel in the City of Jacksonville’s Office of the General Counsel from 2002 to 2003, specializing in government operations and contract transactions for various city departments and agencies. In 2003, Mr. Reed was appointed by Mayor Peyton to serve as the Director of the City of Jacksonville’s Department of Procurement, and in 2007, he was appointed to serve as the Director of the City of Jacksonville’s Department of Central Operations. In 2012, he joined JAA as the Director of the Department of Procurement. Mr. Reed received a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida College of Law.
Megha Parekh
Megha Parekh is the Jacksonville Jaguars' executive vice president and chief legal officer. She joined the Jaguars as vice president and general counsel on March 1, 2013 before being promoted to her current position in 2021. Parekh manages the legal, technology, security, capital improvements, and people development teams at the Jaguars. Parekh also serves on the board of the Jaguars Foundation, the Florida Sports Foundation and the Black News Channel and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and Crisis Text Line as a crisis counselor. Prior to joining the Jaguars, Parekh worked in the New York office of the law firm Proskauer, which is an international law firm known for its sports law group. Parekh was named in 2012 and 2013 to Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 Sports List and was selected for Sports Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list in 2018. Parekh has also been named a Woman of Influence (2014) and Ultimate Attorney (2016, 2020) since coming to Jacksonville. Parekh joined Proskauer in 2009 after graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Parekh is a first-generation American whose parents traveled to the US from India. Parekh was raised in New Jersey, but now calls Jacksonville her home.
Willard Payne, Jr.
Willard Payne is the President/Treasurer of Northern Florida Recruiting & Consulting Services, Inc. (NFRCS) and directs professional recruiting, consulting and lobbying client services. An educator by training, Mr. Payne spent 14 years with the Chicago Public School System as a teacher and district administrator. In 1975, he left Chicago when he was awarded several McDonald's Corporation franchises in Jacksonville, Florida. He was the first African American franchise operator in the city and built four stores, hiring more than 500 employees. The Mayor of Jacksonville appointed Mr. Payne as the first African American to serve on the Jacksonville Port Authority Board and he also served as the first President of the The100 Black Men of Jacksonville and the Downtown Rotary Club. Mr. Payne received his Bachelor's Degree in Education from Xavier University in New Orleans, LA and holds a Master of Science Degree in Education Administration and Supervision from Loyola University in Chicago.
Paul Perez
Paul I. Perez is the Deputy Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for Fidelity National Financial. He manages the Company’s in-house litigation staff and oversees the Company’s Corporate Compliance and Regulatory Department. Mr. Perez began his legal career in 1984 as a judicial clerk for the Honorable John H. Moore II, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. After his clerkship, he practiced bankruptcy and securities litigation prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office in 1989. He returned to private practice in 1992 as a partner at Booth, Arnold and Perez where he had a general civil and criminal trial and appellate practice in state and federal courts. Perez was appointed by then-President George W. Bush as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida and served from 2002 through 2007. He also served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee during this time. Mr. Perez graduated with a B.A. in History and International Affairs from Jacksonville University in 1976, an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida in 1978 and a J.D., cum laude, from George Washington University National Law Center in 1983.
Robert M. Rhodes, Esq.
Bob Rhodes is an attorney and business consultant. He held executive and attorney positions with The Walt Disney Company and The St Joe Company and practiced law with Steel, Hector and Davis and Foley & Lardner LLC law firms. Earlier, Bob served as the first administrator of Florida’s growth management program, legal counsel to the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and in the Washington DC office of the Council of State Governments and National Governor’s Conference. In Jacksonville, Bob chaired the Downtown Investment Authority, Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, the Northeast Florida Regional Community Institute, Mayor Peyton’s Growth Management Task Force and the Trust for Public Lands local chapter. He is a past chair and a member of the Jacksonville University Marine Science Institute Board of Advisors and has served on several nonprofit and academic related boards. Bob and his wife Blythe have endowed the Rhodes Scholarship Fund, which will be awarded to a student in Jacksonville University’s dual Master in Public Policy and Master in Marine Science program. He is a graduate of Cal Berkeley and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Robert "Bobby" L. Stein
Bobby Stein is President of The Regency Group, a family holding company. He has founded the successful investment and growth of many businesses in a wide variety of industry sectors including water, sewer and waste management, real estate, oil and gas, mortgage services, highway safety, technology, food services and healthcare. Mr. Stein is a board member of Kerrco Inc. (Houston based oil and gas company), SDS (Pizza Hut franchisee), Acme (highway safety business), TL Canon (Applebee's franchisee), and Welltality (healthcare solutions provider). Mr. Stein currently serves as Board Chairman of the Better Angels Society (Ken Burns foundation), and as Board Chairman of Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA). Past gubernatorial appointments include member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board; former Chairman of the Defense Business Board, and ex official member of the Defense Policy Board and Defense Science Board. Mr. Stein served as a member of the United States Naval Academy Board of Visitors.
