Advisory Council

As required by 409.1451(7) F.S., the Independent Living Services Advisory Council was created by the Florida Legislature with the "purpose of reviewing and making recommendations concerning the implementation and operation of the independent living transition services." Each year the advisory council prepares and submits a report to the Florida Legislature and the Department of Children and Families on the status of the services being provided, including successes and barriers to these services.

If you would like more information please contact Cyndee Odom at the Domestic Violence and Independent Living Programs at (850) 922-0185 or email Cyndee_Odom@dcf.state.fl.us.

 Independent Living Services Advisory Council
Appointment Term - Two Years

Barbara Alcena
BSW Student at Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

The Honorable Ronald V. Alvarez
Judge, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida

Karima Anderson
Guardian ad Litem
Second Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program
Tallahassee, Florida

Mary Cagle
Director of Children's Legal Services
Department of Children and Families
Miami, Florida

Allan Chernoff
Executive Director, City of Life Foundation
Orlando, Florida

Bob Garner
Adjunct Professor, The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship
Florida State University College of Business
Tallahassee Community College/Flagler
Tallahassee, Florida

Mathew Johns
4Kids of South Florida, Inc.
North Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

The Honorable Carlos Martinez
Public Defender, Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida
Miami, Florida

Dehryl McCall
Program Manager
Workforce Services
Workforce Florida, Inc.
Tallahassee, Florida

David Oropallo
Agency for Health Care Administration
Tallahassee, Florida

Trudy Petkovich
President, Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association
Culter Bay, Florida

Ernst Pirrelouis
Florida State University Student
Tallahassee, Florida

Teri Saunders
Chief Executive Officer, Heartland for Children, Inc.,
Bartow, Florida

Diane Schofield
Chief Executive Officer, Hands of Mercy Everywhere, Inc.
Belleview, Florida

Pastor Ken Scrubbs
First Baptist Church of Leesburg
Leesburg, Florida

Vicki Sokolik
Founder /Executive Director, Starting Right, Now
Tampa, Florida

Janice Thomas
Family and Community Services Director, Northwest Region,
Department of Children and Families
Pensacola, Florida

Arto Woodley
President, Frontline Outreach, Inc.
Orlando, Florida

Vacant
Department of Education