Category: Leadership

Beth A. Houghton

Beth A. Houghton serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB), a mission-driven organization with a 75+ year history of strengthening the lives of children and families in Pinellas County. Ms. Houghton is passionate about improving the lives of children, both because they are the innocent who cannot control their circumstances and because, as a society, improving children’s lives today and into the future is simply a smart investment.

In her role as CEO, Ms. Houghton oversees an annual program and general government budget of $123M and a workforce of 77, while ensuring policies set forth by the JWB Governing Board are effectively implemented. She serves as the nexus between the JWB Board and day-to-day operations of the organization, and oversees accountability systems and measurements to ensure effective use of the community’s investments. In her leadership role, Ms. Houghton advocates for children’s issues and underserved families. She creates strategic partnerships and oversees the funding of high-quality programs that benefit tens of thousands of Pinellas County children and families annually.

Ms. Houghton came to the Juvenile Welfare Board from the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, where she held the top position – first Executive Director then Chief Executive Officer – for eight years. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its reach to eight food, shelter, and health care programs that distribute to more than 55,000 people monthly, provide free health and wellness services to 9,000 annually, and guide another 400 on their path to independent living through shelter services. Ms. Houghton graduated with highest honors from Stetson University College of Law, earned her MBA with highest honors from Tulane University Graduate School of Business, and her BA with honors in Economics and Political Science from Newcomb College of Tulane University. Ms. Houghton is licensed to practice law in Florida and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Signature Bank in St. Petersburg. Her previous employment includes serving as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of John’s Hopkins All Children’s Health System.

Ms. Houghton has taken numerous mission trips to rural Honduras and currently serves on the Board for the Foundation for International Missions which supports a rural health clinic. She also serves as Chair of the Hospital Board of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Previously, Ms. Houghton served as Board President for Great Explorations, the Houghton-Wagman Children’s Museum, and she has received numerous awards for community service and leadership. She has three adult children, three grandchildren, and is raising two grandchildren.

Karen Boggess, MSW

As the Chief Operating Officer for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB), Karen Boggess provides leadership, supervision, and oversight of JWB’s funded programs and services, as well as the planning and execution of community engagement, initiatives, collaborations, and outreach activities.

She oversees all program aspects of JWB’s annual budget and strategic plan, and ensures funded agencies adhere to contractual guidelines and are informed of pertinent strategies to improve programmatic and administrative practices.

Working closely with JWB’s Community Councils and other key community stakeholders, Ms. Boggess leads her team in creating partnerships to launch collective impact campaigns and initiate grassroots efforts that benefit underserved communities within Pinellas County.

Ms. Boggess has more than 25 years of experience serving in a variety of direct service, administrative, and leadership capacities in the human services field, including 19 years with JWB. A proven leader with deep knowledge of both government and human services sectors, she is skilled at developing strong teams, partnering with diverse programs and communities, advocating for children and families, and diligently problem-solving to make program and system improvements. Most notably, Ms. Boggess championed efforts to develop JWB’s Quality Early Learning Initiative, providing access to high-quality education for young children of underserved communities. She has developed strong, trusted relationships within the community and considers it an honor to serve Pinellas County children and families.

A native New Yorker who worked in the children’s mental health system before moving to Tampa Bay in 2005, Ms. Boggess holds a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Tampa. She is a proud mom to a son who attends Pinellas County Schools and is active in Little League. She serves on the Epilepsy Services Foundation Board, was the former Board President, and is active with her son’s School Advisory Council.

Laura Peele

As the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB), Laura Peele provides leadership, supervision, and oversight of JWB’s Information Technology (IT) strategies, policies, and personnel to ensure that IT investments and operations align with and successfully support the organization’s mission as well as strategic and tactical plans.

She is responsible for overall technology strategy and operations including technical strategies, resources, budgets, polices, and operations. Ms. Peele plans, directs, and supervises the work of managerial and professional IT and facilities staff, assuring that JWB effectively maintains current technology and adopts innovative technologies as appropriate.

The latter is an aspect of her job that she is deeply passionate about and widely recognized for having mastered. Ms. Peele prides herself in ensuring that JWB is an early adopter of the most cutting-edge technology that supports innovation and efficiency in JWB’s operations, leading to improved community impact.

Ms. Peele holds a B.S. in Technology Management from St. Pete College and has been a Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO) since 2016.

Deeply committed to the mission, she has more than 30 years of experience with JWB, serving in a variety of roles, which have allowed her a unique perspective after watching the organization’s growth and evolution over decades. After initially joining the JWB Human Resources department, she moved into IT and progressed steadily through the ranks as she led a series of firsts: From creating and administering a five-county software system for the Florida Children’s Services Councils (CSCs) and leading the effort to create the organization’s first data warehouse to secure all JWB data to leading the infrastructure side of JWB’s transition to a remote workforce in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Born in New York, Ms. Peele has been a Pinellas resident since the third grade and considers it an honor to serve Pinellas County children and families. She and her three children are, as she says, proud products of the Pinellas County School district. She also pours her support into the community through volunteer work: As Captain of the Ye Krewe of Sir Henry Morgan, a Gasparilla krewe, she leads more than 150 members in community service and philanthropic support of local schools and cancer organizations, including National Cancer Society, Children’s Cancer Center, and Moffitt Cancer Center.

Robbi Stivers

As the Chief Financial Officer for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB), Robbi Stivers is responsible for the development and use of sound fiscal and contracting policies and practices that support JWB’s mission and activities while furthering its strategic plan. As Department Chief, he plans, directs, and supervises the work of JWB personnel engaged in the activities of accounting, budget preparation and analysis, procurement, administrative contract management, and program finance. In addition, he regularly reports to JWB’s 11-member Board who are representative of the community and guide citizens’ investments.

Mr. Stivers is a proven leader with 20-plus years of finance experience with local and state governments and public higher education. Building on a successful banking career, he has applied principles of sound business practices, financial management, and organizational leadership to his government finance roles. Mr. Stivers is a skilled problem-solver who applies his entrepreneurial vision to create new programs for increased accountability and efficiencies; possesses in-depth knowledge of risk assessment and mitigation; and is savvy to federal, state, and local leadership, legislation, and regulatory environments.

Mr. Stivers earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Tennessee Wesleyan University and his M.A. in Organizational Management from Tusculum University. He is a Certified Government Financial Manager (granted by the Association of Government Accountants). He has early career certifications and experience in both insurance and banking.