Dr. Sondra Evans
Academic Dean of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Kent Campus/Cecil Center

Dr. Sondra Evans is the Academic Dean of Mathematics and Natural Sciences for Kent Campus and Cecil Center, as well as the Dean for the Biomedical Sciences B.S. program for the College. Dr. Evans joined the College at Kent Campus in 2003 serving as a science faculty member and Associate Dean of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

A native Floridian, Sondra began her education in the public school system in Miami-Dade County, then earned a B.S. in Biology from Clark Atlanta University and a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University.

When time permits, Sondra enjoys movies, football and family life with her husband of nearly fourteen years, their son Sean, Sammy the dachshund, the turtles and fish.

Sandra Beck
Instructional Program Manager

Sandra Beck began teaching for the College in 1992 as an adjunct instructor. In 1997, she became a full-time Professor of Office Systems Technology and during her time with the College has served as a department chair, dean, and instructional program manager. From 1993 until 1997, she was a business technology teacher for Duval County Public Schools.

Her current instructional areas of responsibility for Downtown Campus include Business, Office Administration, Supply Chain Management, and Logistics programs. During the past few years, she has been responsible for working with faculty to develop the new Logistics B.A.S. degree, as well as the Supply Chain Management A.S. degree that began in 2010. In addition, Sandra has had management responsibility for two DOL funded grants focused on supply chain management and logistics education and training.

She has an A.S. degree from Florida State College at Jacksonville (then Florida Junior College), a B.S. degree from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, and a master’s degree in Computer Education from Jacksonville University.

Sandra has two children. Her daughter graduated from Florida State University’s Law School in the spring of 2014 and is currently an assistant state attorney in Jacksonville. Her son will graduate from high school in June and currently plans to attend FSU and major in chemistry.

Dr. Barbara Darby
Campus President, North Campus

A member of Woodlawn Presbyterian Church since relocating to Jacksonville from New York in 1972, Dr. Barbara Ann Darby serves as president of the North Campus and the Nassau Center of Florida State College at Jacksonville. She has held this position since 1998. Dr. Darby received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Hunter College in New York, a Master of Education degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida. She received her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida.

She is married to John Darby, Jr. They have two daughters (Jzanyt & Tamara), a son (Jonathan), and two grandsons (Alexander-18 and Brandon-15). Barbara enjoys reading biographies, shopping, dancing and listening to spiritual music.

She gives God, the center of her life, all praise and glory for whatever she has accomplished and for placing her in a position where she can touch many lives.

Tom Messner
Executive Dean of the Library/Learning Commons
Administrative Offices 

Tom Messner is incredibly excited to be the new Executive Dean of the Library/Learning Commons at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He holds a BSBA in Finance from the University of Arkansas and a MLIS from the University of Oklahoma. He has over twenty years of administrative experience in public and private academic libraries, including The University of Tulsa and Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, and Barry University in southern Florida. He is active in state and regional professional library organizations and has recently served on the Executive Board of Directors of the Southeast Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN).

He has been married to his wife Dorothy for over 28 years, and is blessed with two wonderful children, Emily and Charles. Tom was raised in a large family with five sisters. Being the third oldest in a family with five girls helped him hone his personal skill as a “collaborator and peace maker.”

Tom states, “Academic libraries, like many areas within higher education, face relentless change as the organization seeks to mirror the evolving information, technology and service needs of our students, faculty and staff. Our mission in the LLCs is to understand the current needs of our users, and to collaboratively provide an array of outstanding services and resources that fulfill those needs. Each service and resource we offer through the LLC is intended to positively influence our user’s academic, personal, professional and organizational success.”

Dawn Wheeler
Career Development Center Manager, Kent Campus/Cecil Center

Dawn Wheeler is the new Manager of the Career Development Center for Kent Campus and Cecil Center. Prior to moving to Florida in August of this year to assume her new role, Dawn served as the Assistant Director of the Career Development Office in the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She was a Membership Development Manager for the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana for five years and was an Ongoing Social Worker for Hamilton County (Ohio) Jobs and Family Services in Children’s Protective Services.

Ms. Wheeler holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama and a Master of Science in Education from Butler University in Indianapolis.

Since moving to Florida, Dawn has discovered that she really does like the outdoors in small doses. Dawn absolutely loves spending time at the beach and traveling in her spare time. She has really enjoyed being in the same city as her sister Wendi and brother-in-law Trevor, her parents, Edward and Mary Wheeler and most especially, her two nephews, Trenton and Emmanuel. The proximity to Charlotte where her daughter, Kiana is a junior at Johnson C. Smith University, and her youngest sister Loren and brother-in-law Aymard in Raleigh, has also been wonderful.

Dawn is looking forward to a snow-free winter so that she can send the same type of annoying pictures of herself in shorts on the beach in February that she has been receiving for the past few years to all of her friends in the Midwest.

Patricia Krauss
Assessment and Certification Center Manager, Downtown Campus

Pat moved to Jacksonville from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where she was the Assistant Director of Testing Services at Nova Southeastern University for three years. She was more than ready to come back to the public college education arena, which is where her higher educational passion lies.

She is a U.S. Army veteran and was a medic, went on to vocational school to receive her LPN certificate and NYS licensure to practice nursing. After marriage, kids and ultimate divorce, she continued her education at Corning Community College in New York, earning an A.S. degree in Humanities and Social Sciences/Psychology, her B.A. degree in Economics and Psychology from Mansfield University in northern Pennsylvania. Pat received an M.S. in Management with an Educational Leadership focus from Elmira College in Elmira, New York while working for her Alma Mater — Corning Community College.

