Board of Directors
Chair
Lisa V. Johnson, Chief Technology Officer, IBM Financial Sector
LISA V. JOHNSON
Chief Technology Officer, IBM Financial Sector
A seasoned global sales executive with 30 years of subject matter expertise and significant board expertise, Lisa is someone who strives to excel at executing multi-year large-scale transformation efforts across diverse industries and markets. A strategic visionary at heart, her focus is on simplicity, standardization, and automation, while driving out meritocracy and bureaucracy.
Lisa is currently Chief Technology Officer for IBM’s Financial Services market and has responsibility for driving the organization’s IT strategy and building a high-performing team to ensure increased efficiency and operational success across the global market through industry solutions and digital transformation.
A trusted advisor to IBM’s C-Suite clients for over three decades, she’s seen as an innovator, a considered consultant, and laser-focused on business results.
She is passionate about diversity and inclusion and strives to support other women executives in technology, mentoring young professionals and guiding colleagues at various points in their career journeys.
She is a graduate of the Northeast Florida Leadership Program, Leadership Jacksonville, and served on the Mayor’s Advisory Board, the Board of Trustee for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Junior Achievement Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors for Jacksonville Community Council Inc., and was honored as a Women of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal.
Currently, she is also the Vice-Chair of The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
Vice Chair
Sam Inman, Chief Financial Officer, Community First Credit Union
SAM INMAN
Chief Financial Officer, Community First Credit Union
Sam Inman has served as Chief Financial Officer of Community First Credit Union since 1993 and has been with the company since 1990. Inman is responsible for assuring the overall financial condition and viability of the Credit Union, while developing and implementing long-term strategies, policies and operating objectives. He has been instrumental in increasing total assets from $156 million to $1.7 billion while improving key operating and efficiency ratios, including PCA Net Worth, Operating Expenses to Assets and Average Balance per Member.
As a senior member of the executive team, Inman oversees several departments including finance, accounting, investment and insurance, as well as credit card operations and fraud prevention. He also serves as chairman of the Asset Liability Management Committee, which is responsible for developing agendas and communicating with the Board of Directors the overall financial condition of the credit union, new product development, loan and deposit pricing, monitoring risk to capital, and developing marketing strategies for current or new SEGs.
Inman has more than 30 years of experience in the finance industry, including four years at Coastline Federal Credit Union in Jacksonville prior to joining Community First.
He has served on the board of the Credit Union Executive Society’s Florida chapter for five years and is a member of the Credit Union Economic Group, a national organization that provides credit unions with a strategic view on both the general economy and in the area of consumer financial services.
A Jacksonville native, Inman received his M.B.A. from Brenau University in Gainesville and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He is also a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville class of 2002. Inman actively supports the educational community in Northeast Florida and has served as a volunteer on the annual Teacher of the Year selection committee and was a member of the Steering Committee of the TEACH Symposium for Northeast Florida educators in 2012. Inman also volunteers his time with the University of North Florida serving as past chairman of Dean’s Education Advisory Council and serves on the Board of Directors for the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northeast Florida.
Treasurer
Ajani N. Dunn, MHA, FACHE, Chief Administrative Officer, Mayo Clinic in Florida
AJANI DUNN
Chief Administrative Officer - Mayo Clinic
Ajani (AJ) Dunn is the Chief Administrative Officer at the Mayo Clinic in Florida and Assistant Professor of Healthcare Systems Engineering in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. AJ provides administrative support for the Department of Medicine, Medical Specialty departments and access operations. He also serves as the enterprise Director for the Mayo Clinic Administrative Fellowship Program.
AJ joined Mayo Clinic as an Administrative Fellow in 2002 upon completion of a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration and a Bachelors Degree in Physical Therapy at the University of Florida. He and his wife, Verline, enjoy traveling, UF (Gator) sports, community service and raising their two children.
Passionate about education, mentoring and leadership development, AJ is active nationally in healthcare administration and served as founding member of the National Council on Administrative Fellowships through the National Center for Healthcare Leadership.
Locally, AJ's community service has included:
- Big Brother, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northeast Florida
- President, ACHE North Florida Chapter
- Member, Southeastern U.S. Board of Directors, American Lung Association
- Chair, Jacksonville Housing and Community Development Commission
- Member, Better Jacksonville Plan Financial Administration Committee
- Vice-Chair for the Jacksonville Community Council Inc.
