Executive Committee
The committee is chaired by the president and is comprised of the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer and acts on behalf of FCH in managing the affairs of the organization during the intervals between board meetings.
Board of Directors
The board of directors is elected by the membership annually to hold 3-year terms. The main purpose of the board is to represent its members by managing the financial and policy decisions of the organization.
Executive Director
The Executive Director operates under the direction of the Board and represents the Coalition in the community. The Director is responsible for the day to day operations and coordination of the organization.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Daniel Ramos
Position with FCEH: President and Executive Committee Member
As president of Florida Coalition for the Homeless, Daniel Ramos oversees the yearly advocacy plan for the 27 Continuums of Care throughout the state of Florida and is responsible for coordinating and organizing activities to generate financial support and legislative cooperation. Daniel has been involved working with non-profits for almost 20 years, before transitioning to local government where he currently works as the Operations Supervisor in the Division of Human and Veteran Services. He holds his Master’s degree in organizational Leadership and is currently working on a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership. Daniel began his career in New York working with youth in group homes and adolescent crisis units. He then moved into working with single adults experiencing homelessness in recovery from substance use issues. He moved to Florida about 13 years ago with his beautiful wife of 20 years and their three amazing children where he continued his work serving families with children experiencing homelessness, and is currently working on serving homeless single adults. Daniel is currently leading the efforts of expanding the coordinated entry system to serve those at risk of homelessness. He has served as a board member on the Community Back to School Bash’s Executive Committee serving over 12,000 students with school supplies and has served as an Executive Committee member of the CoC in PBC. He also currently chairs the Unmet Needs subcommittee of the CoC.
Laura Lee Gwinn
Position with FCEH: Vice President & Executive & Operations Committee Member
Laura Lee Gwinn has served the Homeless Coalition of Polk County (HCPC) since 2013. Prior to her current position as Executive Director, Gwinn served as HMIS Project Manager and as Chief Operating Officer for HCPC. She oversaw the planning and implementation of the CoC’s Coordinated Entry system, the merger of two CoCs in Polk County, and the development of a five-year strategic plan for the CoC. In addition, Gwinn serves on the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for Polk County the Polk County Homeless Youth Task Force.
Prior to joining HCPC, Gwinn worked primarily in technology and healthcare fields. She received her B.S. in Information Technology from the University of South Florida.
Victoria Brown-Searle
Position with FCEH: Secretary, Executive Committee & Operations Committee Chair
Victoria Brown-Searle is a CoC & Administrative Coordinator who works for the Volusia-Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless. Victoria started her career as an Americorps VISTA working with both Volusia-Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless and the Florida Coalition for the Homeless to build capacity and a social media presence for both coalitions. Once her contract ended, she continued to work for both coalitions in an administrative role. In 2016, when her role of admin staff ended, she continued to help support FCH as a volunteer. Victoria holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Central Florida.
BOARD MEMBERS
Don Anderson
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Operations Committee Member
Don joined the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County as CEO in December 2017. His background includes 30+ years of senior-level management experience in all facets of business including strategic planning and positioning of businesses and products, fundraising, product development, sales management, operations, and team building, for not-for-profit organizations and technology-focused companies. His roles have ranged from Associate Director of Advancement to President/C.E.O. with both large and small organizations ranging from startups to $9B businesses. Geographically, his experience includes extensive U.S., European, Caribbean, Central and South America, and Asian travel. His education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and an M.B.A., both from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
Donald Beard
Position with FCEH: Board Member
Donald has served in his current position as the CHOP Peer Specialist for the Sulzbacher Center in Jacksonville, FL since August 2015 and has worked at Sulzbacher for 10 years. He also serves as a Peer Specialist for Project Save Lives with Gateway battling the opioid epidemic. Donald is a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist and a Certified Behavior Health Technician. Donald began working in substance abuse and mental health in 2008 after realizing his calling was to use his own personal experience with addiction and homelessness to help others. He does this by serving as a role model and providing encouragement, hope, assistant guidance, and understanding. Donald has 17 years of sobriety and is always willing to share how he got this far. He was awarded the I.M. Award for Outstanding Service to Clients from the Sulzbacher Center in 2016 and was also featured as a success story in a major agency event, “Transformations”, in 2013 and 2019.