Pat has worked in the mental health field, in community addictions education, was a NYS certified train-the-trainer on addiction education and an addictions counselor. She began her work in higher education at Hartwick College in upstate New York starting the Learning Lounge there and wore many student success hats. She went on to work as the Retention Specialist at Corning Community College and after grant funding ended there, she became a Career Specialist — again in a grant initiative. She was also a member of the adjunct faculty at CCC teaching Economics, Life and Study Skills, First Year Experience, and Career Directions courses.

There is a passion in Pat’s life, and that is her small side business: Positive and Present; Motivational Resources where she works as an Inspirational Change Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is also a current member of the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and the Florida Association College Test Administrators (FACTA) and has been affiliated with many other professional organizations during her career.

Pat says that her proudest moments were the birth of her four (now adult) children, her four amazing grandchildren and happy addition of three new grands since her daughter’s wedding this past June. She loves nature – especially the beach, loves to read about positive psychology, spiritually uplifting material, and mysteries (among other subjects), enjoys meditation and doing yoga, making others smile … and taking pictures of this beautiful world. Namaste`

Melanie Clark, Ed.D.
Dean of Student Success, Open Campus/Deerwood Center

Melanie Clark has been with the College since 1989. Before coming to FSCJ, she spent six years in the U.S. Army, as a rotary and fixed wing pilot. She then worked for City Colleges of Chicago in Europe before moving back to Jacksonville, where she had attended high school. She has served in several roles during her time at the College, including instructional program management, Learner Support Center manager and student services leadership.

She has a B.A. in Special Education from the University of Florida, a Master’s degree in Counseling and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida.

Melanie is married and has two sons, who live in New York City and Chicago. This gives her great cities to visit. She loves travel and, as an Army brat, service member and spouse, has had the opportunity to live and visit all over the world. She is particularly fond of the Bahamas!

Amy Perkins
Dean of Student Success, Kent Campus/Cecil Center

Amy Perkins currently serves the Kent/Cecil team as the Dean of Student Success, a position she has held since November of 2013. She has been with the College since 2003, serving Downtown Campus as Counselor Coordinator, Counselor and then Dean of Student Success.

Before joining the College, Amy worked in the non-profit sector for Habitat for Humanity International and the International Visitor Corps of Jacksonville (now called Global Jax). She received a B.A. in Spanish from Davidson College, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Florida, and continues to enjoy lifelong learning through FSCJ coursework that has included Clothing Construction, Customer Service and Technical Report Writing. She hopes to return to the classroom as an adjunct professor within the next year.

Amy is a member of the Association of Student Conduct Administration and has a strong interest in restorative justice, which she also explores through participation with the Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation & Empowerment. At the end of the day, Amy enjoys life with her husband of ten years, their two children Sam and Lucy, dogs, chickens and way too many fish.

Pamela Walker
Dean of Student Success, Downtown Campus

Pamela Walker began with the College as a student worker under the Veteran Affairs Work-Study program in 1999. She has been a full-time employee of the College for almost 14 years and has served in multiple roles in the area of Student Services. In addition, she has taught as an adjunct instructor for more than six years.

As the Dean of Student Success for the Downtown Campus, Pamela provides leadership for assessment and certification, career development, counseling/advising, student life and leadership, student employment and enrollment services (which includes admissions, records, registration, membership ID card and veteran services). Pamela is passionate about student success and the role that each employee has in providing students the support and resources necessary to achieve their goals.

Pamela received both A.S. and A.A. degrees with honors from our very own Florida State College at Jacksonville (then Florida Community College) and continued her education, receiving a bachelor’s in business administration/organizational management (cum laude) and a master’s degree in business administration/management. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership and management.

Pamela is married and has a daughter. She enjoys spending time with family, teaching, traveling and shopping. A few of her professional affiliations include the Council of Student Affairs (CSA), Association of Florida Colleges (AFC) and National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).

Dr. Cynthia Bioteau, Ph.D.
College President 

Dr. Cynthia A. Bioteau is the new president of Florida State College Jacksonville, coming to FSCJ from Salt Lake Community College.

With over 35 years in the education, mental health and business fields, she has converged the expertise and attributes of all three into her passion for accessible and critical education for all community members. Dr. Bioteau positioned SLCC as a core of economic and workforce development, leading the recent development of the National Institute for Advanced Energy Training, and supporting the creation of the Women’s Business Institute to grow and sustain women-owned businesses in Utah, along with the Women’s India Trust in support of women entrepreneurs in India. Under her leadership, SLCC spearheaded long-range master planning to address Utah’s expanding population with higher education and workforce training needs.

She has been honored with the 2010 Athena Award, YWCA’s Exemplary Leader in Education Award, 2012 Titan Award from the Sandy Chamber, Utah Business magazine’s 30 Women to Watch, and 100 most influential people of Utah.

Dedicated to community service and collaboration, Dr. Bioteau currently serves on the Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturing, the Board of Directors for Cambia Health Solutions, the American Association of Community College’s 21st Century Steering Committee, is the past national president of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, and a presidential advisor for the Community College Research Center at Columbia Teacher’s College.

Dr. Bioteau and her husband Frank have been married 39 years and enjoy their family with two adult children and three grandsons. Their hobbies include fly fishing, hiking, gardening, and reading.