St Pete DNA Officers & Board

Officers

• President / Karen Carmichael

• Karen served as President of SPDNA in 2019 and 2020. She also served as Vice President and events chair for 2018. She managed the 2019 Tour of Homes and was instrumental in increasing the organization’s online presence and streamlining the membership process. Karen is also a graduate of the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) Leadership Program and a member of the CONA Transportation Committee. She originally moved from New York to St. Pete in 1977, received an education degree at the downtown campus of USF,  and taught in Pinellas County Schools. She also earned two masters’ degrees in education from the same campus. In 2000, Karen returned to New York where she graduated from Michael Bloomberg’s Leadership Academy and became an assistant principal at a Manhattan elementary school. In 2014, she retired and returned to St. Petersburg to live near her daughter and grandson. Karen resides at The Sage Condominiums where she serves as the HOA Secretary and on the Social Committee. Her interest in being a member of the board for SPDNA comes from the experiences being a part of this community has given her and provides her with the opportunity to give back to a city that is such a rich part of her life.

• Vice President / SCOTT CLARK
• Scott has been a resident of St Petersburg since 2002 and moved downtown in 2015 to be closer to this vibrant, eclectic city. Scott has a financial business background spanning 30 years starting as a CPA for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Tampa then Valpak, the nationwide blue envelope coupon mailer in various roles and now at Catalina Marketing, developing a website dashboard portal for their grocery and drugstore chain clients. His most challenging career achievement was being part of a team designing and bringing online the $200 million, 500,000 square feet high-tech Valpak Manufacturing Center you see from I-275 when coming or leaving St Pete. Scott has volunteered over the years in various capacities including Alumni Advisor to USF’s co-ed professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, co-authoring the monthly newsletter for The Sage Condos where he lives and since 2019 as a member of the SPDNA Board.
• Treasurer / John Waechter

• John was born and raised in St. Petersburg and has lived here all his life. He graduated from the University of Florida with an accounting degree and was a practicing CPA for three years before entering the securities business. He spent twenty-five years as the Executive Vice President of William R. Hough & Co. until the firm was sold in 2004. He then attended law school at Stetson University College of Law and is now a practicing attorney and partner at Englander Fischer in downtown St. Pete. John serves on the boards of the Transamerica Mutual Funds and WRH Income Properties, Inc. His charitable work includes board positions at Operation PAR, Inc., and Boley-PAR, Inc. John is also a member of the finance committee of the Parkshore Plaza HOA. He enjoys snow skiing and spending time with his son and daughter and their families, who reside in the Old Northeast. John served on the SPDNA 2017 Tour of Homes event committee and is currently serving on the Planning & Development Committee.

• Secretary / Steve Phillips
• Steve has been a full time resident of St. Petersburg since 2012, part time since 2006. In 1997, he joined the faculty of the School of Education, Brooklyn College, in New York, and was Coordinator of Alternative Certification Programs, a program which has prepared more than 3500 career-changers to become teachers since 2000. Prior to 1997, he was a high school teacher and principal in Syracuse, New York; Marcellus, New York; and New York City; then served for 14 years as Superintendent of Alternative High Schools and Programs, supervising 62 schools and programs, which served over 80,000 students annually. He received his BA and MA degrees from Stanford University. In addition to teaching at Brooklyn College, he taught part-time at Stanford, Syracuse, and Fordham Universities. Steve served as SPDNA Secretary since 2017 and the Chair for the Planning & Development Committee and looks forward to being involved in SPDNA as it provides advocacy, networking, and information as Saint Petersburg continues to offer all of us a vibrant, culture-rich, beautiful place to live.

Board of Directors

• Jonathan Blackwood

  After accepting a new work opportunity with his firm, Jonathan and his wife relocated to downtown St. Petersburg in January of 2019.  Like many others, they visited several other different communities surrounding the Tampa Bay area, but once having visited downtown St. Pete they knew that they were home.  In practically no time they were shopping at the Saturday morning market, taking long daily walks along the waterfront, and dining out several times a week at one of  the many excellent sidewalk restaurants around town.  Jonathan currently works for BNY Mellon Wealth Management and has spent all of his career in the financial services industry.  Outside of work he has always looked for ways to serve his community.  Some of his prior volunteer experience includes serving as Board President for a multi-campus nonprofit senior living community, the Audit Chair for the Atlanta Chapter of the United States Sail and Power Boat Squadron, the Treasurer for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in GA, and many more.  He is currently serving on one of the fundraising committees of the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and believes that the SPDNA will give him the opportunity to align both his interest and experience with the organization’s mission in serving the downtown St. Pete community.

• Mark Ferrulo
•  Mark is the founder and executive director of Progress Florida, a statewide progressive issues advocacy organization. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Mark has been working for non-profit, public interest causes across the state for over two decades. Areas of expertise include non-profit management, internet organizing, social media, and media outreach. Raised in south St. Petersburg, Mark has been living, working and playing in downtown St. Petersburg since moving back to his hometown in 2008. He joined the St. Petersburg Downtown Neighborhood Association in 2014 and lives at 1010 Central Condos where he is active in the condo owners’ association. When not attending a Rays or Rowdies game, Mark enjoys saltwater fishing, biking and hiking, and the downtown nightlife. Mark served as SPDNA Vice-President for 2016 & 2017.
• Roxanne Fixsen
• Roxanne has been a resident of St. Petersburg for over two decades and has lived in downtown St. Petersburg since 2010. She is a director at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg whose mission is to address health disparities, advance population health, and achieve health equity in Pinellas County. Roxanne has a law degree from Stetson Law, where she graduated 2nd in her class and was on the Law Review. She also earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her master’s degree in counseling from the University of South Florida. Prior to going to law school, Roxanne worked for 15 years with children and families involved in the foster care system. She began this career as an in-home therapist, then created and managed several treatment programs for this population, and eventually was responsible for the transfer of foster care services from the state to the community in Pinellas and Pasco when the state first privatized foster care. Roxanne is passionate about working to better our community. She is excited about working with the SPDNA to continue its mission to benefit the community
• Dan Harvey
•  Dan has lived in the St. Pete since 1963. He founded the popular Harvey’s 4th Street Grill. Dan has participated as a voice for the community in several major downtown initiatives such as the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan and the redevelopment of the Pier. He is active in the Central Avenue Council and the EDGE District Business Association. Dan has served nine terms on the SPDNA Board of Directors.
  
