Our Team
Board of Directors
James J. (Jim) Bracher
Interim President
James J. (Jim) Bracher
Jim is an experienced executive specializing in optimizing operational performance and client outcomes. One of the top accomplishments in his career was the reorganization of a multi-million nonprofit financial management process, including the parent/subsidiary billing and payment system, budgeting process, financial statement presentation and compliance with state contracting requirements. Using his expertise in regulatory compliance, he has previously contracted under the Florida Office of Insurance regulation to monitor troubled health insurance companies. In this role, he ensured compliance with state licensing requirements and statutory accounting principles to develop a pathway for return to compliance.
Jim’s nonprofit leadership experience spans serving in executive roles at the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions/Healthy Start Momcare Network, and Florida Association of Health Plans. He is also the principal at J. Bracher & Associates Insurance Consultants.
Jim achieved both his BS in Accounting and MBA in Finance at Indiana University.
Robert Brooks
Board Member
Robert Brooks
Robert has an extensive background providing financial advisement, focusing on doing what’s right for clients, associates and communities. He currently serves as the Branch Manager and Vice President of Investments at The Brooks Asset Advisory Group of Raymond James, where he provides a personalized approach to managing wealth. Prior experience includes career-building work at Merill Lynch and Xerox.
Robert was born in Columbus, Ohio and attended Florida State University as a student athlete in Track & Field. He graduated with a BS in Marketing.
Over the years Robert has provided countless hours of volunteer work including supporting Springtime Tallahassee, FAMU Foundation, United Way of Big Bend and Red Hills Horse Trials. He currently is a member of the LeMoyne Arts gallery in Tallahassee and a logistics volunteer for Chain of Parks Art Festival. In addition, Robert is a current member of “Hundred Caring Men of Tallahassee”, which collectively raises funds for local nonprofits.
Connie Rose
Board Member
Connie Rose
Connie Rose is an idea generating, game changing, goal-oriented, human dynamo whose rare blend of style and substance has made her a powerful, transformational speaker.
Like you, Connie Rose worked long hours and ignored the stressors that affect our professional and personal lives. She didn’t get how important having a work/life balance was. For years hiding behind her past of childhood sexual abuse, sex trafficking all at the hands of a serial sex offender father who was also her pimp. Connie’s self-esteem, confidence and ability to adapt was at an all – time low affecting her work/life balance.
Is balance only within the reach of a select few, or are we all eligible to receive this gift?
Connie is hired by organizations who want their leaders and teams to have impact, influence and the ability to inspire others. She delivers game-changing programs – keynotes, breakouts, trainings, consulting and coaching that offer messages of leadership, change, resilience along with creating awareness of sex trafficking and domestic violence.
She is the author of “Take The World By Storm” ™ and ARC ™ Methodology to being the Unstoppable You! Using her ARC Methodology Adaptability – Resiliency – Confidence™ creating a Life Balance approach. When an organization or individual is Adaptable, Resilient and Confident, it makes for one happy, productive company and employees.
“Not On My Watch” ™ is a snapshot of the kinds of things First responders should look for in regards to Red Flags, Identifying Victims and Resources working with victims of Sex Trafficking. In today’s society sex trafficking has become a major public health and social injustice problem, both domestically and internationally. First responders are often the only professional to interact with trafficking victims who are still in captivity.
Connie Rose M.S. Ed PhD candidate, is a specialist in resiliency, transformation and leadership with over 25 years’ experience as a motivational speaker, trainer, coach, media contributor and expert witness. Adding to her expertise as a Ted Talk speaker. “What Can You Learn From A Rubber Band?” Connie has been featured in the PBS documentary “To Close Too Home.” Whether it’s in an organization, an entrepreneurial business, or in your personal life, Connie knows how to move through challenging adversity to get things done and motivate others to do the same. Drawing from her personal journey of resiliency and transformation from over 16 years of childhood sexual abuse, pornography and sex trafficking all at the hands of a serial sex offender father who was also her pimp.