- Campaign Chair, United Way
- Resource Allocation Committee Member, United Way of Northeast Florida
Secretary
Robert Jackson, Director of Engineering Transportation, The Haskell Company
ROBERT JACKSON
Director of Engineering, The Haskell Company
Robert Jackson leads the Transportation and Civil Infrastructure Division, dedicated to providing quality engineering and consultant services for the Florida Market. He joined Haskell in March of 2019 with over 20 years of experience in transportation-related design. His accomplishments include the successful delivery of large award-winning projects in Northeast Florida.
Robert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. He is also a licensed professional engineer in Florida and Georgia.
Robert has served in numerous leadership positions in engineering organizations, such as president of the Florida Section of American Society of Civil Engineers and the Jacksonville Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society. He volunteers with numerous collegiate engineering programs, including the University of Florida and the University of North Florida and with youth programs such as Mentoring Families and Kids, Inc.
He is an active board member of ACE Mentoring Program. He was the president of both the Florida Section American Society of Civil Engineers(2018-2019) and Northeast Florida Engineering Society (2016-2017) and the Chair for Northeast Florida Engineer’s Week in 2011-2012.
Tyler Morris, Executive Director, Center for Independent Living
TYLER MORRIS
Executive Director, Center for Independent Living
Morris completed his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of North Florida. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Special Education - Deaf Studies and a Master's degree in Business Administration. He began working with people with disabilities in 1996, at the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf. Morris' passion is rooted in studying, understanding and building nonprofits to better serve the community.
In 2018, Morris was appointed by Governor Scott to the Florida Independent Living Council, where he serves as the State's Network of Centers Representative. Morris is a current board member of the Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living and member of the University of North Florida's Exceptional Student Education Committee. Morris served the City of Jacksonville as Chairperson of the Mayor's Disability Council, under both Peyton and Brown administrations. He has been recognized as Jacksonville's 30 under 30, received the Jacksonville Jaguars' EverBank Builds Community Champion Award and the University of North Florida's Young Alumni Champion Award. Morris lives in the historic Riverside.
Dr. Kimberly Allen, Chief Executive Officer, 904ward
Dr. Kimberly Allen
Chief Executive Officer, 904WARD
Dr. Kimberly Allen is a Jacksonville native along with her husband and three children. She attended Sallye B. Mathis Elementary, James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle and Stanton College Preparatory School where she graduated with an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. She attended Florida State University and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees: two bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Family and Child Sciences; a master’s degree in Family and Child Sciences; and a Ph.D. in Human Sciences—Family Relations, which she started at the University of Georgia. During that time, she was the professor of several courses focused on stress and resilience, families in crisis, adolescent and human development and assisted with many other courses. Dr. Allen also worked at the University of Georgia’s Center for Family Research where she examined the relationship patterns of rural, African American men.
Upon returning to Jacksonville, she served as a Research Assistant and Director of Data and Research for the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) where she assisted and lead data collection efforts alongside the Duval County School district, the City of Jacksonville and private foundations. It was through these roles that Dr. Allen bolstered her service to the community and identified a need to understand data and the stories they tell. She then created a consulting firm called People Driven Data Consulting, LLC. Her mission is to make people fall in love with data and use it to make key decisions with, for, and about the people served.
Furthermore, she bolstered her outreach in the community. Dr. Allen actively serves the community through numerous volunteer efforts such as the Urban Education Symposium, PACE Center for Girls, The Community Advisory Council at Community First Credit Union, the School Advisory Council at West Riverside Elementary School, her local church, The First Baptist Church of Oakland and, most recently, 904WARD (nine-oh-forward).
Dr. Allen became the CEO of 904WARD after serving as the board chair of the all-volunteer organization for two and a half years and a member two years before that. During that time, the organization has engaged over one thousand Jacksonville community members, created and sold over 1,200 decks of the Race Cards as a tool to invite meaningful dialogue, partnered with the Equal Justice Initiative to create the Jacksonville Community Remembrance Project to memorialize victims of terror lynching, created a traveling mixed-medium art exhibit, raised more than $1M philanthropic dollars and fostered countless partnerships all in the name of ending racism in our city so that everyone thrives. Her hope is to work the organization out of business so that her children, grandchildren and future generations can actually see the beauty in our city rather than just its potential.
Heather R. Fincher, Business Development Officer, Wells Fargo
HEATHER R. FINCHER
Business Development Officer for Wells Fargo
Heather Fincher currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida. She previously served as Community Affairs Officer for Wells Fargo, where she was responsible for managing the strategic and tactical delivery of the Wells Fargo Foundation donations and volunteer efforts at the North Florida level. She was also responsible for maintaining the reputation of Wells Fargo and building numerous relationships with key partners and stakeholders in the community.
