Achieving Kindergarten Readiness through Collaboration

Meet the People & Partners who Help us Thrive

In order to ensure that all children in Tampa Bay are ready for kindergarten, we rely on a diverse group of partners, committees, and individuals. Together, we can best align efforts and resources to make sure the right help gets in front of the right people — as efficiently as possible.

Leadership Council

Comprising key players in the early childhood landscape, the Thrive by Five leadership council provides strategic guidance, direct access to a breadth of knowledge and resources, and unique opportunities to collaborate and align endeavors.

Rebecca Bacon

Executive Director
The Children’s Board

Croley Todd Baird

Early Childhood Specialist, ESE
Pinellas County Schools

Ric Banciella

Director, Bosses for Babies
The Children’s Movement of Florida

Dustin Becker

Director, Client & Community Relations
PNC Financial Services

Kathleen Beckman

Volunteer
Thrive by Five Tampa Bay

Alyssa Bedard

Community Member
Breathing through Life

JL Bielon

Chief Executive Officer
Champions for Children

Nicole Brown

Vice President, Commmunity Impact
United Way Suncoast

Dr. Sheron Brown

Director of Education & Youth Opportunities
City of St. Petersburg

Tracye Brown

Chief of Student Support and Federal Programs
Hillsborough County Public Schools

Christie Bruner

Vice President of Advocacy
St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Lindsay Carson

Chief Executive Officer
Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County

Dr. Jesse Coraggio

Senior Vice President
of Community Impact
Community Foundation Tampa Bay

Anna Corman

President & CEO
Hillsborough Education Foundation

Harry W. Fogle

Director, West Central Early Steps Program
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Joan Freese

director of education
WEDU PBS

Brandy Gottlieb

DIRECTOR  OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Champions for Children

Audrey Harrell

Volunteer
Thrive by Five Tampa Bay

Ray Hensley

Volunteer
Thrive by Five Tampa Bay

Dr. Fred Hicks

Chief Executive Officer
Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County

Dr. Doug Holt

Hillsborough Director
Florida Department of Health – Hillsborough County 

Walter Jennings

Director, Student Success Initiatives
Helios Education Foundation

DR. BILAN JOSEPH

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER
Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg

Kim Jowell

Chief Executive Officer
Pinellas Education Foundation

Dr. Lisa Lopez

Professor & Program Coordinator
University of South Florida

Dr. James McHale

Director
University of South Florida – Family Study Center

Jennifer Mekler

Director of Early Childhood Education
Pinellas County Schools

Kelley Miller

Screening & Intervention Program Manager
Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas

Amanda Moore-Krummerich

Senior Public Health Services Manager
Florida Department of Health – Pinellas County

Marisa Mowat

Executive Director
Healthy Start Coalition-Hillsborough

Amanda Payne

President & CEO
Amplify Clearwater

Mary Jo Plews

Executive Director
Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas, Inc.

Eliseo Santana

Environmental & Clean Energy Gulf Coast Regional Manager
Alianza Center

Carlos Senior

Pastor
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church St. Pete

Dr. Emily Shaffer-Hudkins

Director, Bay Area Early Steps
University of South Florida

JASon SOOS

Vice President, Commercial Banking
Synovus

Marlene Spalten

Chief Executive Officer
Community Foundation Tampa Bay

Work Groups

As part of the formula to achieve collective success in this critical work, Thrive by Five has established work groups dedicated to focusing on areas identified through comprehensive research and strategic planning. Work groups are led by passionate volunteers and staff including a range of community members, organizations and businesses.

Business Engagement

Supporting family-friendly workplaces and private sector champions of early education

Children & Family Success

Ensuring equitable access to quality programs while hearing and responding to the specific needs of families in Tampa Bay

Systems Alignment

 

Working together to streamline processes for families to access services

Communications

 

Increasing overall awareness of Thrive by Five resources and initiatives and expanding social media presence and engagement

Partnership Organizations

Alianza Center

Amplify Clearwater

Barbara S. Ponce Public Library

Bay Area Early Steps

BayCare Medical Group Pediatric Residency Clinic

Centerstone

Champions for Children Tampa Bay

Children’s Board of Hillsborough County

Children’s Home Network

City of St. Petersburg

Community Foundation Tampa Bay

Conn Foundation

Cultured Books

Directions for Living

Early Childhood Council Tampa Bay

Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County

Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County

Evara Health

Florida Department of Health – Hillsborough County

Florida Department of Health – Pinellas County

Florida Guardian Ad Litem Office

Fostering Hearts Florida

Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg

Glazer Museum

Great Exploration’s Children Museum

Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County

Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas County

Helios Education Foundation

Hillsborough County Public Schools

Hillsborough Education Foundation

Juvenile Welfare Board

King’s Kids

Learning Empowered

Lions World Vision Institute

LPL Financial

Lutheran Services Florida

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church – St. Pete

Our Children Have Rights

Our Kids Read

Personal Enrichment Through Mental Health Services (PEMHS)

Pinellas County Housing Authority

Pinellas County Schools

Pinellas Education Foundation

PNC Financial Services

R’Club

R’Club-HIPPY

Ronald McDonald House Charities Tampa Bay

Sanderlin Family Center

Shriners Children’s

South Shore Bilingual Therapy

Sparks Creative Stories

St. Pete Libraries

St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Synovus

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library

The Children’s Board

The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County

The Children’s Movement of Florida

The Early Childhood Council of Hillsborough County, Inc.

United Way Suncoast

University of South Florida

University of South Florida Family Study Center

Unlimited Pediatric Therapy

Waterford

WEDU PBS

West Central Early Steps