Board Development Committee

The Board Development Committee (BDC) is responsible for partnering with the board to build a high performing board that is as effective as it can be. The committee recruits and slates nominees for council leadership and works closely with the board to ensure board orientation, ongoing education and assessment.

Interested in serving on one of our Governance committees or becoming a Board member? We would love to hear your interests. Just complete the Governance Interest Form.

Read our updated bylaws.

Board Development Committee

Michelle Bonner, Board Development Committee Chair, 2022-2025: Michelle Bonner is originally from New Jersey. Michelle moved to Florida where she studied Health Sciences and Public Health at the University of South Florida and continues to serve and lead in the community by sharing the message of overall health. She has focused her efforts on health and education program development and coordination coupled with grant writing for local initiatives with her most recent grant securing $500,000. Her experience with fundraising includes work with federal, nonprofit and for profit entities such as Department of Health, Department of Children and Families, Centers for Disease Control, clinics/outpatient centers, financial institutions and more. She also reviews grants for local organizations like United Way Suncoast and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute as an ambassador. Whether building community gardens or partnerships, Michelle continues to design, develop, and manage content for organizations across the state and increasing health awareness nationwide.

After nearly a decade of training leaders in the implementation of physical, nutrition and mental health programs, for youth and adults, Michelle has transitioned to the finance industry as a Relationship Manager with Regions Bank. Currently, she works with consumer and commercial bankers in West Florida from the panhandle to the Gold Coast to support clients and customers along their journey to financial wellness. In the last year, Michelle has served as a leader in her community as Vice Chair of Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay. This is a young professional development group with the Tampa Bay Chamber. She also serves on the advisory board for St. Petersburg College, Financial Literacy Chair for the board of Project Prosper, helping immigrants and refugees, as well as the board of USF Black Alumni Society for Marketing and Communications with her alma mater. She enjoys mentoring her six high school, college and graduate students and helping others set personal and professional goals. Her passion for sharing knowledge, talents and time and empowering and connecting leaders are just a few of the ways she supports her community.
Courtney Bilyeu, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2022-2025: Courtney Bilyeu was born into a Navy family in Monterey, California. She attended high school at Copenhagen International School in Denmark, received a bachelor’s in Mass Communications from James Madison University, and is an alumna of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She and her husband Allan, a retired Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel, have called Tampa home since 2012.

Courtney has decades of diverse work and volunteer experience. Her positive can-do attitude is contagious and motivates people when tasks can be overwhelming. She has worked as a Defense Contractor since graduating from college in 1999.

Courtney joined The Junior League of Tampa in 2013 and has held a variety of roles on Leadership Council, Management Council, and the Executive Board including Social Chair, Communications Manager, Fund Development Manager, and Secretary. This year, Courtney led the League's largest fundraiser with the help of the League's biggest committee. With over 50 women on the HGM Team, Courtney helped put on the annual event, which attracts 20,000 shoppers and brings in essential revenue for the League's community work.

Courtney is currently serving as the Tampa Co-Chair of the Green Beret Foundation. She has served on the MacDill Spouses’ Club Board for several years in addition to her leadership roles with The Junior League of Tampa.

Courtney and her husband Allan are members of The Sacred Heart congregation and enjoy traveling and volunteering.
Jule Doran Salem, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2022-2025: Jule Doran Salem spent her formative years in Sarasota, FL before moving to Tampa to attend the University of South Florida where she received her Bachelors in Finance followed by a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Tampa. She currently serves as Managing Director of Salem Solutions, a nationally recognized workforce management firm that specializes in call center staffing.

While in Sarasota, she actively participated in Girl Scouts and 4-H. She enjoyed equestrian sports where she won numerous awards in hunt seat equitation and jumping.

After receiving her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Jule’s interest in pursuing a career in business continued to grow while serving as a finance and accounting leader for Coca-Cola, Hovnananian Enterprises, XPO Logistics and Vastec. In 2012, she set out to build Salem Solutions with a focus on her vision of humanizing call center staffing and delivering exceptional solutions to both the clients and candidates they serve.

Concurrent to her role at Salem, Jule serves as CFO for Enable America, a non-profit whose mission is to increase employment for Veterans and individuals with disabilities. She is also a Board Member of the City of Tampa Mayor’s Alliance for Persons with Disabilities, as well as a member of the University of Tampa, Board of Fellows, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Staffing Association, HR Tampa, Tampa Bay Chamber and Staffing Industry Analysts.

