2024 FHPLA Fellows

Beth Nelson is the Vice-President of Community Impact for United Way of Marion County, an organization which focuses on community needs to create an environment where adults and children have access to education, good health, safe living, and financial stability to create a positive social impact. She oversees Education, Financial Stability, and Health councils, which strategize and implement initiatives to address community needs and improve social outcomes. She also helps develop, initiate, and evaluate the effectiveness of community programs, manage funding opportunities, engage in advocacy efforts, collaborate with community and government partners, and mobilize volunteer support. Having previously worked as a journalist, a town manager, and a director of a Sylvan Learning Center, she is intent on building an empowered and self-sufficient community and is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with others dedicated to doing the same.

Briana Kelley is the Director of Human Services for Marion County Senior Services where she coordinates the paramedicine/co-responder teams. She helped to develop and launch the first co-responder team in 2021, which is composed of a paramedic and clinician that work with dedicated senior intervention specialists at the Sheriff’s Office to address age-related concerns with a focus on baker acts, jail, and hospital diversions. She hopes this model will become a statewide practice to allow individuals to age in place with dignity.

Esmeralda Batiz is the Outreach Manager for Community Health Center Inc, and is responsible for directing six community event specialists and two community health workers in the design and implementation of strategic outreach initiatives to ensure that healthcare access is available to all members of our community. She works on projects aiming to lessen barriers to care by connecting individuals to the centers, increasing health education, and addressing socioeconomic determinants of health. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, she spearheaded a community-driven vaccination campaign with the objective of ensuring the maximal vaccination of community members against COVID-19. Overall, her projects contribute to the health and safety of her county’s residents.

Jacqueline Roe is a mental health coordinator within the Sumter County School District. With this position, she oversees counseling services provided by the school district and other community agencies, she ensures all students and teachers receive mental health training and resiliency training. She reaches out and works with the administrators, teachers, students, and the families of this school district, actively working on mental health awareness. She is excited for this opportunity to expand her knowledge on issues that affect the counties she is actively involved in.

Katina Mustipher is the Chief Executive Officer of Elder Options, state-designated area agency on aging and Aging and Disability Resource Center, dedicated to being a place for elders to receive unbiased information, resources, and assistance in the community. She oversees the daily operations of Elder Options in which serves a 16 county Planning and Service Area in North Central Florida. Her work has also been dedicated to the younger population by assisting the start of the Community Action Coalition which supports the youth and brings awareness to the danger of substance abuse among younger generations. She is excited for this opportunity as it is a great stepping stone in helping create a healthy community where everyone has access to quality healthcare.

Linda McDonald is an Environmental Health Professional for the Florida Department of Health in Wakulla County. Some of her primary responsibilities include improving the overall quality of the environment in a particular community by conducting inspections, research, education or advocacy in areas such as food safety, water quality, air pollution, waste and biomedical waste management, and occupational health. After major hurricane Michael in 2018, she participated as a group leader in a community mental health assessment to conduct surveillance of Bay County, Florida residents directly impacted by the catastrophic storm. The goal of the surveillance was to identify the major stressors post storm residents experienced. Through the Academy she aims to learn how to lead by example, interact successfully with my community and ultimately change lives for the better.

Marimil Padilla is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of All Steps Count, Florida’s Infant and Toddler personal intervention recruiting company that focuses on the early intervention of infants and toddlers who have or who are at-risk for developmental disabilities or delays. She is responsible for recruiting, training, and evaluating all Infant Toddler Developmental Specialists (ITDS) overseeing North and West Central Florida. She has been a leader in several different foundations and groups, along with also developing a sports organization named Batista Volleyball Academy and where she supervises the leadership program among all of the athletes. As a leader and advocate for her CODA and Latino community, she is honored and excited for this opportunity.”

Natasha Dobkowski is the Marketing and Fund Development Coordinator of Marion Senior Services, a nonprofit, charitable social agency providing supportive care services for the elderly of Marion County. She manages all of the fundraising, marketing, community relations, and government advocacy. Additionally, she also had the opportunity to be a part of the Marion County Co-Responder team, which pairs a Community Paramedic with a behavioral health specialist. On this team she is able to offer guidance in terms of the legislative process and advocate for policy that support the expansion of the community. Ultimately, she has identified that working together, in terms of a multifaceted approach, would benefit the community as a whole.

Nishika Stafford is the director of Health and Economic Mobility of United Way of Lake and Sumter. UWLS serves the local community by addressing the greater needs of health, income, and education. Today, United Way operates in nearly 1,800 communities to assist those experiencing needs in income, education, and health. The bulk of individuals served by the United Way are members of the “ALICE” population (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed). She has led UWLS and volunteers in the community including churches, higher institutions and other businesses to raise, collect and distribute food annually around the holidays and the time of when children are home from school. Through her leadership serving Lake and Sumter counties, she is eager to learn and take action on making healthier communities.

Olajuwon White is the Director of Veteran Services for the Levy County Board of County Commissioners where he oversees day-to-day operations of the county’s Veterans’ Service Office program and serves over 4,000 Veterans and their families. He helped lead to address challenges faced by Veterans in rural communities regarding awareness and utilization of health benefits. In 2023 he was awarded the Achievement Award by the National Association of Counties for his “Veterans Benefits in Rural Communities Public Education Campaign”, and he is excited to further develop this project during the Academy.

Robbin Washburn is the Public Health Services Manager B-SES, at Florida Department of Health in Sumter County and manages the Information Technology Department as well. With 23 years of Public Health service, Washburn currently also manages the Health Education outreach activities and programs, working with other leaders to educate the community on a variety of topics such as drowning prevention, health equity, and health community. She is an active leader and voice in her community with over two decades of preventative work.

Stephen Kennedy is the Assistant County Administrator of Sumter County. Some of his primary responsibilities with this position include managing Information Technology Services and Public Safety Agencies, which include the oversight of both medical and health aspects such as the Medical Director contract and 911 services. Additionally, he wa s also a main initiator behind the streamlining of emergency communications in Sumter County by leading the transitions to Next Generation 911 services. With the effective use of technology, it can be ensured that there is optimum utilization of resources, enhancing community safety. Ultimately, Kennedy blends technological strategies with public safety goals, ensuring a technological alignment with Sumter County’s needs.