David Strickland
A native of Daytona Beach, Florida, David Strickland retired from EverBank in 2013 after 42 years in banking. He served in senior management positions at Trust Company of Georgia, Barnett Bank of Florida and EverBank, where he was the founding president and CEO. He was the interim President and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony in 2019, where he has been a Board member since 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. His other current activities include Chairman of the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute and board member of the Cummer Museum and the Marine Science Research Institute. He served as chairman of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville from 2016 to 2018 and currently serves as its advisory council chair. Strickland’s prior community and educational service includes being chair of Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville, the North Florida Land Trust, the Youth Crisis Center Foundation and positions on the boards at Stetson University and the Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida. He has degrees from Emory University, Rutgers University and the Harvard Business School.
Nicole B. Thomas, FACHE
Nicole Thomas, FACHE, is the hospital president of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, responsible for the operational and strategic direction of the largest hospital in the health system. Ms. Thomas joined Baptist Health in 2011 and in 2016 was named Baptist Medical Center South’s president, becoming the first female and first African American to lead a hospital in Baptist Health’s history. Through the years, Thomas has held several system roles at Baptist Health, including co-chairing its diversity, equity, and inclusion council; chairing its transformation council; stepping in as interim chief human resources officer; and serving as senior vice president of specialty services overseeing neurosciences, orthopedics, and oncology, with primary executive responsibility for the formation of Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2015. A fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, Thomas was named among Modern Healthcare magazine’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare in 2018 and 2020. Thomas has a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and she received a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Administration from Dillard University in New Orleans.
Aundra Wallace
Aundra Wallace is president of the JAXUSA Partnership, Jacksonville’s regional economic development arm, overseeing efforts of the seven counties of Northeast Florida. JAXUSA’s mission is to be a catalyst for economic growth and maximize the region’s unique resources to aggressively recruit jobs and capital investment. Prior to joining JAXUSA Partnership, Aundra served as CEO of the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority, where he spearheaded a diversified portfolio of infrastructure improvement projects and led economic development initiatives. Aundra has also served as the executive director of the Detroit Land Bank Authority, as the senior vice president for commercial real estate at the North Carolina Community Development Initiative and held several executive and senior leadership positions with Miami-Dade County Government. Aundra serves on several board of directors including Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Leadership Florida and World Affairs Council. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a B.S in Political Science from Georgia Southern University.
Michael J. Ward
Michael Ward served as the chairman and chief executive officer of CSX Corporation for fourteen years. Under Mr. Ward’s leadership, the company continually achieved record safety performances while providing vital services to customers and posting strong financial results for shareholders. A native of Baltimore, MD., Mr. Ward’s commitment to personal philanthropy and corporate citizenship has been recognized with City Year’s prestigious Lifetime of Idealism Award. Through his private foundation, the Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock Foundation, he has donated over $35M to various charitable causes. The focus of the giving has been increasing educational opportunities, as well as promoting healthy relations, preventing domestic violence, support of the military and the arts. Mr. Ward earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in 1972, and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School in 1976.
Chuck Wodehouse
Chuck is a retired Fortune 500 executive with a long association with Jacksonville University. He spent most of his business career with CSX Corporation and its predecessor companies, last serving as President of CSX Technology and Senior Vice President of CSX Transportation. In retirement, he and his wife, Camilla, have been active in a number of philanthropic and community activities and were named NE Florida Outstanding Philanthropists of 2017. He has served JU in various capacities, including 18 years as a Trustee and as the initial chairman of the Davis College of Business & Technology Advisory Board. He and Camilla have been frequent donors to JU, including most recently to the Public Policy Institute as founders of the MPP Minority Fellowship Program. Chuck received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, and his MBA from Rutgers University.