GOVERNOR’S FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL
During the 2006 session, the Florida Legislature established the Faith-based and Community-based Advisory Council by statute (House Bill 599). Gov. Bush signed the bill into law on May 4. The bill was sponsored by Representative Cannon of Winter Park and Senator Wise of Jacksonville. Volunteer Florida Foundation to provide administrative support to the Council.
Specifically, the new Council will advise the Legislature on policy, priorities and objectives for Florida’s comprehensive effort to enlist, enable, empower, and expand the work of volunteer, faith-based and community-based organizations. In addition, the Council will provide recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on 12 key, designated areas to encourage government and faith-based and community-based organizations to work together to improve social service assistance to Florida.
John Brabson of Tampa is guiding the transition from the former advisory board to the Governor to the new advisory council to the Legislature. Brabson formerly served as Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Board, now replaced by the new Council, and is now the Advisory Council Chair. The Governor appoints 17 of the Council’s 25 members. The House and Senate each appoint four members.
Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Advisory Board
Ms. Juda Attkisson, Florida4Marriage.org
Ms. Gloria Baker, Statewide Advocate
Mr. John Brabson, Brabson Investments, Inc.
Rabbi Sholom Ciment, Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton
Ms. Libbie Combee, Leland Family Ministries
Chaplain Perry Davis, Christ to Inmates Inc.
Mr. Nathan Dunn, Florida Family Policy Council
Ms. Shelli Freeland-Eddie, Dickson & Gibbons, PA
Dr. Andre Estevez, Christian Medical Concepts
Mayor John Fogg, City of Pensacola
Senator John Grant, Florida Capitol Advocate Group
Dr. Robert Gustafson, Grace Community Church
Ms. Raeanne Hance, Prison Fellowship Ministries
Ms. Jody Hill, Florida Interfaith Networking in Disaster
Ms. Sheila Hopkins, Florida Catholic Conference
Ms. Linda King, Statewide Advocate
Reverend Robert Lee, Fresh Ministries
Dr. Edgardo Lopez, Hispanic Christian Church Association
Mr. Ken Mattison, Florida Hospital Waterman
Ms. Vickie-Jean Mullins, Statewide Advocate
Imam Muhammad Musri, Islamic Society of Central Florida
Ms. Yvonne Sawyer, Family & Children Faith Coalition
Pastor Kenneth Scrubbs, First Baptist Church of Leesburg
Mr. Arto Woodley, Frontline Outreach, Inc.