GROW Center - Greater Resilience of the Workforce
Meet the GROW Center Advisory Committee
This Advisory Committee brings together volunteers with invaluable expertise and experience to contribute to the transformation of the child welfare system in the state of Florida. The Advisory Committee will serve to provide informed guidance, professional expertise, stakeholder experience, and advice to GROW Center staff. GROW Center Advisory Committee members will bridge the gap between organizations, child welfare professionals, and advocate for GROW Center initiatives.
The vision statement leading the Committee’s work asks members to promote, uphold, and advocate for the GROW Center’s innovation of child welfare curricula, support of child welfare professionals, and transformation of the child welfare workplace throughout the state of Florida.
Committee Members
The Committee will be organized to ensure that each member’s activities and decisions are in the best interest of the GROW Center with the election of roles including Committee Chair and Vice-Chair. The member elected as Committee Chair will exemplify a commitment to the GROW Center’s and Florida Institute for Child Welfare’s missions, while similarly, the Vice-Chair will offer support and leadership when needed. The Advisory Committee Secretary will be appointed to their position.
The expectations of Committee Members include programmatic advising and input, leveraging of networks to spread awareness of the GROW Center, serving as an ambassador to increase visibility and engagement within the broader community, and other critical activities which serve to represent the GROW Center’s programs and initiatives in the community.
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Results
Displaying 1 - 5 of 20 GCAC members.
Angie Abbot
Safe Children Coalition
Title
Learning and Professional Development Specialist
SHORT BIO
Angela Abbot is a learning and professional development specialist at the Safe Children Coalition, a community-based care lead agency in the Suncoast region. An educator of 15+ years, Angie is passionate about creating dynamic learning experiences, providing tools for professionals to advance their practice, and implementing solutions to improve processes. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with degrees in journalism and education.
Ryan Capone
Department of Children and Families
Title
Operations and Management Consultant Manager
SHORT BIO
Ryan Capone has worked with The Department of Children and Families since 2010 and currently serves as a Family Safety Specialist and Pre-Service Trainer for the Child Protective Investigator program. In her current position as Family Safety Specialist, she compiles and presents quantitative and qualitative performance data to assist in identifying training needs based on skills gaps identified in data trends. Ms. Capone has represented the Southeast Region in statewide technology workgroups and functions as a liaison providing support for roll-out initiatives. She has dedicated herself to regional retention efforts through conducting exit interviews, compiling data, conducting focus groups, and participating in retention planning and events. Ms. Capone is committed to the field of child welfare and consistently surpasses expectations within her work. She takes pride in approaching her work with positivity, energy, and a solution-oriented mindset. Ms. Capone shares that she is open to feedback and continually seeks opportunities to learn and grow.
Devin Coleman
Devin D. Coleman & Associates
Title
Fatherhood Engagement Consultant
SHORT BIO
Devin D. Coleman is an author, public speaker, and single father advocate whose work embodies the art of turning tragedy into triumph. He values the power of expression and narrative development which inspired him to study and pursue the art of audio, visual and written storytelling. He currently serves on The Nurse-Family Partnership, Florida Expansion Advisory Committee, Florida Child Abuse Prevention Advisory Counsel, Florida Institute of Child Welfare at FSU as a member of The GROW Center Advisory Committee, and the Home Visiting Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (HV COIIN) 3.0 Steering Committee. He’s also obtained several certifications from the National Fatherhood Initiative and is a member of Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2024 which has created opportunities to speak and facilitate workshops at various events. His mission is to work with companies and organizations that serve men to offer them the tools and resources that will elevate them to unlock and reach their full potential. Devin currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with his 14-year-old daughter.
Lauren Fuentes
Children’s Home Society
Title
Vice President of Child and Family Well-Being
SHORT BIO
Lauren Fuentes began serving Broward and Palm Beach counties of Children’s Home Society as well as the Suncoast, Fort Myers area as the Regional Executive Director in 2021. She most recently accepted the position of Vice President of Child and Family Well-Being to continue to her passion with working this population and will now be able to have a statewide impact on these programs. Fuentes previously served as the organization’s Director of Program Operations. Prior to Children’s Home Society of Florida, Fuentes served the School District of Indian River County as a social worker and held various positions with the Florida Department of Children and Families and Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Fuentes holds her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and a Masters in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University.
Natalia Giordano
Florida International University School of Social Work
Degree
LCSW
Title
Clinical Assistant Teaching Professor
SHORT BIO
Natalia Giordano is a Clinical Assistant Teaching Professor at Florida International University's School of Social Work. Natalia also teaches practice courses at FIU with the hope of instilling a passion for social work and child welfare in the next generation of social workers. Ms. Giordano completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida earning a bachelor's degree in Sociology. She later went on to attend the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service where she graduated with her master's degree in social work in 2006. In 2006, Ms. Giordano began her work in child welfare as a case manager in the Teen Foster Care Unit at the Children's Aid Society in New York City. Ms. Giordano provided services to young adults aging out of the system including case management, life coaching, education and life skill development, and designing and implementing employment programming. She later became the social worker and director of the Next Generation Center, a drop-in center for system-involved youth and young adults in the South Bronx. In 2013, Ms. Giordano moved back to Miami and took on the role of Program Director at Casa Valentina. In 2016, Ms. Giordano joined the faculty at FIU as the Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program Coordinator and moved into full-time teaching after the program was discontinued. Ms. Giordano provides clinical support and supervision to local organizations focused on child welfare and/or adolescents and has clinically supervised over 30 professionals and social work interns.