FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 18, 2015
Contact: Valerie Wickboldt
vwickboldt@jamesmadison.org
(850) 383-3131
Top Professionals Across Florida Announced as JMI Leaders Fellowship Class 2
~ Broadening the networkof The James Madison Institute, the yearlong Leaders Fellowship program includes a diverse group of under-40 leaders in six Florida regions ~
TALLAHASSEE– The second class of The James Madison Institute (JMI) Leaders Fellowship wasannounced today featuring more than 100 accomplished young leaders from across Florida who represent a diverse group of interests and professions. The JMI Leaders Fellowship is a yearlong endeavor designed to encourage and promote the growth, development, knowledge and networks of under-40 professionals in living and working in the Sunshine State.Currently, the program has representation in six regions of the state including Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, Palm Beach and Miami.
“When we launched the JMI Leaders Fellowship program in 2014, we were fortunate to receive interest from some of Florida’s best and brightest young leaders,” said Dr. Bob McClure, JMI president and CEO. “It was exciting when we opened up the process for the second year and applications flooded in. Our fellows meet monthly at fun and informative gatherings where they learn about key public policy issues that have an impact on their lives, along with the roles that culture and civic engagement play in economic development in Florida. Our hope is that the program expands each year to reach new regions and exceptional leaders looking to make a difference in their communities.”
The JMI Leaders Fellowship was created in partnership with several talented young professionals who recognized a need for such a program for Floridians in this demographic.
“Ensuring that Florida remains the single-best state in the nation to live and do business requires two things: smart ideas and strong leadership. The James Madison Institute not only realizes these essentials to long-term success in Florida, but has taken charge in developing both through its Leaders Fellowship program,” said Vance Aloupis, a founding member of the JMI Leaders Fellowship, statewide director of the Children’s Movement of Florida and 2014 winner of the Young Floridian award through The Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. “In every way through this fellowship, JMI has filled a void in which young professionals who believe in the ideals of the free market can discuss ideas, grow professionally and most importantly, build long-lasting relationships.”
JMI Leaders Fellowship Class 2
Executive Committee and Regional Leaders
·Vance Aloupis, State Director, The Children’s Movement of Florida
·Travis Keels, Director of Public Affairs, The James Madison Institute
·Harout Samra, Associate, DLA Piper
·Chester Spellman, Chief Executive Officer, Volunteer Florida
·Tallahassee – Sara Clements, Director of External Affairs, Step Up For Students
·Tampa – Adam Giery, Principal, Strategos Group
·Orlando – Glen Gilzean, Interim President and CEO, Central Florida Urban League
·Miami – Jay S. Lipsey, Partner, McCombie Group
·Jacksonville – Mark Pinto, Principal, The Fiorentino Group
·Orlando – Mike Sasso, Partner,Sasso & Sasso, P.A.
·Palm Beach – Keith Sonderling, Attorney, Gunster Law Firm
Tallahassee
·Mandy Bianchi, Executive Director, Epilepsy Association of the Big Bend
·Amy Bisceglia, Government Affairs Consultant, Tsamoutales Strategies
·Alex Boler, Associate Corporate Counsel, Xerox
·Emily Buckley, Government Relations Manager, Jones Walker LLP
·Casey Cook, Senior Legislative Advocate, Florida League of Cities
·Alexandra Dominguez, Regional Advocacy Associate, Foundation for Excellence in Education
·Ryan Duffy, Vice President, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
·Christopher Emmanuel, Attorney
·Andrew Fay, Special Counsel, Attorney General’s Office
·Stan Forron, Government Relations Coordinator, Space Florida
·Michael Giuliano III, Senior Public Assistance Planner, Florida Division of Emergency Management
·Eric Giunta, Assistant General Counsel, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
·Ashley Guinn, Legislative Assistant, Florida House of Representatives
·Virginia Haworth, Finance Director, Let’s Get to Work
·Ben Hensarling, Financial Specialist, Department of Financial Services
·Mary Kucek, Managing Director (Gulf Coast), Computer Aid, Inc.
·Matt Leopold, Attorney, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt
·Nick Loffer, Student
·David Mica Jr., Director of Legislative Affairs, Department of Business and Professional Regulation
·Brent Moody, Vice President, Beverage Law Institute
·Tim Parson, Executive Director of the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council, Department of Children and Families
·Toby Philpot, Chief of Staff, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
·Evan Power, Government Affairs, Strategic Access Group
·Margaret Sanders, Legislative Analyst, Florida Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security
·David Struhs, Senior Policy Advisor, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
·Signè Thomas, Common Sense Economics Project Director, Gus A. Stavros Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Economic Education at Florida State University
·Greg Ungru, Director of Communications, LeadingAge Florida
·Erin VanSickle, Director of External Affairs, Volunteer Florida
·Michelle Winokur, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Florida Department of Financial Services
·Sean White, Legislative Analyst, Florida House of Representatives
·Skylar Zander, Deputy State Director, Americans For Prosperity
Jacksonville
·Kyle Bedran, Associate Attorney, Nichols & Pina, LLP
·Crystal Bouziden, Donor Relations Manager, State Policy Network
·Megan Duda Dodd, Account Executive, Tucker/Hall
·Jason Fischer, Board Member, Duval County School Board
·Brian Graham, Director of Development, QuitDoc Foundation
·Hunter Hayden, Managing Partner, Hayden Hawk Investment Group
·Donald Horner III, National Sales, Beaver Street Fisheries
·Hal Houston, Pro Se Law Clerk, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division
·Melissa Langey, Development and Political Coordinator, The Fiorentino Group
·Craig Shoup, Staff Assistant II, Law Office of Public Defender Matt Shirk
·Jen Silva, Director of Government and Community Engagement, Florida State College at Jacksonville
·Illiana Tidd, Public Policy Research Assistant, Jacksonville Civic Council
·Will Torres, Business Development Project Manager, City of Jacksonville
·Kate Wallace, Community Engagement Director (North Florida), Foundation for Excellence in Education
Miami
·Pedro Allende, Attorney, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP
·Peter Azcue, CEO, Loturas LLC
·Ari Bargil, Attorney, Institute for Justice
·Christina Bonarrigo, Political Consultant, The Villamil Group
·Molly Cowart, Outside Sales Consultant, Coverall North America
·Dan Espino, Municipal & Land Use Attorney, Weiss Serota Helfman (City Attorney, City of Doral)
·Keith Fletcher, Executive Director and Vice President, City Year Miami
·Paul Hernandez, Councilman, City of Hialeah
·Steven Herzberg, General Counsel, The Steinmauer Group
·Cecile Houry, Assistant Dean for External Affairs, Florida International University
·John Janik, President, DiAmante Industries, LLC
·Phil Josberger, Director of Real Estate Development, The ConstructionManagers, Inc.
