Board Members

Bethany serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Education, as well as the Executive Director for the Florida Education Foundation. As a third-generation military brat who has lived in 17 different communities from Pre-K to postsecondary, her family’s commitment to public service formed her professional ethos to produce high-quality work to improve both individuals and communities.

For the past 12 years she has been serving Florida’s communities in the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Most recently she was a Director of Legislative Affairs for the Florida Department of Education. Previously, Bethany was Leadership Florida’s Member Services and Resource Development Manager, and before that, she was an Account Manager at a top-tier, public relations and advertising firm, The Zimmerman Agency, managing three global accounts.

Most importantly, however, she holds the titles of daughter, sister, aunt, friend, Guardian ad Litem, and Floridian.  Bethany is a graduate of the Florida State University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Public Relations and has a Masters in Nonprofit Management from the University of Tampa.

Melanie is a third generation Floridian and has lived in Tallahassee for over ten years now. She has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Reading and Language Arts from Florida State University.

Upon graduation, Melanie spent her years teaching children throughout our community. She and her husband, Greg, are now raising their two daughters, Elizabeth and Katherine. Melanie has thoroughly enjoyed her time spent working with the children in Tree House and spreading the mission of this wonderful organization since 2017.

Louis Poskey currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Aegis Business Technologies, a Managed IT Services provider based in Tallahassee. Louis, a Tallahassee native, is a graduate of Lincoln High School and Tallahassee Community College. He received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama with a Management Information Systems major. He and his wife, Meghan Poskey, have been active in coastal cleanups, and other community activities. Louis enjoys spending time with friends and family, biking, mountain climbing and spending time at the beach.

Mark was born and raised on Kent Island in Maryland. He graduated from Queen Anne’s County High School and after a short time in south Florida, moved to Tallahassee in 1994.

Community involvement is important to Mark and his wife, Maria, and they support many worthy non-profits in our area each year. An avid outdoorsman, Mark loves boating, spearfishing and spending time with his family and friends at Alligator Point.

Molly, originally from Ohio by way of Colorado, has called Tallahassee home since 2009.  She has undergraduate degrees in history and sociology from Tulane University, and a law degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Molly spent six years working as a staff attorney for local circuit judges, until 2014 when she stepped away from the legal profession to focus on raising her two boys.

Before she began volunteering with Tree House, Molly was actively involved with the Junior League of Tallahassee for nine years, including four years of service on its Board of Directors.

In her free time, Molly enjoys playing tennis and mahjong, and most of all, spending time with her husband and their two boys.

Carlecia, a government consultant in GrayRobinson’s Tallahassee law firm office, has more than a decade of experience working in Florida politics. Her experience includes serving as a special assistant to the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and in several leadership roles within the Florida Senate. In her most recent position, Carlecia served as a senior legislative assistant for Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, where she handled statewide appointments to boards, commissions, and taskforces for the Florida Senate.

Carlecia has an in-depth knowledge of Florida’s legislative process, which is invaluable to her clients in helping them achieve their legislative proprieties.

From 2011 through 2016, Carlecia severed as the “gate keeper” for House and Senate presiding officers to ensure their availability to legislators, lobbyists, and the public. Carlecia earned her associate of arts degree in 2015 from Tallahassee Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science from Florida State University in 2018. While attending Florida State University, she worked as a senior legislative assistant for Florida Senate District 16. In this role, during the 2016 Legislative Session, Carlecia coordinated budget priorities for the chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and served as the liaison between the chair, constituents, and lobbyists. She also worked with the chair to ensure senators’ priorities were represented in the final budget. She completed her master’s degree in Applied American Politics and Policy in 2020. In June of 2020, Carlecia was selected as a member of the 2021 Leadership Florida Connect 11 Class.

Spencer Hinds

Savannah Jefferson is a Director in KPMG’s State and Local Government Advisory Practice, focused on the State of Florida. Previously, she served as Director of External Affairs in the Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis. She also served as Director of Communications for the Florida Hospital Association and as External Affairs Director for Volunteer Florida, where she currently serves as a Governor-appointed Commissioner. She also serves as a Commissioner on the Governor’s Mansion Commission.

Savannah and her husband, Tyler, are supporters of the Alzheimer’s Association and members at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee.

Sam is a dedicated public servant with experience in legislative affairs and executive leadership across multiple Florida state agencies. He currently serves as the Chief of Staff at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

Before joining DBPR, Sam served in other leadership roles at the Department of Children and Families, Department of Managements Services, and Department of Juvenile Justice.

A native of Tallahassee and proud graduate of Florida State University, Sam also serves as a Commissioner for Volunteer Florida and as board member of the Capital City Kiwanis Club.  Sam has built both his career and family in his hometown, where he lives with his wife, Alice, and their two sons.

A fourth generation Tallahassee native, Julian was raised in a family that understands the importance of giving back to the community you call home. Julian graduated from Leon High School and Florida State University. While at FSU, he became a member of the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity and helped raise funds for numerous philanthropies and local non-profit organizations. Upon graduation, Julian worked for Capital City Bank and Copy Fax, where he gained valuable experiences in marketing, sales and customer service. He currently works for Alpha Foundations as a System Design Specialist and is helping redefine the foundation repair industry and working to change customer perceptions of working with contractors.

 

Julian is also involved with Ducks Unlimited, Trinity United Methodist Church, and is a member of Access Tallahassee and the Tallahassee Board of Realtors. In his free time, Julian enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching college football (FSU) and fishing at St. Teresa Beach.

Lucille Spann is the founder and owner of Blaze Digital Services, a Florida-based digital marketing agency that specializes in using both paid and organic strategies to boost website traffic, generate leads, and drive sales for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations.

With a background in marketing and a passion for public relations, Lucille ensures that every campaign is innovative and results-driven. Recently, she worked with the North Florida Fair to enhance their presence on Facebook and Instagram, leading to a 122% increase in Facebook followers, a 200% increase in Instagram followers, and a 206% return on investment in ticket sales.

A graduate of Clemson University’s College of Business and Behavioral Science, where she earned honors in marketing, Lucille went on to receive her Master of Science in Integrated Marketing & Communication Management from Florida State University while working full time at VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official tourism board.

Lucille is also deeply committed to community service. She served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Tallahassee, where she led initiatives such as the annual Back to School Shopping event for children in need. She is a proud member of 100 Women Who Care Tallahassee and actively supports local refugee families through the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Originally from North Pole, Alaska, Lucille now enjoys Florida’s sunshine with her husband and two dogs. A true millennial, you’ll rarely see her without her phone in hand.

Michael Willson focuses his practice on Government Affairs, Administrative & Regulatory Law, and Land Development & Environmental.

Before entering private practice, for 15 years Michael held several key roles in Florida state government. He served in the Florida House of Representatives as Deputy Staff Director & General Counsel for the Appropriations Committee and as Staff Attorney to both the Economic Affairs and Commerce Committees. He also worked in the Executive Office of the Governor as the Policy Chief for environmental issues, and held positions relating to permitting, regulatory compliance, and procurement matters at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

These roles provided Michael with a comprehensive understanding of governmental processes, including the legislative and appropriations cycle, regulatory frameworks, and agency operations. His experience included regular engagement with legislative staff, elected officials at both the state and local levels, executive branch leadership, and lobbyists, giving him a unique and practical perspective for clients navigating complex governmental systems.