Howard M. Talenfeld is an advocate for the children. A long-time children’s rights attorney and trial lawyer, he has dedicated much of his career to helping – and convincing others to help Florida’s most vulnerable citizens — its abused, foster, mentally ill and developmentally disabled children. Talenfeld successfully litigated Ward v. Kearney, a class [...]

Gloria Fletcher Gloria Fletcher is in private practice in Gainesville Florida. Throughout her legal career, Gloria has taken a special interest in children’s issues. Currently, she is serving on the ABA Bar youth Empowerment Project, Florida Advisory Committee. Long active in her local community, she is a Director of Alarion Bank; is serving her second [...]

Gerald Reiss (Jerry) is currently a CPA for Goldstein Schechter Koch in Hollywood, Florida. He joined the firm as a Shareholder in 1988. His areas of practice include general tax, business and financial consulting. He serves professional practices including attorneys, physicians, engineers, architects, real estate developers and contractors. Jerry earned a Bachelor’s degree in economics [...]

Jay Kassack has been a member of the FCF Board of Directors since February 2007 and comes to the board after serving as Chief of Staff to Former Senate President Tom Lee. While in the Senate President’s office he distinguished himself as a director of important children’s legislation. Complete Bio

Babbitt Johnson Osborne & LeClainche, P.A. A prominent West Palm Beach trial lawyer, Ted Babbitt has won more than lawsuits over the past four decades. He’s won accolades and esteem.   He served as trial lawyer and co-counsel in the statewide foster care class action, Bonnie L. v. Bush, which challenges the poor systemic conditions in [...]

Named one of “The 50 Most Powerful People” by Orlando Magazine (2005 and 2004), the 2003 “Central Floridian of the Year” (The Orlando Sentinel) and the 2002 “Businessman of the Year” (Orlando Business Journal, November 2002), Dick Batchelor is a longtime Orlando resident who received degrees from the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community [...]

David Bazerman was a doctor of podiatric medicine in private practice until a traumatic injury forced his medical retirement in 1987. He then received his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 1996. He served as Director of the Dependency Law Project of the Legal Aid Service of Broward County until he became the Director of [...]

Rebecca R. Bell has served as managing attorney of the L. David Shear Children’s Law Center of Bay Area Legal Services since 2006. Rebecca earned her law degree from the University of Mississippi College of Law. Ms. Bell represents young children in the foster care system. She serves on the Children’s Legal Services Subcommittee Task [...]

Krupnick, Campbell, Malone, Buser, Slama, Hancock, Lieberman and McKee Fort Lauderdale, FL Former State Senator Walter ‘Skip’ Campbell, Jr., has been a leader on children’s issues for over a decade. A founding partner of Krupnick, Campbell, Malone, Buser, Slama, Hancock, Lieberman and McKee in Fort Lauderdale, Senator Campbell is a respected litigant and child advocate. [...]

As the former Chief of Staff to two of Florida’s most well-known legislators, Nathan has had a hand in crafting many of the past decade’s largest pieces of legislation.  He has a penchant for policies that solve community problems, with special expertise in environmental issues and economic development.  Over his tenure with the legislature, Nathan [...]

Wendy Cox is an attorney in Sarasota, Florida, practicing at Wendy Cox Law, P.L.  She started her legal career as a trial attorney in Minnesota in 1989 where she focused on personal injury and insurance litigation. Recently she obtained her Florida license and is currently representing foster and at-risk children on a pro-bono basis in [...]

Jesse H. Diner is known as a “litigator’s litigator” for his deep knowledge of civil law and trial procedure.  He focuses his practice on resolving commercial disputes. During a career that spans more than 38 years, Diner has advised and represented clients in a wide range of business matters, including real estate, probate, financial and [...]

Joel Stephen Fass is known by his peers and clients as a skilled litigator, negotiator and client advocate. Since partnering with Mike Colodny in 1974, Mr. Fass has practiced in the areas of personal injury, commercial litigation and civil rights.  He has turned his experience and courtroom aptitude to the benefit of his clients, which [...]

Filson & Penge, P.A. Sarasota, Florida   Richard A. Filson is the founder and managing shareholder of the firm Filson & Penge, P.A., located in Sarasota, Florida. Mr. Filson received his B.B.A. from Stetson University in 1981 and his J.D. from the University of Florida in 1984. Mr. Filson is a member of The Florida [...]

