Mercy Quiroga, President
Dr. Mercy Quiroga believes that serving the community is her life-long passion. Now retired and living in Gainesville, Mercy was also very active with the Mental Health Clubhouse in Miami. She has seen firsthand how clubhouse programs like the GOC’s can make peoples’ lives better. Before retiring and moving to Gainesville, Mercy was a Campus President at Miami Dade College and Broward College along with Provost of New World School of the Arts.
Jacob Rush — Vice President
A Gainesville native and University of Florida graduate, Jacob Rush is an attorney whose career spans law enforcement, private legal practice, and serving as General Counsel for both a private-sector company and a government law enforcement agency of roughly 900 employees. A trial attorney in state and federal civil courts, he has run legal departments — overseeing litigation, contracts, internal investigations, government relations, policy, and labor and employment — and he writes and teaches on technology law, including artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and cybersecurity. His work today centers on artificial intelligence and large language models for legal research. Active in the community, Jacob is a past President of the Rotary Club of Greater Gainesville, a Take Stock in Children mentor, a school volunteer, and a volunteer judge at the UF Levin College of Law — as well as a beekeeper and gardener.
Jennifer Elder, Secretary
Jennifer Harrison Elder, PhD, RN is a retired professor emerita from the University of Florida with over forty years of experience in the field of childhood psychiatric and mental health nursing. Elder has highlighted the disparities in early autism diagnosis linked to socioeconomic status, particularly among rural families. Beyond her academic contributions, she has worked with vulnerable populations, including homeless pregnant women and low-income families, and developed an assessment model for parents to gauge potential autistic symptoms in their children. Her advocacy and research have played a crucial role in increasing awareness and funding for autism-related issues.
Joanne Edde, Treasurer
Joanne Edde is a dedicated banking professional and community advocate who believes in the power of building meaningful relationships and making a positive difference in the lives of others. Throughout her career with First Federal Bank, she has been passionate about providing exceptional customer service, supporting local nonprofits, and strengthening the communities she serves through volunteering and community involvement. Known for her warm, approachable nature and commitment to others, Joanne values integrity, dependability, and genuine connections. As she embraces retirement, she looks forward to spending more time with family, enjoying life’s special moments with her grandchildren, and continuing to make a difference in the lives of those around her.
Kayla Barrera
Kayla Barrera has been a Member of the GOC since April 2025 and joined the Board of Directors in August 2026. Since joining the GOC, she has found a welcoming community, support in her employment journey, and meaningful opportunities to contribute to its mission. Kayla has a bachelor’s degree in Visual Art Studies from the University of Florida. She brings her professional background in graphic design and marketing to the GOC’s media unit, drawing on her experience at the Cade Museum and Santa Fe College. She also assists with outreach efforts, speaking to patients and community members about her experience with the GOC. Passionate about mental health advocacy, Kayla is dedicated to helping others find the same sense of community and empowerment that has been central to her own recovery, confidence, and personal growth. In her free time, Kayla enjoys making art, writing, and exploring different creative projects.
Karina Bowman
Health and personal growth remain central to Karina’s life, and she strives to be versatile, approachable, and resilient in challenging environments. She is passionate about learning and contributing within her community. Her background in foreign language studies and individual sports has shaped her appreciation for discipline, connection, and well-being. She is proud to be a Member serving on the Board of Directors of the Gainesville Opportunity Center, supporting its mission to provide meaningful work and social success for its Members.
Bree Guiterman
Bree Guiterman is the owner of Associates Realty Services, Inc., a Gainesville-based real estate and property management company, where she has dedicated her career to helping individuals and families find housing throughout the community. An active Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Greater Gainesville, Bree is passionate about community service, building meaningful connections, and making a positive difference in the lives of others. Her involvement with the Gainesville Opportunity Center began through her Rotary activities and grew as she helped several GOC members secure housing, giving her a firsthand appreciation for the organization’s mission and the people it serves. As a member of the GOC Board of Directors, Bree is excited to combine her professional experience, community relationships, and commitment to service to help further GOC’s mission of empowering its members and creating opportunities for meaningful, fulfilling lives.
