Leadership - North Florida Green Chamber

Board of Directors

Dolly Penland, President & CEO of Business Results, works with organizations helping them to hire and manage their talent to their highest potential. She specializes in multiple areas including helping businesses grow sales, reduce turnover and develop leaders.

Business Results is a consultancy firm that helps companies improve their bottom line by addressing their most valuable resource: their people. As a PI® Certified Partner firm, Master Training Center, Talent Optimization Consultancy, and a CATIL® Certified Elite Partner firm (the only partner firm in the US offering both PI and CATIL). Dolly helps companies achieve their strategic objectives by employing expert consulting, a wide range of leadership training, and a suite of human capital assessments.

Take the human error out of your talent decisions by using scientifically-validated data to drive your business results. Dolly works directly with business leaders and their management teams to help them connect the right people to the right jobs. When people are doing what they love and are suited to do, they can move mountains. It’s All About People.

Mary Tappouni is the President of Breaking Ground Contracting, where she serves as Senior Estimator, Senior Project Manager and Sustainability Consultant. Over her more than 25 years in the construction industry, she has managed projects ranging from small park projects to multimillion dollar facilities that include medical and professional office buildings, historic preservation, retail, schools, university, health & fitness facilities, recreational, military projects and custom green homes.

Mary is passionate about sustainability and green building. She was honored to speak at the Greenbuild conference in Chicago in 2010 and serve as a 2013 member of the Northeast Florida Regional Council Sea Level Rise Committee, which produced a Regional Action Plan. She currently serves on the State Board of Directors for the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC). Mary actively represents the construction industry, including in her current role as Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Florida Immediate Past Board Chair. She is also past Chair of the Board of the ABC First Coast Chapter and past Chair of its Women’s Council.Mary showcases sustainability at Breaking Ground’s office which houses one of the few successful green roofs in Florida.

Mary is a two-time recipient of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence Award, the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Best Practice Award for Leadership from Sustainable Florida Collins Center for Public Policy as well as being recognized as the 2009 Small Business Association Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Florida.

Paula Holanchock is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Social Entrepreneurship Program Director at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla..

Paula encourages socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneurs and business leaders to consider a circular economic approach that embraces the triple bottom line. She inspires compassionate and conscious leaders to create prosperous and inclusive ‘life economies’ through spiritual decision-making, embodying conscious leadership for systems change, regeneration, and organizational renewal.

Paula earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and has a Master’s Degree in International Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice. Paula is also completing her Ph.D. in Women’s Spirituality. Her academic research explores women, gender, spirituality, and gender-based violence.

Kelly Karstaedt has been a proponent of animal welfare and the natural world since childhood. Originally a native of rural Western Pennsylvania, she graduated from Gannon University with a degree in Biology focusing on animal behavior. Kelly then moved to Florida to attend Florida Coastal School of Law, from which she graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2008.

Kelly is currently the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Justice Association, a plaintiff’s personal injury trial lawyer bar association. In this position, Kelly has been given the amazing opportunity to run a membership non-profit organization and work for and with some of the best trial lawyers in Northeast Florida. Kelly is also the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the statewide Florida Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates. While her duties are similar, these two new positions allow for more opportunities to network throughout the State of Florida and spread the message of sustainability.

Kelly has years of experience handling marketing and development needs for multiple non-profit charities and professional associations. It is that passion for bringing people with similar needs together to create beneficial relationships and her passion for protecting this planet that drove her to become involved with the Green Chamber.

Kelly is an avid reader and book club enthusiast. Her cat Medea and border collie Orion have been a sustaining source of inspiration and motivation to continue her efforts to protect our community and see it thrive.

Jessica Handley is a tax manager with BDO USA, a member of BDO International, the world’s fifth largest accounting network. BDO delivers assurance, tax, and financial advisory services to clients throughout the country and around the globe.

Jessica has lived in Jacksonville for 31 years. In 2008, Jessica graduated from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. In her senior year she started her tax internship at The LBA Group (now BDO USA, LLP) and has been with the same office since December 2007. Her passion for the job comes from the development of the client relationships. Her industry focus has been mainly restaurants, construction & real estate with experience in multi-state tax.

She also has experience with law firms. Jessica is a volunteer mentor with the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center’s Athena International. She also served for several years as a member of the Associated Builders & Contractors Florida First Coast Chapter Women’s Council Executive Committee.

