Steve Auger
Steve is CEO of Birdsong Housing. He served as former Executive Director of Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the state’s housing finance agency that administers several multi-family development programs for affordable rental housing, including housing for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and other vulnerable populations. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Council of State Housing Agencies, the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, and as Chair of the Florida Council on Homelessness.
Brice Barnes
Brice Barnes cut her teeth on developing political organization, strategy and finance operations for candidates across the South and and has since expanded to assist private businesses and nonprofits on strategic planning, building long term fundraising operations, and organizational strengthening. She feels strongly about the need for Independence Landing because her sister, who died in her twenties, was born with Cerebral Palsy, attended college and lived independently with supports. In 2015 Brice was named one of the top 40 under 40 political consultants in the United States by the American Association of Political Consultants.
Caroline Brewster
Caroline is a Tallahassee Native with deep roots in our community. Her love and dedication for her cousin Spencer, whom she worked with as his nanny, led to her involvement with Independence Landing and its endeavors. Caroline has volunteered for various charities and organizations throughout Tallahassee and Leon County and currently serves on the Board of Goodwood Museum and Gardens. Caroline led the creation of the Gardenia Garden Circle at the Tallahassee Garden Club, led donation days for Refuge House and Second Harvest of the Big Bend, and serves as officer for her local Chapter of PEO, which raises funds to support women in pursuit of higher education. Caroline received her degree in Journalism from FAMU, and works as a REALTOR for Hill Spooner & Elliott, Inc.
Liz Dudek
Liz Dudek’s career in Florida’s state government has spanned over 40 years across a variety of senior management positions including Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration and Deputy Secretary of Health Quality Assurance. As Secretary, Liz oversaw one of the largest Medicaid programs in the nation. Under her administration, the Agency successfully implemented the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program and the establishment of the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Liz has worked extensively with health care facilities, providers, and insurers. She began her career working with the developmentally disabled population. She was instrumental in dismantling two troubled state institutions and finding secure, appropriate placement for the institutions’ residents. She has a working knowledge of regulatory requirements of Medicaid, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Management Services, and facilities. She is a statewide, respected leader in health care regulation and insurance.
Cindi Goodson, Treasurer
Cindi Goodson is the President and CFO of the Flightline Group and RedHills Powersports. Flightline is a regional aviation sales and service company providing aviation services, aircraft sales, parts, avionics and aircraft maintenance services to the southeast region of the U.S. Red Hills powersports is a leading recreational power sport dealership in the community. Cindi has served as the treasurer of KEYS (Keys to Exceptional Youth Success) for 12 years and is now a senior advisor.
Cindi graduated from Florida State University in 1985 with a BS Degree in Accounting and received her CPA certification. She is an avid runner and is involved with Special Olympics of Leon County. She is married to Bart Goodson and they have one son, Brantley.
Brett Ketcham, Vice-Chair
Brett Vice President of Ketcham Realty Group in Tallahassee. He has over 20 years of commercial real estate experience, holding both real estate appraisal and broker licenses. Brett is the founding member and current chair of the Everhart Excellence Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting Getchen Everhart School, Tallahassee’s premier school for children with significant disabilities. In this role, he has raised and spent in excess of $500,000 over the years. Brett is the father of a child with medical and developmental disabilities of a complexity that will likely require a higher degree of care than Independence Landing is designed to provide. Nonetheless, Brett is a dedicated and active supporter of IL because he feels strongly that more housing choices are necessary for individuals with developmental disabilities.
William Earle Klay
Dr. Earle Klay is professor emeritus and former director of the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. The Askew School has been ranked as high as 3rd in the world in faculty research productivity. He is currently writing a book about how our nation’s founding president George Washington taught us to make government work in ways that strengthen the public’s trust in our democratic institutions. He created a course at FSU called ‘Futures Studies’ which helps students to envision desirable futures and to realistically work to make those visions a reality. A Certified Government Financial Manager, his courses have ranged from policy development to procurement and financial management. His practitioner experience included service as a captain in the U.S Army, a systems specialist in a federal agency, a policy analyst for a state legislature, and a senior planner in a governor’s executive office. He is a commissioner for the Suwannee River Area Council of Scouts BSA; his responsibility is to promote and facilitate scouting for youth with disabilities.
Terry Mendicino
Terry was the founder and director of a non-profit organization, the Center for Enabling Special Children, for six years. As a non-profit director, she focused on operations, fundraising, advocacy and event planning. She left Tallahassee for a number of years to seek the best possible educational option for her son with autism becoming the Vice Chair of the parent group of the Jericho School for Autistic Children in Jacksonville. She served as an assistant to the school’s executive director focused on fundraising, grant research and writing, advocacy in Washington, DC, non-profit management, volunteer management, and policy standards for non-profits. She is a certified Critical and Certified Hemodialysis Nurse, behavioral analyst and clinical researcher for 20 years. She is the Board’s liaison to the Adult & Community Education day program for adults over age 22 at Lively and has traveled across the United States and abroad researching independent living options, strategies, and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Denise Wilson
Denise is a Senior Vice President at Capital City Bank Group and the Director of Star University, managing a team of 10 at Capital City Bank to develop professional development and training programs for bank associates. She has been in the Corporate Learning & Development Profession for 30 years, is a Business and organizational Leadership Consultant serving entities across the community in organizational strategy, leadership development and retention. For the past 20 years, Denise has served on several boards and committees of organizations throughout the area and has a particular focus on serving with entities who work on behalf the people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
Gil Ziffer, Chair
Gil has been a Tallahassee resident since 1983, and owns Ziffer Stansberry Communications, a marketing/public relations company he started in 1990. After many years in the private sector, he joined the Tallahassee City Commission in 2009 and served for 9 years. Gil has a solid history of assuming an active leadership role with a diverse range of issues and projects throughout Florida.
Closest to his heart is the work he does for those in need. Much of his focus has been to develop and implement solutions for the Tallahassee area homeless, increased efforts for early childhood learning, housing for those with limited cognitive or physical disabilities and a greater awareness of the needs for those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Gil is a Past President of the Florida League of Cities and served on the National League of Cities Board of Directors in his capacity as the Chair of the National League of Cities, Human Development Federal Advocacy Committee.
Born February 12, 1957, he is one of five children and grew up in Winter Park, Florida. He graduated in 1975 from Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs and received his BA in Sociology from the University of Florida in December, 2023. He and his wife, Gail Stansberry-Ziffer, married since 1990, have two sons and seven grandchildren.