Jule lives in Tampa with her husband, Richard, and their two dogs, Riley and Lilly.
Vanessa Jones, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2023-2026: Vanessa Jones is the Senior Director of Learner Services, Training & Operations at Ultimate Medical Academy. Vanessa holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s in public administration. While she began her career in Social Work, she has been with UMA over 11 years supporting students to navigate their programs on their pathway to their allied healthcare careers. In her free time, she enjoys, travelling, volunteering within the community, and spending time with friends and family.
Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) Jean (Maxwell) Kohler, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2023-2026: Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) Jean (Maxwell) Kohler graduated from Capital University in 1970 with dual chemistry and math majors. As a senior research project, she developed the first computer programs for use in Capital’s chemistry courses. Following a career in the U.S. Air Force that included serving as Computer Software Director for the U.S. Central Command during its leadership of coalition Persian Gulf War forces and Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the U.S. Air Force Academy, she retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She continued her professional career as Information Systems Director for a substance abuse prevention agency and for a British Aerospace subsidiary producing aircraft simulators.

Jean is a Lifetime Girl Scouts of the USA member, joining as a Brownie and continuing as an adult volunteer with a variety of positions in seven Girl Scout Councils, including Girl Scouts Overseas Europe. She was a GSUSA Master Trainer and Instructor of Trainers, served on three Girl Scout Councils’ Board of Directors, including six years as Board Chair of the Tampa Bay GS Council, and served 11 years as a GSUSA National Operational Volunteer providing technology and governance consulting services to GS councils nationwide. She continues now as a member of the GS West Central Florida Finance Committee and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Olave Baden-Powell Society.

In addition to her undergraduate education at Capital, Jean has a M.S. in chemistry with a computer science minor and a M.A. in management information systems. She is also a graduate of several military leadership and management programs including the Armed Forces Staff College and the Air War College.

She and her husband, Rudy, both now enhance their retirement years with various philanthropic activities, travel, and golf.
Lisa McGlynn, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2022-2025: Lisa McGlynn is a Partner in the Tampa office of the employment and labor law firm Fisher and Phillips. She represents a variety of employers, including but not limited to healthcare entities, faith based groups, automobile dealerships, and retail and hospitality establishments, and in all areas of labor and employment law. She defends employers in state and federal court litigation and arbitration on a wide variety of employment-related claims, including claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Florida Civil Rights Act, and the Florida Private Whistleblower Act.

She has represented employers of all sizes before state and federal courts, in arbitration proceedings, and before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHRA), the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), and various local agencies.

Lisa also regularly counsels employers and their managers on employee relations including preventing issues before they arise. This includes advice on employee background screening and selection, medical marijuana in the workplace concerns, drug and alcohol testing, wage and hour compliance, harassment investigations, and disciplinary strategies. Lisa routinely drafts and revises employee handbooks, arbitration agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-compete, non-solicitation, and severance agreements. She also frequently conducts informative and entertaining management and employee training for clients to ensure they are both aware of their ever-changing legal requirements, and are as implementing best practices to avoid legal entanglements. Lisa has spoken at conventions and meetings nationwide on employment law issues, and developed a series of webinars on current popular topics.

Lisa has two children (Jessica and Miles) and enjoys spending time with her family, reading, the Florida Gators, and being active in her community. Lisa is currently the proud troop leader for her daughter’s Brownie troop. She has been a longtime supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and has served in various volunteer leadership rolls. She is also a current member of the Board of Directors for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay whose mission is to ensure that no one faces a crisis alone.
Dr. Georgina Rivera-Singletary, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2023-2026: Dr. Georgina Rivera-Singletary is an Associate Professor with Saint Leo University with a focus on graduate education. She has an extensive background in Florida public school systems as a teacher, school and district-based administrator, and technical assistance consultant for the department of education in Puerto Rico. Combined, these experiences help her to develop and train classroom teachers including those who aspire to be school and district leaders in Florida and across the nation through online learning.

Dr. Rivera-Singletary earned her doctorate from the University of South Florida in 2014 and her study explored collaborative leadership practices for serving migrant students with disabilities. In addition to her Ph.D., Dr. Rivera-Singletary holds an education specialist degree (USF) and two master’s degrees (M.Ed. & MBA; Saint Leo) all with a focus on leadership.

Dr. Rivera-Singletary was a Girl Scout professional for 7 years in the 1990’s providing programs to unserved and underserved girls in rural and underprivileged areas of Pasco County. She then served neighborhoods as a Field Executive supervising, training, and supporting directors overseeing programming in their communities.