Craig Barzso brings a diverse background in business, non-profit and government service to the Green Chamber board. As the founder and CEO of LifeWare TEK, Craig spent nearly 25 years leading an extraordinary team in developing Internet-based sales, marketing and supply chain systems for major international brands during the Internet’s infancy. These systems helped bring brands like Time Warner, Campbell’s, RAI Italy, Nabisco, General Mills, Sara Lee, HP and many others to the Internet for the first time. LifeWare’s green credits include assisting HP develop ResourceLink, a logistics system designed to efficiently deliver surplus food products from large food producers to food banks nationwide

After moving on from LifeWare TEK, Craig has participated in a number of local start-ups as principal or investor. He recently launched AltWays LLC as a co-founder with Matthias Herzog, a noted Swiss solar engineer. AltWays’ mission is to promote all things green. AltWays acts as an independent analyst and broker for residential and commercial solar installations and is developing a suite of educational programs and online tools to make it easier for consumers and small businesses to go green.

Prior to founding LifeWare TEK, Craig began his early career in the non-profit world, founding a large community performing arts center in Seattle, Washington. Based on this success he was recruited by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, to serve as a policy analyst advising the presidentially-appointed National Council On the Arts. This experience gives Craig valuable insights into the grant making process.

Dr. Simmie Raiford currently serves as the Executive Director of the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership.

She has over 35 years’ experience as an educator at the elementary school, district, and state level. Leadership experience includes work as a principal of a gifted magnet elementary school, and district director of staff development. In addition, for three years, served as a district-level instructional coach for first-year teachers.

State level experience includes working as an educational policy analyst for the Florida Legislature. Dr. Raiford moved into private sector educational consulting in 2005, working as an organizational performance auditor and educational suitability assessor for facilities master planning.

Since 2010, her work has centered on supporting transformation efforts in schools threatened by state takeover. The focus of that work was on coaching new principals and teachers around key elements of school transformation, namely, instructional effectiveness, collaborative planning, data-driven decision-making, parent and community involvement, conducting classroom observations and providing feedback, designing formative assessments, and curriculum alignment. She has served as in her current role since 2018.

Gene Fraser is the Former VP of Programs Quality and Engineering at Northrop Grumman.

During exciting careers in both the U.S. Marine Corps and the aerospace industry, Gene Fraser has succeeded in technical leadership roles throughout all phases of design, build and test. Numerous times he successfully led program development. Throughout his career, he’s effectively mentored and prepared a new wave of leaders for early and continuing career success. His goal is to give them the tools to succeed and to avoid becoming the next “lessons learned.” Fraser has also focused on the development and promotion of a diverse workforce through active employee engagement and targeted skills programs.

Gene brings his experience and practical approach to achieving the triple bottom line to inspire and guide Green Chamber member companies.

Tom Goelz is Owner at Cobalt Moon Center in Neptune Beach, Florida and FloTech, Inc., an Industrial and Marine Valve Sales and Service in FL, GA, SC, NC, VA.

Our STT individuals are top tier leaders, innovators, elected officials, educators, non-profits, and CEO’s. They give their time and influence to support the Green Chamber initiatives, and keep the Green Chamber focused on its mission. Participation is by invitation only.

Aaron Gottlieb, Founder/CEO, Native Sun Market
Anna Brosche C.P.A., BDO Alliance, USA and Former City Council President, City of Jacksonville
Carolina Ceron M.D., Owner and Physician, Progressive Pediatrics
Charlie Latham, Former Mayor City of Jacksonville Beach
David Dunkley, Director, Planning and Environmental, Jacksonville Aviation Authority
David Strickland, Supporter
Elaine Brown, Former Mayor City of Neptune Beach
Ellen Glasser, Former Atlantic Beach Mayor
Ellen Leroy-Reed, Executive Director, Friends of the GTM Reserve
James Richardson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Board, City of Jacksonville
Jim Baliey, Supporter
Jim McCarthy, President, North Florida Land Trust
John Delaney, Flagler College President
Kay Ehas, CEO Groundwork Jacksonville, Inc.
Lake Ray, Executive Director, First Coast Manufacturers Association
Maria Hane, President, M.O.S.H.
Mark Middlebrook, Executive Director, Timucuan Parks Foundation
Nancy Shaver, Former Mayor City of Saint Augustine
Peggy Bryan, Supporter
Quint White, Executive Director, Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville University
Rhodes Robinson, CEO, Environmental Services, Inc.
Sam Inman, Community 1^st Credit Union
Sarah Boren, U.S. Green Building Council
Sel Buyuksarac, Founder/Chief of Public Affairs & Government Relations, River City Science Academy
Sherry Magill, Retired President, Jessie Ball duPont Fund
Tracye Polson Ph.D, L.C.S.W, Owner, Psychotherapy for Adults & Couples

Our Committee Chairs are the movers-and-shakers of North Florida. They are the innovative minds that bring the Green Chambers mission alive. These committees are for Green Chamber members only. Please select a committee to join and attend our regularly scheduled meetings. Check our calendar for the most current information.

