Our Founder
Mrs. Jacquelyn Paulk
For 38 years, Mrs. Paulk taught in the Sara-sota school district in several local schools. She organized and implemented afterschool programs in the Boys and Girls club, The Sarasota Housing Authority, and Greater Hurst Chapel AME Church. After retirement, she began working on after-school education programs for community youth. See full bio.
Our Program Director
Mrs. Celestine Campbell
Celestine Campbell will join the team as the SOAR Learning Center's Program Director. Working closely with SOAR’s founder, Mrs.Jacquelyn Paulk, Mrs. Campbell will oversee all day-to-day operations of the Center. Mrs. Campbell brings 40 years of experience as as a high school, elementary, and adult school educator. She has been a key volunteer with the SOAR program
since 2005. See full bio.
Our Board of Directors
David Rubin
Acting Chairman
David Rubin is a local business owner who has lived in the Sarasota community for 20 years. He taught in the NYC school system, and has a deep passion for education and how it supports the vision of a healthy community. See full bio.
Dr. Louis Robison
Past Chairman
Dr. Louis Robison served as principal/ educator for over thirty years at the middle and high school levels, including as Director of Middle Schools at the district level.
Dr. Harriet Moore
Dr. Harriet Moore is currently principal of McIntosh Middle School. She has been assistant principal at Riverview High School in Sarasota and at Manatee and Palmetto high schools in Manatee County. See full bio.
Pastor Keturah Pittman
Pastor Keturah Pittman is Pastor of Greater Hurst Chapel AME Church, Sarasota, Florida. She has been an instructor at Campbell Park Elementary School, Adjunct Academic Advisor St. Petersburg Junior College, and Director of Guidance at St. Petersburg H.S.
Scott Key
Scott Key has three decades of global experience in business-to-business Information and Technology as a Fortune 500 CEO, and has served as President, COO and CEO of organizations based in the US, Europe and Scandanavia. See full bio.
Francina Hollaway
Francina Hollaway has had twenty years experience in Accounting and Financial Services. She earned her BS in Finance at FSU, and holds an MBA from Nova University. See full bio.
Floyd Hill
Floyd Hill was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida. He attended Florida A&M University on a Presidential Scholarship and majored in Computer Information Systems and Mathematical Science. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1998. See full bio.
Richard Gilmore
Richard Gilmore has twenty-five
years of experience managing busi-ness operations analysis, strategic planning, information technology
and community board leadership. See full bio.
Ed James III
Edward James III is a product of the Sarasota County Public School System and a graduate of Pine View School. He attended the University of Chicago where he graduated with a degree in political science. While in college he was inducted into the school’s honorary society and received the Mellon Mays fellowship. See full bio
Dr. Marie Byrd
Marie Byrd is an associate professor and Director of the School of Education at the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee. A native Floridian, she received her BS and MS in Elementary Education from Florida State University and Florida International University (FIU), and her EdD in Educational Administration and Supervision from FIU. See full bio