OUR STORIES

Vice President of Development and Philanthropy Roger Brown is an experienced educational leader and community advocate with more than two decades of service to children, families, and schools across Central Florida and beyond. He began his career as a teacher and advanced into roles as a Curriculum Coach, Assistant Principal, and Principal, shaping his strong belief in inclusive education and connected school communities. Roger holds a master’s degree in educational leadersh

A volunteer Board of Directors governs UCP of Central Florida. The Board of Directors provides fiduciary and legal oversight over the organization and helps secure the resources necessary to advance UCP’s mission. The basic responsibilities of the Agency's Board of Directors include: POLICY SETTING | MARKETING/PUBLIC AWARENESS | FISCAL MANAGEMENT | RISK MANAGEMENT | ADVOCACY. The board members are successful community and/or business leaders who are looking to give back in a

Danielle Waters is the Speech Therapy Clinical Advisor at UCP! She is the best person if you think you have a student in need of...

Director of Family and Child Support Services Dr. Wendy Thomson serves as the Director of Family and Child Support Services of UCP of Central Florida. She has served in the areas of mental health in the Central Florida area for over 30 years, focusing on early intervention and child development. She holds an Ed.D. in Child and Youth Studies from Nova Southeastern University and is a Florida-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has worked in the areas of foster care, de

DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM (K-12) Dr. Karyn Hawkins-Scott joined the Core Leadership team at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. Dr....

Director of Human Resources Lisa Klumb has been a key member of the UCP of Central Florida Human Resources team since 2009. With over 25 years of experience in human resources, she is recognized for her expertise in employee relations, staffing, onboarding, and organizational support. Before joining UCP, Lisa managed a staffing company, led a staffing program for a pharmaceutical organization, and served as Recruiting and Retention Manager for a large engineering firm, where

DIRECTOR OF THERAPEUTIC OPERATIONS Maria Caban joined UCP of Central Florida in 2004 and brings more than 21 years of leadership experience to her role as  Director of Therapeutic Operations.   With a diploma in Business Management, she works closely with the executive leadership team to strengthen agency-wide operations, enhance therapy services, and support sustainable capacity growth. Throughout her tenure, Maria has been committed to improving organizational systems and e

Vice President of Clinical Therapy Services Irma J. Rosa-Cains , PT, DPT, is the Vice President of Clinical Therapy Practices and Site Coordinator for Clinical Education at UCP of Central Florida.   With more than 35 years of experience in pediatric rehabilitation, she has been instrumental in expanding the agency’s therapy services from just three therapists to over ninety providers across eight campuses. She earned her degree in physical therapy  from the University of Puer

Vice President of Finance Sonia Robles-  is an accomplished finance executive with nearly three decades of progressive experience in nonprofit, education, healthcare, and corporate environments. She currently serves as the  Vice President of Finance at UCP of Central Florida , where she oversees financial strategy, budgeting, audits, cash flow, and compliance for a multi-campus organization supporting children and families with disabilities. Since joining UCP in 2016, Sonia h

Associate Superintendent, UCP Charter Schools Anna O’Connor Morin serves as Associate Superintendent for UCP Charter Schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and completed her graduate studies at the University of Central Florida. Mrs. O’Connor Morin brings extensive experience from both K–12 public education and higher education. Prior to joining UCP, she served as the project coordinator for a state discretionary grant on effective practices a

Director of IT John Powell is the current Director of the Information Technology Department.  He is an experienced professional with over eleven years in the field of Information Technology.  John also has a proven track record as a former Network Administrator for UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) of Central Florida. John has introduced UCP to 3D printing and has been working with the Therapy Department to increase the quality of life for students. This includes parts for wheelcha

Vice President of Human Resources Mellissa Killian,  leads a comprehensive, people-centered HR strategy that supports 800 + team members across multiple campuses and programs. With more than 20 years of progressive human resources experience, Mellissa plays a pivotal role in strengthening organizational culture, ensuring compliance, and developing systems that allow employees to thrive. Her leadership guides all areas of HR operations, including benefits administration, empl

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ken Jacobs  serves as the Chief Operating Officer for UCP of Central Florida . He is a seasoned nonprofit executive with more than 30 years of leadership, operational management, and strategic development experience in the nonprofit sector. Throughout his career, he has led large, multi-disciplinary teams, overseen complex budgets, and driven organizational improvements rooted in data-driven decision-making, accountability, and quality management. He h

President and CEO Ilene Wilkins, Ed.D., is the long-serving President and CEO of UCP of Central Florida and Superintendent of UCP of Central Florida.   With more than 35 years of leadership experience, Ilene has guided UCP from a small early intervention program into one of the most innovative charter school systems in Florida—serving more than 3,000 children and families annually. She holds an  Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida  and a  Ma

Director of Behavior Services April is the Director of Behavior Services for UCP Charter Schools, East Orange Private Academy, and UCP's...

Director of Assessment and Accountability Kim Santana  serves as the  Director of Assessment and Accountability for UCP of Central Florida , a role she has held since 2022. In this role, she leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of assessment systems and accountability measures across UCP’s network of charter schools. Kim oversees data collection and analysis, supports instructional decision-making, and collaborates with school leaders to strengthen academic o

Director of Child Nutrition & Food Services Matthew joined UCP of Central Florida in 2022 as the Director of Child Nutrition & Food...

Director of Curriculum & Instruction (Early Childhood) Barbie Jones serves as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood, at UCP of Central Florida. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of research-based curriculum and instructional practices across UCP's early childhood programs. Barbie collaborates closely with school leaders to strengthen instructional quality, supports teachers in refining their pedagogical approaches, and guides the