·Arianna Mendez, Senior Columnist, Women’s Voices Magazine
·Hayden O’Byrne, Associate, K&L Gates
·Davide Proietti, International Sales Representative, OMA SUD U.S. Sky Technologies
·Brittany Rogers, Data Analyst, Jeb2016
·Ryan Ulloa, Associate, White & Case LLP
·Joseph Van de Bogart, President, Van de Bogart Law, P.A.
·TJ Villamil, Media Strategist, The Villamil Group
·Raquel Zuniga, Coalitions Team Contractor, LIBRE Initiative
Orlando
·Miguel R. Acosta, Senior Associate Attorney, Gobel Flakes, LLC
·Michael Ayers, Associate Director of Government Relations, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
·Zane Beard, Congressional Aide, Congressman John Mica
·Nathan Bond, CEO, Rifle Paper Co.
·Ryan Casson, Attorney
·Kipp Chapin, Associate, Realty Capital Advisors
·Chris Dawson, Associate Attorney, GrayRobinson, P.A.
·Joe Durso, Vice President for Public Affairs, CBC of Central Florida
·Brian Empric, Construction Project Manager, The Pizzuti Companies
·Eric Jontz, Attorney, Swann Hadley Stump Dietrich & Spears, P.A.
·Andres Malave, Director of Communications, Americans for Prosperity
·Matt McMillan, Attorney, Tax Armory
·J. Christian Minor, Director of Legislative Affairs, Bridges of America
·Val Particini, Corporate and Estate Planning Paralegal
·Nick Primrose, Attorney, Wooten Kimbrough, P.A.
·Tom Self, Central Florida Regional Director, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio
·Eric Smith, Category Manager, Florida Distributing Company
Palm Beach
·Lauren Cooley, Field Representative, Leadership Institute
·Tabitha Harnage, Attorney, Murray & Guari Trial Attorneys
·Brett Leone, Planner, Cotleur & Hearing
·Russell Marcus, Chief of Business Incentives, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
·Danny Martell, President and CEO, Economic Council of Palm Beach County
·Jose Molina, Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual
·Juan Montalvo, Vice President, Glades Formulating Corp.
·Steve Muscatello, Corporate Counsel, G4S
·Stephanie Pittington, Director of Marketing, Ice Marine
·Blake Rittenberg, Director of Partnership Development and Distribution, Wholly
Fit Marketing
·Justin Roy, Social Studies Department Chair, Conniston Middle School
·Joe Russo, Executive Director, Palm Beach Technology Association
·Scott Singer, Attorney, Singer Law Office, P.A.
·John Terwilleger, Attorney, Gunster Law Firm
·Sheela VanHoose, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Charter Schools USA
Tampa
·Dorothea Bauer, IT Project Coordinator, Jabil
·Joel Brown, Regional Manager, Florida Department of Financial Services
·Jake Cremer, Attorney, Stearns Weaver Miller
·Shareef Doumet, Rep Relations Specialist, Transamerica
·Gina Evans, Director of Government Relations, Tampa International Airport
·Alexis Flowers, Customer Service Representative, Bouchard Insurance
·Janine Kiray, Legislative Assistant, State Representative Chris Latvala
·Daniel Martinez, Commercial Relationship Manager, The Bank of Tampa
·Mark Matos, Managing Director, Global Wealth Consultants
·Nate Paulich, Attorney, Thompson, Sizemore, Gonzalez & Hearing, P.A.
·Katie Peluso, Attorney, Holland & Knight
·Michelle Robinson, Assistant Director of New Student Connections, University of South Florida
·Christopher Timmons, Columnist, Context Florida
·Peter Trazzera, Vice President, KeyBank Real Estate Capital
·Josh Zudar, Attorney, Burnett Wilson Reeder
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Trusted Solutions for a Better Florida:Founded in 1987, The James Madison Institute (JMI) is Florida’s oldest and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization. JMI is dedicated to advancing such ideals as economic freedom, limited government, federalism, traditional values, the rule of law, and individual liberty coupled with individual responsibility. All JMI publications are available online atwww.jamesmadison.org. For additional information please contact Valerie Wickboldt at850.386.3131orvwickboldt@jamesmadison.org. Twitter: @JmsMadisonInst – Facebook:facebook.com/JamesMadisonInstitute
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