Heather also served as Development Manager for the American Lung Association in Jacksonville where she was responsible for the major events and donors of the organization. During her time at the American Lung Association, event sponsorships and participation grew by upwards of 40% and donations for the signature event, Fight for Air Climb Jacksonville, hit an all-time high.
Heather formally served as Vice Chair on HandsOn Jacksonville’s Board and was also a member of their Development and Governance Committee.
Heather has been a Jacksonville native since 1992 and received her Bachelor of Science in Communication at the University of North Florida. Her passions include the arts, especially vocal performance, and education with a focus on Duval County public schools.
Deno Hicks, Partner, River North Strategies
DENO HICKS
Partner, River North Strategies
A Jacksonville native, Deno Hicks has spent his professional career in the private sector working in the engineering and consulting industry, and since 2009 as the Managing Partner of Southern Strategy Group’s Jacksonville office.
Deno has since gained experience in successfully representing a variety of industries and complex issues including land use/development, transportation, telecommunications, education, health care, outdoor advertising, water utilities, and the environment.
Throughout his professional career, Deno has directed his attention to public policy and offered himself as a public servant. Deno served the Bush Administration as a Florida Liaison to the Department of Political Affairs of the White House. In 2004, Deno was elected as the Republican State Committeeman in Duval County, and Chairman of Congressional District 4, where he served a four year term. During his tenure, Deno served in many leadership roles from fundraising to managing “Get Out the Vote” Campaigns in support of candidates. In 2005, Deno was appointed initially by Governor Jeb Bush to the Florida Greenways and Trails Council where he is still active. Deno has also received appointments by the Governor where he had served as a Nominee to the Electoral College, as a Delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention, member of the 4th Circuit Court Judicial Nominating Commission, and one of the Governor’s 10 Appointees to the Executive Board of the Republican Party of Florida. Locally, Deno served on the Planning Commission for the City of Jacksonville, the completed Zoning Code Re-Write Committee for the City of Jacksonville, and former member of the City’s Charter Revision Commission.
Deno’s commitment to his community is represented through the many professional and civic boards and committees in which he has served, including the Board for National Association of Office and Industrial Properties, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Family Support Services of Northeast Florida, K9’s For Warriors, Dreams Come True, Hendricks Day School, and as a Trustee for Florida House, our State’s Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Deno received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, and where he has served as Chairman of his College’s Advisory Council.
Tammi McGriff, Sr. Customer Solutions Manager, CSX Transportation
TAMMI MCGRIFF
Sr. Manager, Customer Solutions, CSX Transportation
Tammi McGriff is a Sr. Customer Solutions Manager with CSX Corporation, one of the nation’s leading transportation suppliers for rail and intermodal business based in Jacksonville, Florida. Mrs. McGriff began her career with CSX in 2011 as a Premier Customer Service Specialist and has been promoted into different roles with increasing responsibilities including her current one. Prior to joining the CSX team, she worked for Convergys Corporation from 1998-2009 in roles including Project Management and Data Network Technology Services.
As a Jacksonville, Florida native, Mrs. McGriff is a dedicated volunteer within the Jacksonville community. Volunteering with 904WARD since 2019 as a Race Cards Conversation facilitator, and on the Race Cards Conversations committee. In addition to volunteering with United Way partners, she served on the United Way’s Women United Executive Committee as Chair from 2018-2020. She often participates in CSX Pride in Service events to support local military families in Jacksonville; and with Pace Center for Girls Jacksonville.
Mrs. McGriff currently serves on the board of directors for 904WARD. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She has also completed a professional certificate in Equitable Community Change from Cornell University. She is on schedule to complete a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Excelsior College December 2022.
Paul Stallings, Vice President, IT Infrastructure Services, Florida Blue
PAUL STALLINGS
Vice President, IT Infrastructure Services, Florida Blue
Paul Stallings serves as Florida Blue’s Vice President of IT Infrastructure Services. In this role, Stallings provides capabilities that increase company-wide agility to quickly respond to business changes and customer needs. He is accountable for the enterprise’s collection of hardware, software, network resources and services required for the existence, operation and management of the organizations IT environment. His responsibilities include maintaining policies, standards, and processes in addition to the delivery of solutions and services to employees, partners and customers.
Since joining the company in 2001, Stallings has focused on providing technology capabilities that increase its agility to quickly respond to business changes and customer needs across the enterprise. Prior to his current role, Stallings served as Director of IT Operations where he played a strategic role in ensuring the organization was fully prepared to handle high call volumes with a potential enrollment of one million new members for the health plan.
Stallings has more than 25 years of experience in information technology and has been published for the effectiveness of his teams’ work in several industry leading magazines including Network World, Computer World, Info World and the Jacksonville Business Journal.
