Nonprofits, at the helm: Green Chamber names new leader, other nonprofits add top staff
The 4-year-old North Florida Green Chamber of Commerce, based in Jacksonville, has named chemist and microbiologist Jessica Tittl as its new executive director.
Tittl has a background in new technology development and in 2019 founded Biome Future, a nature-inspired technology company. She is also working on her doctorate at the University of Florida, studying coral reef microbiomes and the role of business in driving conservation efforts and policy.
"Her impressive professional and educational background, along with her knowledge and passion for sustainability in the corporate environment, make her an excellent addition to our team," board chairwoman Dolly Penland said.
The Green Chamber promotes the economy "by helping businesses thrive with a focus on people, planet and prosperity for generations to come," according to the organization.
Tittl succeeds Christina Kelcourse, the nonprofit's founding executive director. Kelcourse departed to focus on family business Compost Jax, a North Florida commercial compost and biochar producer.
Nina Waters: 'Unparalleled' nonprofit leader Nina Waters to retire from Community Foundation for NE Fla
Nonprofits, at the helm: United Way of St. Johns and Hope Street name new leaders
Leadership changes: Mary Anne Jacobs retires as Girl Scouts CEO; 2 new VPs at Cathedral Arts
In her new position, Tittl will concentrate on "helping forward-thinking businesses that want to do the right thing and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace," the chamber said.
"I will provide high-quality speakers and education and a multitude of networking opportunities for our members, so they have the tools and connections they need to make the best possible decisions regarding sustainability and their business model," she said. "With the right tools, knowledge and inspiration, our members can make an enormous impact."
Tittl, who lives in Keystone Heights, "is enthusiastic about promoting sustainable business throughout the state."
"Being sustainable is not charity, it's better business, and the point is for us to move the needle on best practices further from just a project for extra credit and closer to universal compliance while improving the bottom line for our members," she said.
Tittl's earlier positions include graduate assistant and biological scientist at UF; founder and executive director of Akron-based Discoverbiome, a nonprofit dedicated to climate change and sustainability education; and product development and emerging technology scientist at GOJO Industries in Akron.
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
Aaron Irving has joined Jacksonville Area Legal Aid as director of pro bono after running his own Jacksonville law firm, Integrity Law.
While in private practice, he was actively involved with Legal Aid as a volunteer attorney.
"It’s an honor … to work with the hundreds of attorneys in Northeast Florida who generously give of their time to serve those clients who would otherwise be denied access to justice," Irving said.
In 2021 private attorneys donated about $1 million in services to low-income Northeast Florida residents in landlord-tenant, family, probate, guardianship and other matters, according to Legal Aid.
"Pro bono legal services enable JALA to help so many more people than we could do with staff attorneys alone," CEO Jim Kowalski said.
In addition to his Legal Aid work, Irving is an adjunct professor of law at Florida State College at Jacksonville where he teaches litigation in the paralegal department.
HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital
HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital has appointed 18-year company veteran Mary Tabor as chief nursing officer.
Tabor, a nurse for 27 years, was most recently chief nursing officer at HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital in South Florida. She began her HCA career in 2004 at Memorial Hospital Jacksonville where she was medical surgical director, charge nurse and staff nurse.
She has also been assistant chief nursing officer at HCA Healthcare’s Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Ga., and is a commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Nurse Corps.
In her new position, Tabor will oversee clinical nursing operations throughout the Orange Park hospital system, which also includes two freestanding emergency rooms in the area and a third set to open in Middleburg this fall.
WJCT Public Media
Farley Kern, chief communications officer for GuideWell, has been appointed chairwoman of WJCT Public Media, Jacksonville's community-owned and -operated public media organization.
Kern, who first joined the WJCT board in March 2020, has about 30 years of experience in strategic communications.
Her current employer is the parent company of Florida Blue, the state's leading health insurer, and other health care companies. Kern's earlier positions included vice president of global communication and public affairs for Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, vice president for corporate communications for Hyatt Hotels Corp., public relations director for the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island and assistant vice president for corporate communications for CSX Corp.
Send nonprofit news to Beth Reese Cravey at bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville area nonprofits appoint new leaders, include HCA Florida
