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Episcopal Children’s Services Celebrates the 2022 Florida Head Start Association Award Winners

Autumn Tomas

2022 FHSA Administrator of the Year

Autumn’s connection to Head Start began in 1998 when her first son, Markus was three years old and she enrolled him in a Head Start classroom. When she moved to Jacksonville she was thrilled when she found an opportunity to work in the Head Start/ Early Head Start program with Episcopal Children’s Services in 2005. Now, 17 years later, she serves as Vice President of Head Start/Early Head Start. As a former Head Start parent, she knows first-hand the kind of support the families in ECS’ program need. She is honored to be a part of a team that works passionately and tirelessly to give every one of the Head Start/Early Head Start children the same advantages she received.

Kenneth Davis

2022 Support Staff of the Year

Kenneth serves as the Center Support Assistant for the Howard Head Start/Early Head Start Center. This center serves almost 60 children and families in Marion County. He began his professional career with Head Start in 2012 when he became a substitute teacher. Kenneth embodies the role of Center Support Assistant as he always provides a warm, nurturing, stimulating, safe, and loving environment. Because of his work and his commitment, each child at the Howard Center develops language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills.

Anthony Ray

022 FHSA Father of the Year

Anthony’s commitment to leadership has been instrumental in the quest for increased male involvement. He facilitates the Male Support Group Sessions at the center and also volunteered as the master of ceremonies for ECS’ annual Male Involvement event. In his six years being a Head Start parent, he has truly embraced participating with his children. His perseverance to overcome numerous challenges while being the best father and husband he could be has allowed him to remain committed to his family even during the hardest times. He is never afraid to ask for help and he is always accountable to his family.

The Fernandez/Nations Family

2022 Beating the Odds Award

Erica Fernandez and Dillon Nations are the parents of two young girls. When they began in the Head Start program in 2019 both parents had become unemployed, and the family was experiencing homelessness, forcing them to move in with family members. With the support provided by the Head Start/Early Head Start program the family began their journey to self-sufficiency in earnest. Dillon found a job as a transmission mechanic and Erica worked to complete her required DCF courses and CPR training after which she was offered a teaching position at one of Episcopal Children’s Services centers.

Maria O’Donnell

2022 Staff of the Year

Maria began her career in Head Start with Episcopal Children’s Services in 2007 as a Center Manager and has served in a variety of roles within the Head Start organization. She is currently serving as Senior Director of Comprehensive Services where she provides leadership and supervision to four departments within Head Start/Early Head Start: Health Services, Nutrition, Home Based, and Family Services. Maria is a thoughtful and careful leader. She is a passionate health advocate who understands the value of social emotional well-being and takes great care to reduce the stigma of mental health for the children we serve.