Dr. Robert V. Lee, III
Founding Chairman & CEO

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Dr. Robert V. Lee III left the church’s pulpit in 1989 to work toward his dream of living in an international community where people of  all faiths and races work in concert with one another for the betterment of the global community as  a whole. His humanitarian outreach started in Jacksonville, Florida with programs promoting racial reconciliation, improving inner-city schools  and economic revitalization in distressed neighborhoods.

Today, Dr. Lee continues to unite people in need with the people and organizations who have the resources to share with the less fortunate. Dr. Lee’s mission for Be The Change International (BTCI) and its partners is to utilize all available resources to empower individuals in need with opportunities to improve their lives and those of their families.

Before Be The Change International, Dr. Lee enjoyed a successful career in business. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and continued graduate studies in journalism at the University of Georgia before earning a master’s of divinity from Yale University and a doctorate of theology from New York Theological Seminary.

Dr. Lee currently serves as Chairman of FreshMinistries, Inc. and as a non-stipendiary Canon for Outreach and Ecuminism in the Diocese of Florida. He has served parishes in Connecticut and Florida and as the Chairman of the Interfaith Sub-Committee of the 2005 Super Bowl Host Committee in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as a director for: St. Mary’s Outreach Ministry in Jacksonville, the Samaritan Center, Dignity-U-Wear, Christian Healing Ministries, and the Florida Council of Churches. By appointment of Florida’s Governor Jeb Bush, Dr. Lee serves as a member of the Governor’s Faith-based Advisory Board for the state of Florida.  As a mayoral appointee, Dr. Lee serves on the Mayor’s Faith-based and Community Advisory Board for the city of Jacksonville.  He is also the first head of a not-for-profit organization to serve as a Director on the Board of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Dr. Lee has served on the board of directors for the Jacksonville Interfaith Council, Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville (HabiJax), and the Jacksonville Urban League. He is a member of the Compass Rose Society, an organization of the Anglican Communion serving the Archbishop of Canterbury. By appointment of Queen Elizabeth II, Dr. Lee has been inducted into the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

 
Michelle Hughes
Grassroots Capacity Building Specialist
Director, Communities Empowering Youth

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Michelle Hughes, a native of Jacksonville, Florida attended Duval County public schools, Jones College and Florida Community College of Jacksonville and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management from Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. She later received her Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.

Michelle’s professional career began with State Farm Insurance Company where she gained a wealth of knowledge progressively responsible positions dedicated to customer service. In June 2001, Michelle joined FreshMinistries as Assistant Director of Reconciliation Ministry. Michelle worked closely with The Rev. Davette Turk organizing church twinning which allowed pastors and their congregations from all denominations to exchange pulpits twice a year and organized dialogue between interfaith community groups to bring an understanding to their differences. She promoted to Youth and Family Director in June of 2004. She directed the Fresh Futures program, a summer program for youth that included training and development, enrichment and community activities with college interns serving as mentors for the youth. In August 2005, Michelle was called to work with the City of Jacksonville’s Network for Strengthening Families where she served as a Social Services Coordinator and FranklinCovey certified facilitator to teach 7 Habits of Successful Families in Jacksonville. While in this position, Michelle was instrumental in empowering families to strengthen their relationships and take control of their future by making positive choices.

Michelle has now rejoined the FreshMinistries team as Director of the Communities Empowering Youth Program. She will be working with faith and community based organizations to build their capacity to serve families and youth in an effort to reduce juvenile violence, child abuse and neglect.

Michelle and Ralph have two children; Monica, a senior attending Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida; and Ashlea, a junior at Wolfson High School.
 

Pamela Kearney
Director of Program Development

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Pam Kearney, a fine arts graduate from the University of North Florida, joined FreshMinistries in 2004 and Be The Change International in 2007. As Director of Communications, Pam is responsible for the creation and implementation of promotional marketing strategies, production of newsletters, brochures, power point presentations and other communication materials needed by the initiatives functioning under Be The Change International’s partnerships.

Prior to FreshMinistries and Be The Change International, Pam was employed as Marketing Director for Regency Square Shopping Center, Membership Manager of The Lodge at Ponte Vedra Beach, Marketing Consultant for Davidson Development and the Neighborhoods of World Golf Village, World Golf Village Merchants’ Association and the World Golf Hall of Fame Foundation.

Pam has served as Decorations Chairman (2002,2003) and Decorations Vice-Chairman (2004, 2007 and 2008) for the American Cancer Society’s premier fundraiser “Cowford Ball,” as Decorations Co-Chairman for The Wolfson Children’s Hospital “Art and Antiques Show” fundraising gala (2005 and 2008). Pam and her husband, Rob, own a real estate brokerage firm in Ponte Vedra Beach where she holds a Florida real estate license.
 