Dr. Rivera-Singletary is a native Floridian and has lived in Pasco County her entire life. She is married and has 3 children, 3 grandchildren, and is raising her 7-year-old niece who is a Daisy Girl Scout in Troop 321 in Zephyrhills.

Georgina is an advocate for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) especially for people with disabilities and migrant farmworker English learners and their families. She completed two DEI certificates from eCornell University and University of South Florida as a precursor for her work with special populations.

Dr. Rivera-Singletary serves on several boards, school advisory councils, task forces, and holds governance office with the Saint Leo University Senate and has extensive governance experience. Dr. Rivera-Singletary is a member of the Zephyrhills Rotary Club and is a member of The Rotary International Cadre for Basic Education and Literacy in which she evaluates and monitors global grants internationally.

For fun, she loves to travel, teach health and fitness classes, and amusement parks. She has a strong passion for serving the community and believes we all should have a commitment to the success of human capita as without it our world progress fails.
LaKendria Robinson, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2022-2025: LaKendria Robinson is the Founder + CEO of The Orenda Collective, a social impact strategy firm that works with corporations to create groundbreaking diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the communities they live, work, and play. The Orenda Collective’s mission is to shift the focus of antiquated ideals to more deliberate and progressive actions. By challenging their clients to view their community through a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive lens, The Orenda Collective delivers innovative solutions that live on in perpetuity. Although launched in March 2021, The Orenda Collective is creating dynamic social impact programs for The Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Visit Tampa Bay, and the Tampa Bay Partnership.

For more than a decade, LaKendria has worked and volunteered for organizations that support underserved communities who help its residents build sustainable lives. Prior to starting The Orenda Collective, LaKendria served as the Director, Business Connect & Community Outreach for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Super Bowl Host Committee. In her role, she was responsible for identifying and connecting Tampa Bay diverse businesses to contracting opportunities related to Super Bowl LV, as well as co-managing the various social legacy initiatives of the Host Committee’s Forever 55 social impact programs.

LaKendria also served as the first Director of Minority Business Accelerator & Economic Inclusion for the Tampa Bay Chamber, where she spearheaded the Minority Business Accelerator to help minority-owned businesses grow and thrive in Tampa Bay.

She was named a 2020 Forty Under Forty recipient for the Business Observer. LaKendria was also named a 2019 Forty Under 40 recipient by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives for her meaningful involvement in the advancement of the Tampa Bay community.

Ms. Robinson earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communications from The Florida State University (Go Noles!) and a master’s degree in Organizational Management & Leadership from Ashford University. She currently volunteers with several community groups that focus on providing access and opportunities to diverse owned businesses in Tampa Bay and entrepreneurial ecosystem building.

Ms. Robinson currently resides in Hillsborough County with her husband William, daughter, Skylar and son, Eli.
Laura Sokalski, Board Development Committee Member at Large, 2022-2025: Laura Sokalski has lived in many parts of Tampa Bay and now resides in Eastern Hillsborough County. She graduated from The University of Tampa’s John H. Sykes College of Business with a degree in Marketing and a passion for women’s leadership development. While a student at UT, Laura was a leader in multiple student organizations including Alpha Gamma Delta, serving as President, Vice President Finance, and Vice President Campus Relations, and Scouting’s National Service Fraternity Alpha Phi Omega.

Laura began a management career at GEICO but pivoted when it was clear that she would become a full-time advocate for her special needs daughter. She pursued many opportunities to provide first- hand examples to decision makers in many arenas, and even co-presented at the Family Café (one of the largest disability advocacy conferences in the country). Eventually, the Commissioner of Education appointed her to the State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students. As a member of the committee, Laura represented Hillsborough County in protecting the rights of students with IEPs and Accommodations. Recently, she partnered with local voters and legislators to support and pass a bill to update Florida’s NICA law for birth-related brain injured infants. She considers this one of her greatest achievements.

Laura presently serves as the International Chair for the Member Retention Committee of Alpha Gamma Delta. As an alumna member of her women’s fraternity, she continues to promote the vision of “Inspire the Woman, Impact the World”. She volunteers locally as Vice President of the Tampa Bay Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. Serving both locally and internationally, is something she is honored to do. She credits the Girl Scouts with instilling the values of volunteerism from the time she was a Brownie. She humbly serves as a Troop Leader for her daughter’s Daisy troop. The loves of her life are her husband Matt, daughters Sabrina and Olivia, and Golden doodle, Coco.