• CAMERON HILL
•  Cameron was born and raised in Tampa, but hopes that you won’t hold it against her. A three-time volleyball state champion at H.B. Plant High School, Cameron attended Washington and Lee University where she captained the volleyball team and received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Cameron is now an investment banker (the good kind!) at RBC Capital Markets, where she works in the Multifamily Housing Group financing affordable housing for low-income families all across the State of Florida. Having realized the error of her Tampa ways, Cameron now lives & works in Downtown St. Pete and has fallen in love with all of the walkable, dogfriendly amenities that our neighborhood has to offer.
• Al May

  Al has lived in St. Pete since he was 5 years old. He is a graduate of Boca Ciega High School, St. Pete Junior College, and the University of Florida. He is a retired Banking Executive. Al’s goal is to work with other St. Pete Downtown Association members to maintain and enhance the quality of our neighborhood. Al has served as the DNA’s Treasurer for the past five years.

  
  
• Martha Shibley
• Martha has been a full-time resident in St. Pete for over twelve years. Martha is a Registered Nurse in the state of Florida and Missouri. After a successful sixteen plus years’ career in clinical, financial and operational health care management, Martha expanded her career into the Healthcare Information S• Martha has been a full-time resident in St. Pete for fifteen years. After a successful sixteen-plus year career in clinical, financial and operational health care management, Martha expanded her career into the healthcare information system industry, and for the past twenty years, has worked for Capgemini, Ernst and Young, Accenture, Deloitte Consulting, and HIS vendors. as a clinical software professional consultant and project manager. Martha retired in 2018 from Allscripts, a top health IT company, after ten years of US and international experience. Having been a “road warrior” for years, Martha now works as an independent consultant for Allscripts, primarily out of her home office in downtown St Pete. Since this change, she has become a Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer for the 6th Judicial Court, a Lunch Pal for Pinellas County School district, and has renewed her interests in painting and riding her bike. Over the past two years, Martha served on the DNA’s Social Committee, the 2018, 2019 and 2020Election Committees, and worked on the 2019 Tour of Homes. She is interested in continuing to serve on the board of SPDNA.
• Grace Steinhauser
•  Grace moved to St. Petersburg when she was just two years old, so the Florida way is the way for her. She spent four years pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies at Louisiana State University; however, following graduation she returned home to begin her professional career as a Development Specialist with the American Heart Association. Grace has gone on to plan two of the most successful Heart Walks in Tampa Bay. Making a positive impact in the lives of her community has been a passion of Grace’s. Grace’s goal in continuing to serve on the Board of Directors for the St. Petersburg Downtown Neighborhood Association is to inform Downtown St. Petersburg’s lucky residents of the happenings going on in our wonderful city! Keeping everyone informed and involved is very important to Grace, so she would make it her priority to keep the people of St. Petersburg in the know of its new developments and the current events taking place around town through social media outlets. Grace would love the opportunity to spend another year utilizing her social media engagement skills for the betterment of the SPDNA.
  
• deborah stewart
•  Deborah was born and raised in Tampa and made the exciting move across the bridge to St. Petersburg 13 years ago, and was brought up in a family bakery and catering business in Tampa, later expanded to include the Cafe at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA Café). She settled in at 1010 Central Condominiums and started enjoying the downtown lifestyle and helping out with events at the family business when needed. Deborah received her BS in Marketing from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. She started her career in the airline industry after graduation with Continental Airlines. Deborah currently works for and sits on the United Airlines board of their in house charity called “We Care” that provides financial assistance as a fund of last resort to employees in need. Deborah has also sat on the board of the Elk Institute for Psychological Health & Performance, which provides treatment at no cost to the service member or veteran for PTSD. Most days, if not traveling, you will find Deborah working from home in the mornings and walking around our beautiful downtown area discovering all the new and exciting things that are happening. Deborah has been a member of the SPDNA since 2017 and volunteered for the 2019 Tour of Homes. Serving on the SPDNA Board social committee would be a great experience and would give her an opportunity to give back to the vibrant, culture-rich, beautiful city we live in.
• JOHN WAECHTER John was born and raised in St. Petersburg and has lived here all his life. He graduated from the University of Florida with an accounting degree and was a practicing CPA for three years before entering the securities business. He spent twenty-five years as the Executive Vice President of William R. Hough & Co. until the firm was sold in 2004. He then attended law school at Stetson University College of Law and is now a practicing attorney and partner at Englander Fischer in downtown St. Pete. John serves on the boards of the Transamerica Mutual Funds and WRH Income Properties, Inc. His charitable work includes board positions at Operation PAR, Inc. and Boley-PAR, Inc. John is also a member of the finance committee of the Parkshore Plaza HOA. He enjoys snow skiing and spending time with his son and daughter and their families, who reside in the Old Northeast. John served on the SPDNA 2017 Tour of Homes event committee and is currently serving on the Planning & Development Committee.
•