Meet our Staff...

Manny Rivero: Manny Rivero is the founding Executive Director of the Jim Walter Partnership Center. For over 25 years, he has been a leader in community development and has been involved in multiple revitalization efforts at the state and national levels. He founded the East Little Havana CDC from the back of his car in the 1980’s, worked as a City official overseeing neighborhood initiatives, served as Assistant Director at a research “think tank “organization in Miami, and was appointed by the Clinton Administration to coordinate the Hurricane Recovery efforts in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew. His work at the University of South Florida Jim Walter Partnership Center has been recognized as one of ten national models for University Community-Based Engagement.

Jerry Miller, Ph.D.:  Dr. Jerry Miller, Ph.D. is the Director of Research for all JWPC programs, and oversees researchers, data collection, and program monitoring and evaluations.  Dr. Miller is also the Program Manager of the College Link program.

Rozelia Kennedy: Rozelia is the Fiscal and Business Specialist for JWPC. Rozelia processes all financial-related documents for JWPC, including budgets, financial results, journal entries, payables, and vendor related documentation. Rozelia joined JWPC in the Fall of 2007 with over 19 years of finance experience in the private sector. 

Norma Bedell: Norma is the College Link Program Manager. Norma joined JWPC in May 2007, and is responsible for recruitment and training of tutors, tutor evaluation and auditing, and organizing "College Link Days." She is also the liaison between the Hillsborough County School District and the College Link program.

 

Veronica Pacheco: Veronica is the College Link Tutor Supervisor.  Veronica joined JWPC in the Fall of 2007, and is responsible for hiring tutors, collecting timesheets, data entry, and planning trainings. Veronica also assists the Program Manager in the facilitation of the program.

 

Vierge Julien:Vierge  is the newest staff member of the Jim Walter Partnership Center where she holds the position of Program Assistant. Vierge has worked with community project such as The Gang Resistance Education and Training Program and Junior Achievers. Currently, Vierge is working on projects focusing on the homeless in the Tampa bay area.

 

Peggy Dorvil:  Peggy is a  Senior Program Planner and Analyst for the Jim Walter Partnership Cente.  She has been with the center since 2007. Peggy oversees the center’s premiere program – The Grassroots Leadership Development Program. Peggy also coordinates the Youth Mentorship and Civic Engagement Program, and is the co-coordinator of the center’s newest initiative, the Kingian Nonviolence Training Program, in which she has been certified.