LESLIE SPURLOCK - PRESIDENT

Leslie Spurlock is currently the Executive Director for Indian River County’s Healthy Start Coalition where she oversees a family of five programs with combined budgets of just over one million dollars; MomCare, Healthy Start, Healthy Families IRC, TLC (Touch, Love, Communicate) Newborn and Partners in Pregnancy & Parenting. Since 1993 she has worked for three Healthy Start coalitions on Florida’s Treasure Coast; as Martin County’s Director of Finance and Community Development, Executive Director for Okeechobee’s Coalition 2003-2005 and Executive Director for Indian River County’s Healthy Start Coalition 2005 to present. Leslie has been an active member of the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions since 1993 serving on committees and as Secretary for the Association. The strength of the Association lies in coalitions each serving their distinctly different communities, but agreeing on a common goal, to advance and strengthen access to maternal and child services that promote the health of women and children. She and her husband Larry are proud parents of four children and five grandchildren. Leslie believes that being a mother is the most important job she will ever have in life. Having a career with Healthy Start is a perfect fit for that passion.

JANE MURPHY - PRESIDENT ELECT

Jane M. Murphy serves as the Executive Director for the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, Inc., a local organization that works to improve maternal and infant health within our community. Prior to being named Executive Director in early 2003, Jane served as the Program Manager for Healthy Families Hillsborough, a prevention program that educates and encourages families within the home setting. Over the past 30 years, Jane has invested much of her professional time and energy in research and work in the fields of maternal child health and substance abuse prevention including 22 years as a Medical Social Worker specializing in perinatal bereavement for both St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital and Tampa General Hospital. Jane’s research and best practices have been published in a variety of national professional journals and medical textbooks. In the area of community services, Jane has always been an active member of numerous boards. She currently serves as a member of the following local boards: the March of Dimes Health Advisory Committee, Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review, Early Childhood Council, Success for Kids and Families and Mary Lee’s House. Having lived her entire life in Tampa, Jane and her husband Jim Murphy have three college age children and enjoy many activities that life in the Bay Area offers. The Murphys enjoy traveling as a family and Jane is very active in church and community work. She has a daughter who is in graduate school at the University of Tampa, a daughter at the University of Tampa, and a son who is attending Florida State University.

SYLVIE KRAMER - PAST PRESIDENT

Sylvie H. Kramer is the Executive Director for St. Lucie County Healthy Start. She earned her Bachelor of Social Science and Masters of Education and Business from Xavier University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her professional experience has been the Chief Executive Officer for Kids Connected by Design Inc. an umbrella agency operating maternal and child health programs (Healthy Start, Healthy families, Healthy Kids, and others).She built a successful community-wide coalition to improve health care and needed services for moms and babies. This action ultimately saved St. Lucie County over $10 million by privatizing prenatal care for indigent women and developed successful public and private partnerships. Sylvie’s past posts includes faculty member of University of South Florida and taught business/management at Purdue University, and CETA Director. Sylvie’s Professional and Civic Leadership comprise of Vice Chair of the Executive Roundtable of St. Lucie County; Member of Four County Alliance for Department of Children and Families; and the Board of Directors, March of Dimes. Sylvie has been awarded a statewide award presented by Governor Chiles for outstanding contribution to women and infants health in addition to the 2003 Davis Award for Excellence in Government, administered by Florida Tax Watch.

Sylvie’s accomplishments are noted as the infant mortality in St. Lucie County has been reduced despite the huge increase in growth. The growth resulted in a large increase in births (approximately 2100 in 1995 to 3500 in 2006) from an average of 13.9 per 1000 for the entire 1980 decade to a rate less than the state averaged consistently for the past 5 years. Additionally, Sylvie formed a decentralized system of care by contracting with all kinds of providers in the public and private sector.

SHARON OWENS - TREASURER

Sharon graduated from Florida State University in Panama City with a degree in Social Work. She has worked with Healthy Start for 3 years and previously was the Social Services Director for the Salvation Army for over 3 years. The passion she has for moms and babies comes from having two of her own, Charlie who is 7 and Olivia who is 4. Married for 10 years to Mike Owens and enjoys scuba diving/snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, spending time with family and reading a good book.

LINDA SUTHERLAND - SECRETARY

Linda Sutherland is the Executive Director of the Orange County Healthy Start Coalition in Orlando, Florida. She began her career with Healthy Start in March 2000 and is currently serving as the Secretary for the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions. Linda has been married for 34 years to her Husband, Douglas. She and her husband have one son and a daughter-in-law. Ms Sutherland is a former Orange County School Board Member for District 2 and served for 12 years. She was elected countywide in 1990, 1994, and 1998. Linda is a graduate of Marymount College and holds a degree in Business Administration. Her advocacy for her community and the children shine through with awards for Who’s Who of Women (2006), Orange County Public Health Hero Award (2004), Women’s Resource Center Summit Award (2003), Orange County Council of PTAs Children’s Friend Award (2003), Women’s Executive Council, Community Service Award (1995), Children’s Advocacy Center Lawton Chiles “In the Life of a Child” Award (2000), Florida School Board Assn. Pat Spengler Children’s Advocacy Award (1995), Florida School Board Assn. Master Board Member (1995-present), Phi Delta Kappa Community Service Award (1991), Orange County Public Schools HERO Award (1990), Outstanding Young Women of America (1991), 2,000 Notable American Women (1995), Who’s Who of International Women (1996). Linda currently serves as a Peer Reviewer for The Maternal Child Health Journal. She has State and National Involvement with Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions Board (2000-present), March of Dimes State Planning Committee (2007-present), Florida's Vision Quest Board Chair (2003-present), Florida Children's Campaign (2003-present), Council of Great City Schools Executive Committee (1996-2002), Education Commission of the States (Governor’s Appointee) (1994-1999), National School Board Association Member 1990-2002; Board 1995-1997, Council of Urban Boards of Education 1991-2000, Florida School Boards Association, Board of Directors 1991-2002 President 1996-1997 Florida AIDS Advisory Council Executive Committee 1993-1998, Board of Directors 1991-2002, Florida PTA Life Member, National PTA Life Member. Her current local Board Membership is with Orange County Primary Care Access Network, Orange County Early Learning Coalition, United Way Board of Directors, Children’s Advocacy Center Advisory Board Chair, Central Florida Partnership for Health Disparities, School Health Advisory Committee District 7 Child Abuse and Neglect Task Force, District 7 Child Death Review Team, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, Community Foundation's 100 Women Strong Initiative, Life Skills Charter School Board Chair, University of Central FL Early Childhood Advisory Board, The First Eatonville Foundation, League of Women Voters, Winter Park Health Foundation Children and Youth Group, Howard Philips Center for Children and Families, Community Leadership Council, March of Dimes Grant Committee, Blue Ribbon Panel for Orange County Public Schools. Her Current Affiliations are with National Women’s Political Caucus, Women’s Resource Center, Children’s Defense Fund, and FL Association of Nonprofit Organizations, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Black Child Development Assn., Centering Pregnancy Assn., National Healthy Start Assn., National Perinatal Assn., National Assembly of School Based Health Care. As noted, Ms Sutherland is a well versed child and community advocate.