Out of a deep desire to affect change, Patricia worked her way from the field up to executive leadership and has served in child and family services with specific focus on system reform for over 28 years.
Prior to joining the Federation, Patricia was the Executive Vice President at the Florida Coalition for Children, the statewide child and family services membership and advocacy organization serving as the Policy Advisor and Chief of Knowledge Management and Innovation. While at the FCC Patricia incubated, implemented and led the formation of the Child Welfare and Behavioral Health and Wellness Centers of Excellence and Learning Collaborative and was the statewide convener of the Florida Thriving Families Safer Children movement.
Preceding her tenure at the Coalition, Patricia was the founding CEO of Brevard Family Partnership (BFP), the privatized child welfare lead agency that provided a full continuum of care for more than 2,500 children and their families annually. While at BFP, Patricia spearheaded 3 subsidiary organizations and served as the CEO of the National Center for Innovation and Excellence (NCFIE), where she and her team designed, piloted and replicated evidence-based, youth-driven, and family-centered practices.
Patricia is widely recognized as an innovator, thought leader, and an advocate for inclusion of those with lived experience at all levels from policy to practice and has served as a national consultant for the past 25 years. As the parent of an adult daughter diagnosed with ASD at a young age and the caregiver of her neurodivergent granddaughter with complex needs, Patricia attributes her advocacy roots to the Federation. After relocating to Massachusetts from Canada and attending the Federation’s PCTI program which aided in the successful advocacy on behalf of her daughter, Patricia launched an Educational Consulting business and later served as the Educational Advocate for the Department of Social Services and Mental Health.
Patricia has designed and implemented numerous community-based programs and initiatives focused on youth and family driven partnerships, prevention and diversion, high fidelity wraparound, and trauma responsive care. Patricia designed and piloted the C.A.R.E.S. program which successfully attained Evidence-Based Practice status and has been replicated nationwide. And she developed national high-fidelity wraparound certification that has been delivered to thousands of individuals throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Patricia is a Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy Fellow and holds a Doctorate with a specialty in trauma treatment and counseling and is an accomplished and widely recognized national leader who has served in multiple gubernatorial appointments and national, state, and community leadership roles and is the recipient of numerous awards for her accomplishments and contributions to the advancement of the field.
Patricia is married and the mother of four and a grandmother. She loves the beach, mountains and a good book.