Dan R. Stengle
Board Chair
Dan R. Stengle
Dan is a trial attorney with nearly 40 years of experience representing clients on land use, regulatory permitting, utility regulation and all aspects of litigation and appeals. In addition to private practice law, he served as Senior Attorney – and later General Counsel – to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, as Staff Director to the Senate Governmental Operations Committee, General Counsel to the Florida Department of Community Affairs, and as Special Counsel to the Florida Governor and Cabinet on matters relating to Areas of Critical State Concern, including the Florida Keys.
Florida Governor Lawton Chiles then tapped Dan to be Deputy Chief of Staff and General Counsel, where Dan directed all legal and administrative aspects of the Governor’s Office. Dan also served as General Counsel to the Governor’s Transition Team between the Chiles/MacKay Administration and incoming Governor Jeb Bush.
Dan is a frequent lecturer on appellate practice, legislative drafting and research, public meetings and records, and ethics for public officials and employees, as well as the author of several publications. In addition, he has a long history of giving back to his community, including serving as the former Chair of Voices for Florida’s Board of Directors and guiding the organization’s formal affiliation with The Children’s Campaign, forming the foundation of serving children through applied research and best practice networking in addition to policy advocacy.
Dan received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree with high honors from Florida State University.
Linda Sutherland
Vice Chair
Linda Sutherland
Linda Sutherland has served as the Executive Director of the Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County since February 2001. As the chief executive officer of the Coalition, she oversees a $4 million budget and related staff and programs which support both the Coalition of over 160 members (serving over 4000 women and 3000 infants each year), as well as a variety of direct maternal and child health and social services offered to the community, including launching a Fatherhood program which has since spun off to an independent nonprofit (All Star Dads), ACA enrollment, Children’s Health Insurance and Medicaid enrollment.
Prior to her work with the Coalition, she served as the President of the Orange County Council of PTAs and then was elected to the Orange County School Board for three terms, from 1990-2002.
During her tenure she served as both chairman and vice chairman of the local school board and as President of the State School Board Association. She also represented Florida on the Council of Great City Schools and the National School Boards Association as well as other national early childhood development advisory committees.
Ms. Sutherland was invited to the White House by then First Lady Laura Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush to a discussion on early literacy and school readiness in 2001. She developed other national contacts because of attending that event.
She considers herself first and foremost, a child advocate. She has served on The Children’s Campaign board of directors, as well as the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions, Second Harvest Food Bank Health and Hunger task force, Help Me Grow and the Children’s Cabinet of Orange County.
Staff
Robyn Metcalf Blank
Open Doors Statewide Director
Christina Bassett
Robyn Metcalf Blank is the statewide director of the Open Doors Outreach Network, a 24/7/365 network of care for victims and survivors of sex trafficking age 10-24 in 32 Florida counties.
Robyn received her Bachelor of Social Work degree, Masters of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in Social Policy and Administration and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from Florida State University. She was named a 2020 Notable Nole from the Florida State University Alumni Association, recognizing graduates that have made exceptional achievements and significant contributions to his or her profession, community/society or the university. In 2016, the College of Social Work recognized Robyn with the Distinguished Young Alumni Award, a prestigious award recognizing outstanding graduates within the past 10 years who have demonstrated significant leadership and exceptional contributions to social work.
Robyn is a former Guardian ad Litem, Relay for Life of North Leon Leadership Committee Member, Volunteer Training Assistant with 211 Big Bend, and is a current member of the Junior League of Tallahassee. She also serves as Treasurer for the Florida State University College of Social Work Alumni Group.
Karen Bonsignori
Communications
Karen Bonsignori
Karen has assisted Voices for Florida and the Open Doors Outreach Network with integrated communications activities since 2016. She is an award-winning public relations and marketing professional who has spent the majority of her nearly 30-year career in leading nonprofit communications for local, state and national organizations.
Her work has been recognized with numerous awards from the Tampa Advertising Federation, Florida Motion Picture & Television Association, Graphic Design USA, and Florida Public Relations Association, including the top public relations award in the state of Florida ― the prestigious Dick Pope All Florida Golden Image Award. In 2012, Karen was honored with the top national media award called The Golden Thinker Award from the North American Precis Syndicate for a consumer feature article that received an extraordinary number of media placements in American newspapers.
