Tobacco-Free Jacksonville is the community partnership of adults and youth working together to prevent youth tobacco use and youth exposure to second-hand smoke whereby youth conceive and carry out tobacco prevention. The purpose of the Tobacco-Free Jacksonville Coalition, Inc. is to promote a tobacco-free atmosphere for Duval County residents, to improve the health of Duval County residents and all Floridians though:
- Significantly reducing tobacco use through prevention, education, cessation and policy promotion.
- Decreasing environmental tobacco smoke through education and policy promotion.
Tobacco-Free Jacksonville Coalition is a resource for public education on the health effects of tobacco and smoking prevention. Tobacco-Free Jacksonville Coalition supports legislative actions against tobacco.
MEMBERS
Meet our leadership. Want to become a member?
Our current board members are serving a two-year term, 2022 - 2024.
Vice Chair:
Jessie Roush
Jessie Roush is the Vice President of Health Strategies for the First Coast American Heart Association. Prior to joining the American Heart Association she was Director of Volunteers for Volunteers in Medicine Jacksonville, a free clinic serving the working uninsured of Northeast Florida. Jessie earned her Master of Public Health from the University of North Florida in 2013 and has 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Jessie is passionate about addressing health disparities in our community, including those related to tobacco use. She is particularly interested in addressing and educating people on the aggressive marketing strategies of the tobacco industry on youth, communities of color, and our LGBTQ community.
Chair:
Kelsey McKenna
Kelsey McKenna graduated from University of Miami with a BS in Public Health with a focus on Human and Social Development. Following college, she moved to Jacksonville to complete 2 consecutive AmeriCorps service terms through City Year and National Health Corps Florida, where she was then hired at Sulzbacher full time. While working with this population, Kelsey began to recognize that tobacco companies like to target low-income communities, which tend to have higher rates of cigarette smoking. She continues to work in the non-profit sector as a Patient Health Advocate with JaxCareConnect, which is a new program that partners with local free and charitable clinics to provide care connection to uninsured and low income adults across Duval County. Through these interactions Kelsey continuously sees the need for education on the effects of tobacco usage and smoking prevention, and is excited to have an opportunity to create change and improve health outcomes.
Treasurer:
Vacant
Board Member: Mia K Hobdy
Mia Hobdy is a Jacksonville native who recently returned to the city after 22 years living and working in Charlotte NC and Atlanta GA.As the Executive Director of New Town Success Zone, Mia is tasked with sowing in assets by collaborating with organizations to bring resources to the undeserved New Town community. New Town is based in 32209-health zone 1. The health disparities evident in the New Town community serves as great motivation to create access to services that are missing in the community. Being a member of the board of Tobacco Free Jax will allow Mia the opportunity to focus on resources that help educate individuals who may be smoking and vaping and want to find help to stop.
Board Member: Glenda Collins
Glenda Collins is a Marketplace Navigator with the Health Planning Council. Born in Texas and raised in Jacksonville, Glenda earned her Bachelor of Architecture and BFA in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She has specialized in a range of industries from construction and restaurants to finance and even owned her own small business. She previously served as the project manager for the senior nutrition program for Duval County. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters while hiking outdoors, traveling, and attending music festivals.
Board Member:
Tiffany Knight
.
Tiffany Knight serves as the Healthy Start Director for the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition where she provides oversight to all programs in the five-county region. From strategic planning and development to implementation and evaluation, Tiffany has more than 13 years of experience in program operations. Prior to her current role, Tiffany served as the Director of Program Operations at Pace Center for Girls and the Site Director with Girls, Inc. of Jacksonville where she was acknowledged for her innovative gender-responsive and strength-based programming. She is passionate about creating a strong community and continues to dedicate her work to children and families. In her free time, Tiffany enjoys reading a good book, spending time with her family, and traveling to new places. Tiffany is eager to collaborate with other community stakeholders and leaders to create unique and sustainable initiatives to reduce youth tobacco use and its related deaths. Recognizing more smokers begin the addiction at a young age, it is critical to provide education and prevention to youth.
Board Member:
Dr. Brian Seymour
Dr. Seymour is the Research Director of the Center for the Prevention of Health Disparities at Edward Waters College (EWC). His pioneering work on the effects of second-had smoke on allergic asthma was partly instrumental on legislation that ban smoking in public places in the state of California. Dr. Seymour is currently pursuing public health research opportunities in the local community. His goal is to inform and support the policy making process that can ultimately eliminate the health disparity that exists in urban communities such as Health Zone 1 where EWC is located.
Board Member:
Dr. Megan Bewernitz
Dr. Megan Bewernitz has been a licensed occupational therapist since 2002 and has worked in various settings including inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, the public school system, home health, and academia. She received her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Florida in 2008. In addition to her diverse clinical experience, Dr. Bewernitz currently is a faculty member in Jacksonville University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. The majority of Dr. Bewernitz’ research, teaching, and clinical experience has focused on working with the geriatric population and community health, wellness, and participation initiatives. Her interest in tobacco use prevention especially pertains to these initiatives and is paramount to chronic disease prevention, health, and wellness.
Policy Liaison: Kimberly Mraz
Community Engagement Liaison: Constance Desmore
Area Liaison: Dustin Arceneaux
Prop 94 Resources
Help us protect Tobacco Free Florida!
In 2006, Florida voters overwhelming approved Tobacco-Free Florida and ensured funding for a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program. As a result, Florida has one of the most effective tobacco prevention programs in the country. Tobacco-Free Florida has helped reduce youth smoking by more than 70 percent, which saves lives, reduces tobacco-related healthcare costs and prevents cancer, heart disease and other tobacco-related diseases.
Now, State Representative Jeanette Nuñez and the Constitution Revision Commission members are looking to cut and divert funding from this highly effective program. The Protect Tobacco-Free Florida campaign was formed in opposition to the Constitution Revision Commission’s Proposal #94 that threatens the Tobacco-Free Florida program. More information on this issue can be found at www.ProtectTFF.com or www.StopProp94.com.
We've curated advocacy assets for you to use in your efforts to help stop Proposal 94.
About Tobacco Free Florida
Get the facts on how awesome the Tobacco Free Florida programs are!
Coloring Sheet for Kids
You're the Cure created a coloring sheet for kids of all ages! Send colored sheets to:
Tamara Hernandez
11207 Blue Heron Blvd N
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