Policy Committee
Mary Tappouni President, Breaking Ground Contracting

Communication Committee
Mike Bonts, Mike Bonts Public Relations

Event Committee
Jessica Tittl, Founder/CEO, Biome Future, LLC

Membership Committee
Mary Tappouni President, Breaking Ground Contracting

Sustainability Committee

Dave McKee, Electrification Program Manager, JEA

Fundraising Committee

Committee Descriptions:

Membership

The membership committee is responsible for managing the NFGCC membership list; by being a point of contact to members if they have questions; making sure that members understand their benefits; periodically checking in with members who are not engaged; and making member calls when there are urgent NFGCC announcements. Membership Committee members are also encouraged to help the NFGCC reach potential new members. There will be opportunities to participate in tradeshows and festivals. This committee has the ultimate opportunity to network with members and meet sustainable leaders in town.

Communications

The responsibilities of the Communications Committee are to create and follow the NFGCC Marketing Plan. The Committee will prepare and distribute Press Releases, help design marketing material (event invites, posters, flyers, etc.), merchandise, and the quarterly newsletter. The Committee is tasked with preparing and posting on social media such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Lastly, the Committee will give feedback on the look and flow of the website in order to make improvements.

Policy

The purpose of the Policy Committee is to build a database of resources regarding local and state policies that effect business owners by: attending local government (city council) hearings and open forums; building relationships (outreach) with public officials; and following Federal and state policy issues. This Committee must determine if the NFGCC supports these issues and present a committee report to the BOD for approval. This Committee should partner with the USGCC Policy Committee. This Committee must build a lobbying and advocacy branch.

Fundraising

The purpose of the Fundraising Committee is to research/apply for grants, create a sponsorship structure, reach out to potential leaders (both individuals and business owners who are practicing sustainability) to be highlighted as annual sponsors, and to create fundraising events. The Committee will also think tank ideas regarding how to solicit the community for donations and convey them to the Board.

Event Planning

The responsibilities of the Event Planning Committee include planning, promoting, executing and attending monthly Green Chamber events (one networking and one educational). The Committee is expected to brainstorm potential event ideas, recruit guest speakers and experts for these events, secure the venues and prepare for any needs of the event (food, games, signage, equipment, etc.).

Sustainability

The Sustainability Committee is comprised of scientists and environmentalists that focus on what is happening in the sustainable world of business. This Committee is responsible for learning the new trends/data and how these changes can affect business. The Committee members help the NFGCC choose what is sustainable and what is not in North Florida and how NFGCC can help North Florida businesses improve their practices. The Committee will provide articles and news stories to the Communications Committee for weekly website updates and monthly/quarterly newsletter ideas. The Committee takes ownership in the Green Business Pledge, updating when needed, and the Sustainability Coaching program. This program is a benefit to new members to help them implement the Green Business Pledge. The Committee also partners with UNF and JU students to create the annual Sustainability Report and present it at our annual meeting.

The NFGCC Ambassadors are a prestigious group, who assure the membership is receiving the benefits available to them. Participation is by invitation only.

Christina Kelcourse, Esq, CFP, CRPC Co-owner, Sunshine Organics & Compost and Founder of the North Florida Green Chamber of Commerce
Perpetua Grant C.F.P. Financial Advisor, Prudential Financial

Noah DeDeo, past-chair
Rory Hampson, Chair

The mission of the Student Advisory Council is to include ALL students in North Florida, to advocate for a cleaner and greener community on campus. We inspire to be a model for others of social and environmental justice. Our goal is to engage students and faculty on campus across North Florida, by planning and implementing sustainable projects; and to network with the NFGCC professional members.

We have implemented events reducing plastic waste, gardening tips for dorms, beach clean-ups and hosted panel discussions with professional and professors. We also participate in the NFGCC Mentor-Mentee program.