Joevan Jenkins
Joevan Jenkins has been a GOC Member for about ten years and joined the Board of Directors in October 2026 as a Member director. He began in the Culinary Unit, helping prepare lunch for the Clubhouse, and became a leader there, teaching other Members to cook. Through GOC’s Transitional Employment program, Joevan worked at Culver’s, where he earned promotions and raises. He then joined Youfit, moving from custodian to the front desk, and earned his personal trainer certification. In June 2026, he attended a two-week Clubhouse International training in Salt Lake City. There he helped develop an action plan that has strengthened how GOC operates. Known for his positive attitude, reliability and kindness, Joevan is passionate about fitness and about helping other Members reach their goals.
Manny Quiroga
Manny is a graduate of the University of Florida and is happy to be back in Gainesville for his retirement. Manny taught autistic high school children in the Miami-Dade public school system. Manny has been very active as a board member of the GOC and he has played a major role in planning several important annual fundraising events to support the GOC.
Bill Stephenson
Bill Stephenson chairs the Department of Humanities and Foreign Languages at Santa Fe College (“SF”), where he has worked for the past 25 years and also served as a Professor of English and English Department Chair. Bill also taught courses in Humanities, composition, and British and World Literature at Santa Fe. Bill earned his PhD in Higher Education Administration at the University of Florida in 2022. Bill’s work in the community includes nearly 20 years mentoring middle school and high school students through Florida’s
Take Stock in Children scholarship program. He and his colleagues at SF are currently developing Free to Learn, a program to support Santa Fe students with a past history of incarceration.
Emeritus Board Members of GOC
Gail Schneider Childs, Emeritus Board Member and GOC Ambassador Coordinator
Gail Schneider Childs is a public health educator, licensed dental hygienist, and tobacco treatment specialist. She spent more than two decades at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, serving from 1998 to 2022 as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, where she led curriculum development and faculty development for the DMD program and coordinated research on dental access for Floridians on Medicaid. She holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a B.S. in Community Health Education from Florida State University.
Gail grew up with a family member living with mental illness, which drew her to GOC’s mission. She joined the Board in 2016, including a term as President, and was named Emeritus Board Member in 2026 in recognition of her years of service. She continues to lead GOC’s Ambassadors in fundraising and outreach. Gail enjoys camping, hiking, biking, and boating.
Jodi Irving, MS, ARNP, Emeritus Board Member
Jodi Irving is Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida College of Nursing, where she continues to teach part time in the doctoral program. She is a psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner in Gainesville and holds a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
Jodi serves GOC because she believes in the mission of the Clubhouse model and its focus on reducing stigma and promoting mental wellness.
Trish Sokol, LMHC, Emeritus Board Member
Trish Sokol LMHC is a graduate of the University of Florida. She holds a masters degree and a specialist degree in mental health counseling as well as a bachelors degree in anthropology all from the University of Florida.
She has worked in the mental health community for the past 40 years in multiple roles. She served as the director of case management at Shands psychiatric hospital and as the director of the Florida assertive community treatment program as well as spending several years in private practice.
Trish has been involved with the Gainesville Opportunity Center since its inception in 2007. She has served in multiple roles as a member of the board, including president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
Trish joined the board of directors initially to help develop a plan for the Gainesville opportunity center or clubhouse for our community. She felt that it was an important component of the programs available for mental health treatment and recovery in the Gainesville area. She served on the board until 2022 when she was retired as an emeritus board member. She remains involved with the GOC by working on a history project to commemorate the past 20 years of the Gainesville opportunity center, as well as providing any assistance needed with historical or background information. She remains as an emeritus board member who is willing to continue to contribute to the success of the GOC.
She feels it has been an honor to be able to serve on this board and assist this community of people in recovery.