She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and completed post baccalaureate studies in Public Relations Management at University of Florida.
Nancy Harrison
Open Doors Compliance and Audit Director
Nancy Harrison
Nancy Harrison is the Compliance and Audit Director for Voices for Florida. She is responsible for supporting the President, Open Doors Statewide Director and staff in ensuring effective and efficient and management of the operating budget, and the solicitation and management of grants, contracts and all other associated revenue streams. She also works closely with finance and accounting personnel to ensure that all aspects of the organization’s finances are managed effectively, efficiently and in accordance with all state and federal laws, including GAAP.
Nancy is originally from Stamford, Connecticut and moved to Tallahassee, her husband’s hometown, in 1998. She earned a degree in Business from Florida State University in 2003. She became a Certified Public Accountant in 2006. Nancy has extensive accounting experience, including working as the controller of an import-export firm in Westport, Connecticut for 10 years. Her tenure in Florida has been exclusively in public accounting, and she has extensive experience in non-profit accounting and consulting. Nancy and her husband Frank have 6 grown sons and five grandchildren. Nancy enjoys gardening, reading and spending time with her wonderful family.
Lauren Herod
Open Doors Training and Education Coordinator
Lauren Herod
In her role as the Training and Education Coordinator, Lauren will be supporting Voices for Florida’s goals of continuously adapting to the needs of survivors of sex trafficking through the Open Doors Outreach Network. Lauren will be graduating with her joint master’s degrees in Public Administration in Social Work in Spring 2021 from Florida State University. During her time in graduate school, she has worked as a Research Assistant for the Institute for Justice Research and Development and on independent Program Evaluation studies. Lauren also holds her Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from Florida State University and has worked in operations management luxury hotels throughout the United States.
Additionally, she has worked in administration and communications for the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Florida Association of Health Plans. Outside of work Lauren enjoys performing and volunteering with several of the community theatre organizations in the Big Bend Area.
She’s a proud alumna of the FSU Marching Chiefs, Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity for Women and the Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity. Additionally, she serves as the Director of Fundraising for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership program for the Florida–North Region.
Roy Miller
Senior Advisor
Roy Miller
Roy Miller has a long history of creating transformational change for sex trafficked children. He worked alongside Dr. Lawanda Ravoira to pass landmark legislation, Florida’s Safe Harbor Act, recognizing trafficked children as victims rather than as perpetrators of criminalization – an advancement that took over five years to accomplish. He then helped conceptualize the Open Doors Outreach Network service model, led advocacy to implement it, and has served as Senior Advisor to the effort.
Roy’s other innovations have resulted in new non-partisan approaches to public policy, new service structures for at-risk children, and powerful new advocacy voices. His models and strategic communications techniques have been replicated in other states. In the 1980’s he built one of the state’s first full-service centers for runaway and in-crisis youth. Sex trafficked children were among the client population served.
Roy is described by colleagues as the state’s top watchdog for children, an insightful strategist, determined lobbyist, plain spoken media spokesperson and commentator, and, more important, an unapologetic yet neutral critic of ineffective services to children.
In 2005, he received the statewide Champions for Children award from the Early Childhood Association of Florida and his work was featured for the launch of the national website for PreK Now, a project of Pew Charitable Trusts. In 2006, Miller received the statewide Presidents Award from the Florida Network of Youth & Family Services, an award that has been bestowed only four times in the previous 30 years. In 2008, the statewide Youth Advocacy Award was presented to Miller by the Florida Juvenile Justice Association.
In his spare time, Roy likes the beach, tennis and landscaping. He supports several organizations that care for dogs and endangered animals, especially manatees.
Connie Rose
Open Doors Education and Training Director
Connie Rose
Connie Rose is an idea generating, game changing, goal-oriented, human dynamo whose rare blend of style and substance has made her a powerful, transformational speaker.