Wells Fargo Private Bank Fort Lauderdale, Florida   Melissa is currently the Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Fiduciary Specialist of the Fort Lauderdale Wells Fargo Private Bank office after nine years as the Vice President and Trust Officer in the Wealth & Investment Management Department of the Miami and Fort Lauderdale SunTrust Bank offices. [...]

Alan S. Levine is a civil and criminal attorney with 20 years of experience in prosecuting and defending the legal rights of clients. Mr. Levine has extensive trial litigation experience handling nursing home abuse, wrongful death, personal injury, and criminal matters. Much of his legal work with ARLS is focused on obtaining court ordered drug and [...]

Relative Caregiver and Child Advocate Coconut Creek, Florida Denise Manning was elected to the FCF Board of Directors in March, 2008. She has called Broward County her home since 1985. As a “relative caregiver”, she has the privilege of raising her three year old grandson, now is in the process of adopting, and has learned [...]

Chief Assistant Public Defender Miami-Dade, Florida Carlos J. Martinez is the Chief Assistant Public Defender for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami-Dade County). Mr. Martinez has more than 15 years management experience in the private and public sector. He has also been a trial attorney in Miami-Dade, Florida and Bellingham, Washington, and was an administrator [...]

Todd McPharlin is committed to the representation of those injured by reckless drivers, automotive manufacturers, medical device and pharmaceutical companies, tobacco companies, HMOs and insurance companies. Additional areas of practice include negligent security, unsafe and dangerous workplaces, defective construction equipment, medical malpractice and insurance coverage disputes. Todd began his professional career as an Assistant State [...]

Edith Osman received her BA from the State University of New York, and her JD from the University of Miami School of Law. She practices law in Miami in the areas of business litigation, matrimonial law, and mediation. She has significant experience representing clients in dissolution of marriage proceedings, post-divorce modifications and enforcement, child custody, [...]

Angel was a mother and homemaker until the death of her husband, Paul Palank. After his passing, she co-founded the Paul Palank Memorial Foundation to help the children in Dade and Broward counties. This organization aims to balance or fund the programs that meet the immediate and critical need for children to be safe and [...]

Teresita Chavez Pedrosa is a partner at Diaz Briscoe Medina. Ms. Chavez Pedrosa is a seasoned litigator who has worked on behalf of leading tobacco manufacturers in product liability cases, she has represented major pharmaceutical companies in litigation regarding the alleged side effects of medications and has advocated for oil companies in numerous tort cases. [...]

University of Miami School of Law – Children & Youth Law Clinic Miami, Florida Bernard P. Perlmutter is Associate Professor of Clinical Legal Education and Director of the Children & Youth Law Clinic, an in-house legal clinic at the University of Miami School of Law. In addition to his teaching duties at the Clinic, Professor [...]

Seitlin Law Firm, P.A. Jacksonville, Florida Jodi Seitlin has been a passionate child advocate since 1985 when she first became a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer in her hometown of Miami, Florida. As she grew familiar with the juvenile dependency and related legal systems in place at that time, Jodi became convinced that as an attorney, [...]

Richard Slawson has earned a reputation as one of Florida’s premier Insurance Bad Faith civil trial attorneys.  He has been assisting victims of insurance abuse and personal injury for more than 35 years.  Richard has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients. The Florida Justice Association (FJA) has recognized Richard with all [...]

Boardroom Communications Plantation, Florida The founder and president of Boardroom Communications, Julie Silver Talenfeld is known for her creativity and superior client service. Prior to establishing Boardroom, she was founder and executive producer of Florida’s first statewide business radio network, syndicated on 30 stations. Julie also served on CNN’s national assignment desk and was a [...]

Justin is a former foster youth from Jacksonville who was placed in care at age 12 and aged out with a lot of questions and no answers or support. A short while later Justin found Florida Youth SHINE and became one of the original members of the Jacksonville chapter.  Through his involvement with FYS and [...]

University of Memphis School of Law Memphis, Tennessee Co-founder of Children First and counsel in Bonnie L., M. E. v. Bush, and Lofton v. Kearney, now Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic at the University of Memphis School of Law.