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Management Team
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Virginia
A. Jacko, President and CEO
An experienced leader, Virginia
Jacko is a blind visionary in a sighted world. She serves as President and
Chief Executive Officer of Miami Lighthouse. In a professional career that
includes 24 years at Purdue University, most as Director of Financial
Affairs, Ms. Jacko has shown acumen in the financial, managerial and
fundraising arenas.
After experiencing gradual vision
loss, in 2001 Ms. Jacko relocated to Miami to receive vocational
rehabilitation training at Miami Lighthouse. Following her own successful
rehabilitation she became a spokesperson for Miami Lighthouse, a member of
the Board of Directors, treasurer, and Acting President and CEO before her
permanent appointment. Under her tenure, new programs in music production,
ceramics and fitness have been introduced and contributions have more than
doubled. Ms. Jacko nurtured the largest single-donor gift in the
organization’s history, a $1.1 million matching grant from philanthropist
Gloria Martin. Over the last two years the number of client contact hours
has increased by 35% percent. A significant expansion to the facility for
the Blind Babies Program, music production, and fitness was celebrated in
2007.
CEO Jacko has been recognized by the
Guiding Eyes for the Blind by receiving its 2005 Apollo Award. In 2006 she
was the recipient of the American Red Cross Sarah Hopkins Woodruff
Spectrum Award and the Horizon Award from the Southeast Florida Library
Information Network (SEFLN) for her collaboration with the Miami-Dade
Public Library System. She was chosen as the South Florida Business
Journal 2007 Business Woman of the Year in the Non-Profit Leader category.
In 2008 she was named as the AXA Advisory Business Woman of the Year in
the Public Service/Non-Profit category, selected as the Quiet Storm
Achiever Award recipient in the category of Not-for-Profit at the 2008
Women’s Power Caucus, and most recently in 2009 was a finalist for the
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Health Care Heroes Award in the category
of Community, Government and Organizational Collaborations, recipient of
the Women of Leadership Award from the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, the Miami-Dade County Parks, In the Company of Women Award,
Outstanding Woman in Health and Human Services, and the Concern Award from
Health Foundation of South Florida in the category of organizations with a
greater than $1 million budget.
CEO Jacko is a trustee of the
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and of the American Printing House for
the Blind, Chair of the Advisory Council on Disabilities of the American
Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys, and a member of the board of
directors for the Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB),
the Florida Council of the Blind, the United Way Early Childhood Center of
Excellence Advisory Committee, the Rotary Club of Miami and the Miami
Lions Club. Ms. Jacko has been a guest speaker for local business groups,
chambers of commerce and at national conferences on issues affecting the
blind and visually impaired. Achieving a successful board governance
initiative at the Miami Lighthouse, she co-authored an article with Miami
Lighthouse Board Chairman William R. Roy and consultant Doug Eadie on this
process which appeared in the May/June 2008 issue of NonProfit World. Most
recently she co-authored with Amy R. McKenzie, EdD, and Tatiana Palma, BS,
“Intervention through Art for Adults Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired,”
which appeared in the February, 2009 issue of the Journal of the
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually
Impaired. "Building a Rock-Solid Board/CEO Partnership: Talking with CEO
Virginia Jacko," by Doug Eadie appeared in the May/June 2009 issue of
Nonprofit World, and most recently she moderated with Doug Eadie a
www.snpo.org webinar entitled "Building a Rock-Solid Partnership with Your
Board," on June 10, 2009. |
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Ed Largaespada, Chief Financial Officer
Ed Largaespada joined Miami Lighthouse in
May 2008. He has more than 10 years experience as Chief Financial
Officer at Switchboard of Miami and at Bayview Center. His
responsibilities include supervision of all business operations,
budgeting, reporting, and compliance.
A Certified Management Accountant, he holds
a Bachelor of Science degree from Zamorano University, a Master of
Business Administration from Incae Business School and a Master of
Economics from Florida International University. |
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Dena Willman, Senior Development Officer
Dena Willman joined Miami Lighthouse in July 2008 after
working at Family Resource Center of South Florida, Inc as Director of
Development. Prior to that, she spent seven years raising money for Mount
Sinai Medical Center Foundation, first as Director of Young Presidents and
in her last two years as Director of Founders. At the Lighthouse she is
responsible for all major gift initiatives.
Ms. Willman is past president of the Association of Fundraising
Professionals (AFP) Miami-Dade Chapter and is involved in numerous
networking and philanthropic organizations in South Florida. She received
her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Arizona.
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Carol Brady-Simmons, Director of Client and Vision Enhancement
Services
Carol Brady-Simmons has been with
Miami Lighthouse for more then 20 years and brings vibrant energy and
creativity to the many projects she undertakes. She has served in many
capacities during her tenure at the Lighthouse, including Chair of
Orientation and Mobility, Interim Director of Adult Services, Director of
Children’s Services and the Low Vision Program and now is our Director of
Client programs and Vision Enhancement Services.
Ms. Simmons received her Associate of Arts in Elementary Education from
Miami-Dade College, a Bachelor of Science in Visual Disabilities,
Orientation and Mobility, and a Bachelor of Science in Leisure Services
and Studies from Florida State University. |
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Jeff Rabalais, Facilities
and Transportation Manager
Jeff Rabalais brings to the Lighthouse academic training in
architecture and extensive experience in facilities management, space
planning, project management, events and food service.
The skills and knowledge he has obtained throughout his
career allow him to manage a broad range of services that span client
transportation, building maintenance, janitorial needs, in-house catering,
disaster preparation and building compliance to maintain a safe, clean,
secure environment for our clients, employees and visitors.
Mr. Rabalais obtained his Bachelor of Architecture Degree
from the University of Louisiana.
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Mabel Lopez, Human Resources Manager
Mabel Lopez joined Miami Lighthouse in January 2007 and
brings more than 10 years of experience. Her knowledge of human resources
includes employee relations, recruitment, benefits administration, HRIS,
policies and procedures, and workers’ compensation.
Ms. Lopez received her Bachelor of Business Administration
from the University of Puerto Rico.
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Jessica Joseph, Executive Assistant
Jessica Joseph supports the President /CEO and Board of
Directors by coordinating Board and committee meetings, overseeing and
directing correspondence, and maintaining the CEO’s calendar of
appointments. She joined Miami Lighthouse in 2005 and brings her
experience as a supervisor from her previous position at Thyssen Krupp
Elevator. Ms. Joseph is a Notary Public for the State of Florida .
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Sharon Caughill, Special Projects
Manager - Center of Excellence
Sharon Caughill joined the Lighthouse in March, 2007. Her previous
positions include extensive experience as an administrative and
executive assistant. At the Lighthouse she assists the President/CEO
with special projects and with the day-to-day activities of the
executive office. Ms. Caughill received her Bachelor of Arts degree
from Indiana University, and holds an Associate of Applied Science
degree from the State University of New York at Alfred. |
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