Like you, Connie Rose worked long hours and ignored the stressors that affect our professional and personal lives. She didn’t get how important having a work/life balance was. For years hiding behind her past of childhood sexual abuse, sex trafficking all at the hands of a serial sex offender father who was also her pimp. Connie’s self-esteem, confidence and ability to adapt was at an all – time low affecting her work/life balance.
Is balance only within the reach of a select few, or are we all eligible to receive this gift?
Connie is hired by organizations who want their leaders and teams to have impact, influence and the ability to inspire others. She delivers game-changing programs – keynotes, breakouts, trainings, consulting and coaching that offer messages of leadership, change, resilience along with creating awareness of sex trafficking and domestic violence.
She is the author of “Take The World By Storm” ™ and ARC ™ Methodology to being the Unstoppable You! Using her ARC Methodology Adaptability – Resiliency – Confidence™ creating a Life Balance approach. When an organization or individual is Adaptable, Resilient and Confident, it makes for one happy, productive company and employees.
“Not On My Watch” ™ is a snapshot of the kinds of things First responders should look for in regards to Red Flags, Identifying Victims and Resources working with victims of Sex Trafficking. In today’s society sex trafficking has become a major public health and social injustice problem, both domestically and internationally. First responders are often the only professional to interact with trafficking victims who are still in captivity.
Connie Rose M.S. Ed PhD candidate, is a specialist in resiliency, transformation and leadership with over 25 years’ experience as a motivational speaker, trainer, coach, media contributor and expert witness. Adding to her expertise as a Ted Talk speaker. “What Can You Learn From A Rubber Band?” Connie has been featured in the PBS documentary “To Close Too Home.” Whether it’s in an organization, an entrepreneurial business, or in your personal life, Connie knows how to move through challenging adversity to get things done and motivate others to do the same. Drawing from her personal journey of resiliency and transformation from over 16 years of childhood sexual abuse, pornography and sex trafficking all at the hands of a serial sex offender father who was also her pimp.
Nilda Otero
Open Doors Housing Liaison
Nilda Otero
As the Open Doors Housing Liaison, Nilda administers transitional housing assistance for survivors of sex trafficking age 10-24. She is responsible for strategizing with Open Doors team members and other partners across the state to finding access to transitional housing, as well as maintaining data and compliance to support the Voices housing assistance services
Nilda began her career in child welfare in 2013 as a volunteer with the Guardian Ad Litem program, where she gave a voice to children unable to advocate for themselves. While raising her son as a single mom, she obtained her Associates Degree from Pasco Hernando State College in 2015 and her Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health Community Science with a Concentration in Children’s Mental Health and Criminology at the University of South Florida in 2017.
Nilda previously interned at a safe house for victims of human trafficking, where she met her now daughter, during her undergraduate studies. Upon graduation, Nilda obtained employment with a case management agency in Hillsborough County, FL. As a Certified Welfare Child Case Manager, she staffed almost 40 children on her caseload, and continued to advocate for children and families in need.
Nilda previously utilized her passion to directly serve survivors of human trafficking and sexual abuse at the More Too Life Foundation, the Open Doors Outreach Network Provider in the Suncoast region. Nilda continues to volunteer in the community and be a mentor.
Nilda holds certifications in Mental Health First Aid and Crisis Prevention, able to deescalate a crisis when needed. She also sits on several Advisory Boards for various organizations to ensure the best interest of youth are being met.
Michael Sonntag
Open Doors Program Coordinator
Michael Sonntag
Michael brings to Voices experience in managing relationships with stakeholders, community coalition building efforts, and assisting executive leadership teams in program coordination, policy research and working with finance personnel in managing grant and donor funds and related communications. In the area of technology, he has led technology teams moving a non-profit organization to an entirely virtual workspace and updating technology systems to make this possible. His experience includes providing technical support to organization staff internally and externally.
Michael holds a master’s degree from Florida State University and completed his undergraduate work at University of Central Florida. When Michael is not busy overseeing key Open Doors administrative functions, he enjoys exercising, reading and exploring creative passions in music and arts.
