The Coalition elected the 2013 slate of officers and new Board and General Membership at it’s annual meeting January 17. Stephen Baker, PhD, was elected as Board Chair. Rev. Alton Coles was elected to Dr. Baker’s previous position, Vice Chair. Long-time Board member Kathy Mankinen was newly elected as Secretary, and Margaret Dodson was re-elected Treasurer.

New 2013 members of the Board of Directors include:

• Shanita Brown, Consumer (Duval County)
• Guy Benrubi, MD, UF OB/GYN & District ACOG (Duval County)
• Mark Hudak, MD, UF Pediatrics (Duval County)
• Mary Von Mohr, MSW, Nassau County Health Department (Nassau County, Public Health representative)

Healthy Start also expanded its Coalition membership with the addition of seven new constituents. They include Nangela Davidson, RN, Maternal/Child Health Nursing Director at Flagler Hospital in St. Johns County; Cindy Funkhouser, CEO at Sulzbacher Center; Jeannie Gallina, Founder of the Way Clinic in Clay County; Robert Harmon, MD, Duval County Medical Society; Megan Hyman, Pediatric Outpatient Services, Brooks Rehabilitation (St. Johns County); Coley Jones, SunTrust; and Debbie Szpila, RN, Maternal & Child Health Director, Orange Park Medical Center.

The members of the Coalition vow to carry out the organization’s mission to lead a cooperative community effort to reduce infant mortality and improve the health of children, childbearing women and their families in Northeast Florida.

The Coalition also awarded the annual Philip Gilbert Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and inaugural Dorothy Wilson Mabry Award in Recognition of Outstanding Accomplishments by a Healthy Start Participant or Grass-Roots Community Leader.