Adell Erozer
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Partnership Committee Member
Adell Erozer is an active board member of FCH and has served as the executive director of the Community Coalition on Homelessness, now known as Turning Points, for more than 11 years in Bradenton. She developed the Bill Galvano One Stop Center which features a variety of programs and services, including a free medical and dental clinic.
Katie Fleetwood
Position with FCEH: Board Member
Katie Fleetwood is a Program Manager for Humana’s Medicaid line of business in the state of Florida. After obtaining her Masters Degree in Business Administration – Healthcare Management from Saint Leo University in 2014, Ms. Fleetwood began working for a strategic healthcare firm which led her to her current role at Humana. Currently, Ms. Fleetwood leads a statewide team of outreach representatives whose main purpose is to connect resources, providers, and members to one another in an effort to create a healthier community. Ms. Fleetwood also serves as a Well-Being and Cultural Engagement Champion for Humana where she is able to implement healthy initiatives for associates’ mind, body and soul. A single mother of a 7 year old boy on the autism spectrum, Ms. Fleetwood dedicates her free time to work with organizations like Autism Speaks to enhance the lives of children, adults, and families of those impacted by autism.
Skip Forsyth
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Advocacy Committee Member
Skip Forsyth serves as the director of the Florida Department of Education’s (FLDOE) Homeless Education Program. Prior to taking his current position, he served as the senior program specialist for homeless education and directed the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program for the Florida Department of Education and the Substance Abuse Prevention Program for the Florida Department of Children and Families. Forsyth’s experience also includes overseeing the Drug Education and Prevention Center in St. Augustine, Florida.
John Johnson
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Operations Committee Member
John Johnson has served as the executive director of the EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless (ECOH) since 2011. Prior to his current position, Johnson served as the HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) administrator for ECOH. During his 10 years with the organization, Johnson has advanced the mission of ECOH through his ability to identify funding sources, secure funding through grant writing, and increase community engagement through staff development.
Victoria L. Mallette
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Partnerships Committee Chair
As Executive Director of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, Victoria L. Mallette is responsible for directing and implementing Miami-Dade County’s Community Homeless Plan, the local Continuum of Care’s approach to ending homelessness. She provides administrative, contractual and policy formulation assistance related to homeless services, and oversees a $60 million budget, in collaboration with a 27-member Board of Trustees.
Eugene Williams
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Partnership Committee Member
Prior to his current role at FHC, Eugene Williams gained invaluable leadership experience as the executive director for the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County. During his tenure in Pasco, Williams organized, developed, and coordinated the writing and implementation of the county’s 10-year plan to end homelessness and developed seven local homeless resource centers.
Sarah Yelverton
Position with FCEH: Board Member & Advocacy Committee Chair
Sarah Yelverton, Executive Director of Homelessness & Housing Alliance began her career in homelessness assistance as the finance director for the Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care in 2010. Sarah immersed herself in the contracts and absorbed as much information as was available on the homeless assistance system. Through her efforts, Sarah was soon promoted to shelter manager at Opportunity Place in Fort Walton Beach. There she implemented strategies to move her shelter clients into permanent housing and increasing their ability to remain stably housed.
Sarah serves as the Chair for the Okaloosa Walton Crisis Intervention Taskforce, which is focused on integrating law enforcement, behavioral health, and correctional facilities.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Leeanne Sacino
Position with FCEH: Executive Director
Leeanne has 20 years of experience working in the field of homelessness. She most recently held the position of Assistant Director for a CoC Lead Agency. Leeanne holds her Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Project Management. She began her career working in nonprofit finance and grant management but found her true passion working directly with clients as the program director of an emergency shelter and transitional housing facility. Leeanne has a wide array of experience in non-profit finance, grant management, HMIS, and the implementation of a coordinated entry system. She also has direct service experience with housing families with children, chronically homeless individuals, and veterans.