Karen Lee
Comptroller and Grants Manager

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Karen Lee was a co-founder of a technology company before joining FreshMinistries in 1994. Due to her extensive financial background and impeccable reputation for attention to detail and financial ethics, Karen was asked to consult with FreshMinistries and assist with the development of the young nonprofit organization’s accounting and business protocols. Karen’s appreciation of the organization’s mission and its understanding of the financial responsibility it has to its partners enticed Karen to join the FreshMinistries’ family as a full-time staff member in 1995.

Thanks to Karen’s incredible organizational talents and her ability to simultaneously coordinate and administer over 20 city, state and federal grants, she was asked to join Be The Change International in 2007 and help its initiatives and partners meet its mission of helping individuals in need.

As Grants and Financial Manager, Karen is responsible for the financial monitoring of grants and overseeing all accounting functions for Be The Change International.

Karen continues to personally give back to her community by accepting several responsibilities at Southpoint Community Church.
 

Shelly Marino
Chief of Staff

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Shelly Marino joined FreshMinistries as Director of External Relations in April, 2006 and Be The Change International in 2007. She brings with her a wealth of experience gathered during key posts in government, private industry and the Jacksonville Super Bowl.

Prior to joining the Be The Change International family, Shelly served as Vice President of External Affairs for the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, Director of External Affairs and Communications for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC), Membership and Marketing Director of the Lodge and Beach Club at Ponte Vedra Beach and numerous years as an elementary school teacher for the New York Board of Education and the Overseas School of London.

Shelly, a New York native, graduated from Hunter College in New York with a B.S. degree in English history.

She has served on the board of directors for Hospice Northeast and the I.M. Sulzbacher for the Homeless in Jacksonville, Florida.

Edye McCown
Executive Assistant to the Founder & CEO

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Prior to joining FreshMinistries in 1996, Edye McCown worked for 12 years as an administrative assistant at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and served as assistant diocesan refugee coordinator for the Episcopal Migration Ministries, now referred to as Episcopal Relief and Development. As she coordinated with the numerous parishes in the Diocese of Florida on behalf of the ERD to arrange for the successful settlement of refugees, Edye’s warm charm and genuine interest in helping others proved to be a great comfort to those in transition and a huge asset to the ERD. 

Due to her reputation for attention to detail and her easy way with people, Edye was invited to join the bishop’s staff at the diocesan office in 1994 where she assisted the Canon for ecumenical and outreach ministries, Dr. Robert V. Lee III. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Lee founded FreshMinistries and asked Edye to bring her exuberant joy of life and positive attitude to FreshMinistries and serve as his executive assistant.

With the founding of Be The Change International in 2007, Dr. Lee once again asked Edye to become involved in the day to day operations of  Be The Change International,  where her duties include assisting  the Chairman and CEO, Dr. Lee, managing the Be The Change International’s office and full time staff, and coordinating volunteers.

Jackie Perry
Economic Development Specialist
Executive Director, Beaver Street Enterprise Center

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Jackie Perry, who first came to the business incubator as a volunteer, had a stellar career in operations management and human resource development. Upon retiring from the corporate world, Jackie brought her business and human resource ethics experience and her nurturing spirit to the core-city business incubator’s volunteer mentoring program. Within 6 months, Jackie joined the staff as program coordinator, organizing the educational seminars and technical assistance programs for the incubator’s tenants. A year later she was promoted to Manager of Beaver Street, where she directs all incubator support services and activities, develops and implements policies, procedures and programs with board approval, serves as a primary business consultant to incubator clients, and cultivates and maintains community and technical resources to support tenants and programs.

Jackie previously worked for many years as an operations and human resource manager for Prudential Healthcare and Aetna US Healthcare. During the last several years of her career she worked as a training manager overseeing all training for Prudential Healthcare’s national service center and spent two years as a management trainer for Aetna. The University of Georgia graduate enjoys traveling, writing poetry, and spending time with her four children, James, John, Jackie Nichole and Jason.

Darlene Yarborough
Job Training & Education Specialist
Director, Jacksonville Hospitality Institute

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Darlene joined the Jacksonville Hospitality Institute (JHI) in August 2008 as the Program Manager and became Executive Director in June 2009.

Yarborough, originally from Bethlehem, PA, brings over 20 years of hospitality experience and five years of human resources experience.

Yarborough began her career in the hospitality industry in 1989 as a front desk clerk for Comfort Inn while obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Her career has taken her from entry level positions to management positions at prestigious hotels like Marriott International, Lowes’s Hotel, Hyatt Regency Hotels and Choice International.

Yarborough moved to Jacksonville in 1999 with her daughter, Indya.