SSS.USF.EDU - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- School Social Work Consultant
As the School Social Work Consultant with the Student Support Services Project at the Florida Department of Education, Beverley Wilks provides:
Assistance on mental health initiatives and support service around grief and crisis counseling
Technical assistance and guidance on assessment and interventions activities that promotes independent educational outcome for students
Truancy identification and intervention services and case management
Guidance on comprehensive parent/home and school/classroom-based training programs that assist educators and parents in problem solving and assessment for intervention
Beverley brings to this position experience as a practitioner and an educator. She has 21 years of clinical experience as a social worker in the educational sector and has extensive experience in MSW intern training and evaluation in school social work practice. She has classroom experience both at the college and secondary levels. She has provided instruction as an undergraduate adjunct instructor in Social Work Practice and high school instruction as a Mathematics teacher.
Beverley has certifications in both Educational Leadership and School Social Work. She served as a former President and Board member of the Florida Association of School Social Workers (FASSW).
Beverley believes that student's success and performance can be improved through the collaborative delivery of coherent social services.
Damera Hopkins is the Elementary/Middle School Counseling Consultant with the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) and USF Student Support Services Project. Prior to joining the Student Support Services Project, she worked as a teacher, elementary and middle school counselor for 16 years. She received her Masters of Education in School Counseling and Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Florida A&M University. Damera has a strong desire to support school counselors and school support staff to positively impact the mental health and overall well-being of all students and the school community.
As the Elementary/Middle School Counseling Consultant with the Student Support Services Project at the Florida Department of Education, Damera is responsible for:
Kindergarten/First Grade Entry Requirements
Third Grade Retention/Promotion Requirements
Middle School Student Progression
Military Lead Contact
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
School-Based Mental Health
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida
José Castillo is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida and is Director of the Institute for School-Community Partnerships, Integrated Services, and Child Mental Health and Educational Policy. Previously, Dr. Castillo served as the Problem Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) Project Evaluator where he facilitated the development and application of a model for evaluating MTSS implementation. He has also worked as a school psychologist in the Pasco County School District in which he provided training and ongoing coaching to school and district leadership responsible for implementing MTSS.
Judi Hyde has worked on numerous grants with the Institute for School-Community Partnerships, Integrated Services, and Child Mental Health and Educational Policy at the University of South Florida since 1996. As the Student Support Services Technical Consultant, Judi is the Project webmaster, designs numerous online surveys, and assists with data reporting.
Prior to coming to USF, Judi worked in Hillsborough County Schools' Department of Student Services as a Project Coordinator for the Robert Wood Johnson Teaching Strategies grant, the Shared Services Network project, and SEDNET. Judi also has experience as an elementary classroom teacher.
Before coming to the Florida Department of Education, Karla served as the Interim School Nurse Administrator and Registered School Nurse Consultant at the Florida Department of Health in the Bureau of Community Health Promotion, School Health Services Program. Prior to working at the state health office, Karla worked 16 years at the local county health department level in the areas of school health, maternal-child health, clinic services, immunizations and epidemiology. She is member of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), Florida Association of School Nurses (FASN) and Florida School Health Association (FSHA).
Job Titles:
- Administrative Specialist for the Project
Liane has served as an Administrative Specialist for the Project since 2012. She is responsible for purchasing, travel arrangements, expense reimbursements, and editing. She also provides support to the director and acts as Project liaison to USF. Liane has two children, three grandchildren, and ten cats. Her interests include photography, medieval England, and mosaics.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- EMACS Coordinator
Marsha Skiles is the EMACS Coordinator with the Student Support Services Project for the Florida Department of Education. She has over 24 years of experience in Special Education with the last 8 years focusing on Medicaid in Schools. Prior to joining the Student Support Services Project, Marsha worked for Clay County District Schools as a Program Specialist supporting the Medicaid in Schools program; students with Intellectual Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Orthopedic Impairments, and Physical Impairments; the Specially Designed PE Program; Educational Surrogate Parents; and the designing/building of Inclusive playgrounds. In her current position, she serves as a liaison between school districts and the Florida Department of Education. Her focus in this position is to disseminate information, communicate clearly, and provide guidance to school districts and other stakeholders pertaining to implementing the Medicaid in Schools' program to assist with maximizing Medicaid reimbursement dollars.
Marsha is a member of the National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME). She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Therapy from the University of Florida and a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida.
Job Titles:
- Systems Analyst
- Systems Analyst for the Student Support Services Project
Thomas Garrett serves as the Systems Analyst for the Student Support Services Project, supporting the Florida Department of Education's Medicaid Tracking System 3.0 and Portal to Exceptional Education Resources (PEER) applications.
Thomas previously worked as a Media Specialist for Florida Center for Interactive Media at Florida State University.