Stallings has served on the board of Leadership Jacksonville and served as Chairman of the Board for Beaver Street Enterprises. Stallings came up through the financial industry and holds a Series 7 stockbrokers license from the New York Institute of Finance.
Eddie Sarnowski, Partner, Holland and Knight
Eddie Sarnowksi
Partner, Holland & Knight
Eddie Sarnowski is a partner in Holland & Knight's Jacksonville office and a member of the firm's Corporate, M&A and Securities Group. His practice focuses on corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Mr. Sarnowski also represents angel, venture capital and other private investment funds in fund formation matters and investments in seed, early stage and later stage startup companies. He has been involved in many M&A deals and private offerings of debt and equity securities, some of which are highlighted below.
Mr. Sarnowski also advises public companies listed on the NYSE, NASDAQ and OTCQX exchanges on reporting, corporate governance, regulatory, compliance and executive compensation matters. He has served as a panelist speaking about securities law issues ranging from crafting executive compensation clawback policies, to complying with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Conflict Minerals Rule, to understanding benefits available to Emerging Growth Companies under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act.
Additionally, Mr. Sarnowski assists with pro bono matters involving corporate and real estate issues, including representing active-duty military personnel in civil legal disputes through the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project. Mr. Sarnowski also actively participates in the firm's annual 9/11 Day of Service, for which he previously served as the Jacksonville office's Local Initiative Co-Coordinator. He is also the Pro Bono and Community Service Partner for the Jacksonville office of Holland & Knight. In this role, he coordinates pro bono opportunities for the firm's Jacksonville attorneys, as well as chairs a committee of attorneys and staff that oversees a pool of funds for distribution to community organizations assisting at-risk children.
Mr. Sarnowski was previously a Florida Supreme Court judicial intern for the Honorable Barbara J. Pariente.
William Hoang
William Hoang
William Hoang studied at both American (University of Houston) and European universities (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-La Villette) for architecture and sustainability. He is a registered architect and interior designer.
William has served on the team for the majority of TTV’s continuing contracts with diverse clients that include Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), City of Jacksonville, University of Florida, University of North Florida, Community First Credit Union, and the VA Hospital.
In 2017, Hoang was selected to join the ranks of Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees. William is involved within the community of Jacksonville and has served as the past president of Downtown Rotaract Jacksonville.
Dr. Audrieanna Burgin, Director, UNFs Diversity in Business Program
Dr. Audrieanna Burgin
Senior Research Scientist at WGU labs
Dr. Audrieanna Burgin is a Senior Research Scientist at WGU labs, a research organization whose mission is to accelerate the pace of innovation in education and increase pathways to learning. At WGU Labs, Dr. Burgin leads equity audits and efficacy research of educational institutions. She is the founding director of the University of North Florida's Diversity in Business program, a community of support for students of color within the Coggin College of Business. Dr.Burgin earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Florida State University, completing her Topics in Educational Attainment & Labor Outcomes dissertation. Her research explores the intersections of labor, race, and education. Dr. Burgin proudly serves as the Founding Chairman of the board of directors for Becoming Collegiate Academy, Florida's first HBCU-inspired charter school.
Jennifer Ryan, CEO, Volunteers in Medicine
Jennifer Ryan
CEO, Volunteers in Medicine
Jennifer Ryan is the CEO of Volunteers in Medicine, a nonprofit clinic that provides free healthcare for the working uninsured. Jennifer is a fifth generation North Floridian with a proven reputation in building and sustaining community partnerships with experience in health care at the national, county and hospital levels. She is recognized for being innovative, collaborative, creative, outgoing, team oriented, adaptable, and professional with expertise in: fundraising, public health, marketing, digital and social media, program evaluation, community health, data analysis, and nonprofit management. Prior to her work at Volunteers in Medicine Jennifer was the Executive Director of the Ponte Vedra YMCA a branch of the First Coast YMCA where she directed strategic planning efforts, fundraising campaigns, and built and strengthened relationships for community development and collaboration. Prior to that, she held positions with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Duval County Health Department, Brooks Rehabilitation and Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition. Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Mercer University and received a Masters in Public Health from Emory University. In 2022 Jennifer successfully completed Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives on Nonprofit Management. Jennifer is a member of the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary, Jacksonville Women’s Network and the Women’s Giving Alliance. Jennifer is currently on the boards of Family Foundations and Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. In 2022 Jennifer was named one of Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence and received the TIAA Bank/Jacksonville Jaguars Community Champion Award. Jennifer is a Leadership Jacksonville 2012 alumni and received a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida.