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About Pam Gould

A driven and servant leader, Pam Gould has served on the Orange County School Board since 2012. During her tenure, she has advanced the opening of dozens of new schools, increased career and technical certifications and training by nearly 300%, improved career-transition opportunities for students with disabilities, started Generation WOW to provide young women with mentors, leadership skills and opportunities, helped guide the development of the Guidewell Mental Health Think Tank, which resulted in my introducing mental health first-aid training to the school district, and spearheaded the Farm to Table program with Orange County Public Schools’ (OCPS) Food and Nutrition Services.

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Our Community Isn't The Same Without Pam


Gould has a proven record of affecting change to create safe environments for students and families with safer walking and biking paths, increasing funding for education and support services through new revenue sources, expanding mental health services, facilitating the expansion of arts and cultural centers and programs, supporting lake preservation and enhancements of park resources, expanding access to affordable housing, increasing access to healthcare for un- and under-insured residents and convening public and private partners to solve some of the region’s most significant challenges. Pam has helped open 14 new schools to date, advancing their execution in support of rapid residential growth, and facilitated the expansion of arts, cultural centers, and programs. She was also on the forefront of expanding mental health services for students and the community, prior to the establishment of statewide initiatives, including the creation of Orange County’s Community Action Board and Commission on Children.


She has led various divisions and guided organizations over the years. This service includes executive leadership roles at Orlando Health, Health Central/Health Central Foundation, Island One Resorts, Dave’s House, and from 2010 to 2019, owning her own business that supported great entities like the Town of Oakland Arts and Heritage Center, Lakeside Behavioral Health, ARDA Foundation, the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, and Winter Garden History Center.

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Most recently, Gould served as president and CEO helping the health care nonprofit Shepherd’s Hope grow within the West Orange County community. An instrumental leader, Gould helped Shepherd’s Hope secure its first multimillion dollar endowment through Healthy West Orange as well as another million-dollar commitment all while guiding the organization as it navigated the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic (without ever having to lay off an employee). Gould increased access to healthcare for the un- and under-insured, expanded use of telehealth, healthy food access and walk-in centers, and increased collaborations and partnerships.

A Proven Leader for Orange County

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Her leadership roles have accelerated revenues, enhanced corporate responsibility programs, enriched employee professional development and engagement, and increased sponsorships and philanthropy. She has moved the needle in education, healthcare, economic development, and quality of life issues. Gould is married to her high school sweetheart John and lives in Windermere where she raised her two adult sons, Gregory and Matthew.

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Pam's Experience

Honors and Awards

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  • 2023 West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Bert Roper Award to Shepherd’s Hope 

  • 2022 Orlando Magazine 50 Most Powerful in Orlando: Philanthropy & Community Voices

  • Central FL Lifestyle AdventHealth Woman Next Door: Pam Gould: Improving Lives in Central Florida

  • 2022 i4 Business Spirit of Community

  • Leadership Seminole Class 31 Graduate

  • 2021 Orlando Business Journal Community Impact Hero

  • 2016 Women of Achievement Nominee2016 Women of Achievement Nominee Issued by Women’s Executive Council

  • Star School Board Member of the Year Award from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. 

  • “I am of Purpose” Award Issued by Haitian American Art Network · Nov 2015

  • Circle of Excellence Award Circle of Excellence Award Issued by ARDA

  • Spirit of West Orange Spirit of West Orange Issued by West Orange Chamber of Commerce · Jan 2007

  • The Chairman’s Award Issued by West Orange Chamber Chairman · Jan 2003

 

Accomplishments

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  • Served as District 4 Board Member for Orange County Public Schools since 2012, including two annual terms as Vice Chair 

  • Was appointed as the school board’s representative on the Foundation for OCPS board.

  • Received state recognition for efforts in building stronger relationships and better alignment between the education foundation, the school district, individual schools and the community.

  • Championed increasing students’ access to skills-based learning, certifications, and apprenticeships readying them for a successful life and the workforce, resulting in a 300% increase in technical certifications since 2012 and every high school and middle school offering CTE/STEAM and experiential learning.

  • Opened 14 new schools to date, advancing their execution in support of rapid residential growth.

  • Improved career transition opportunities for students with disabilities.

  • Created safe environments for students and families safe walk and bike paths that reduce the need for cars on the road and increase student physical fitness.

  • Increased funding for education and support services through new revenue sources, aligning the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools with the district strategic plan.

  • Increased industry and philanthropic collaborations that resulted in new mentor programs, enhanced reading, new resources for school-based funding that benefited arts, scholarships, sports sponsorship and more.

  • Expanded mental health services for students and the community prior to the establishment of statewide initiatives, including the creation of Orange County’s Community Action Board and Commission on Children.

  • By invitation, participated in the development of the Guidewell Mental Health Think Tank, which resulted in introducing mental health first-aid training to the school district.

  • Led the advancement of projects and initiatives to manage growth (school, road improvements, sidewalks).

  • Facilitated the expansion of arts, cultural centers, and programs.

  • Supported lake preservation and enhancement of park resources (FOLA, early days of Oakland Nature Preserve)

  • Developed access to affordable supportive housing (Dave’s House, in discussions with OCPS and developers).

  • Led the funding of registered nurses in over 20 public schools – Health Central School Nurse Program

  • Designed solutions to eliminate food insecurity and increase access to healthy food, access to low-cost medicine, eliminate homelessness, and enhance opportunities for all children to succeed through exciting learning opportunities and mentors.

  • Helped craft the pandemic learning options and safety measures for Orange County students to succeed.

  • Advanced the opening of dozens of new schools, including the advancement of multiple relief schools

  • Expanded access to affordable supportive housing.

  • Spearheaded the Farm to Table program with Orange County Public Schools’ (OCPS) Food and Nutrition Services.

  • While VP at Health Central was responsible for program management and funding for 24 Registered Nurses in OCPS West Orange County Schools.

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As CEO of Shepard’s Hope

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  • Increased access to healthcare for the un- and under-insured.

  • Expanded use of telehealth, healthy food access and walk-in centers.

  • Secured multimillion-dollar endowment through Healthy West Orange Foundation 

  • Increased collaborations and partnerships

  • Guided the organization as it navigated the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and never had to lay off an employee and maintained core medical volunteers to continues services.

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Designed and implemented capital campaigns that funded the following:

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  • Winter Garden Heritage Center and Archive

  • Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Event Center at the Town of Oakland

  • Renovation of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce

  • Chapel, Women’s Center, and Hospice Room at Health Central

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Led the growth and strategic planning for:
 

  • Florida Virtual School Foundation

  • Garden Theater

  • West Orange Chamber Foundation

  • West Orange Chamber of Commerce

  • City of Orlando

  • STARS

  • Island One Foundation

  • City of Orlando Youth, Family and Park Services

 

Executive Management Experience:​

 

  • School Board Member since 2012

  • Founder of Advocate Enterprises

  • CEO, Dave’s House

  • SVP, Island One Resorts and Founding President of Island One Foundation

  • VP, Health Central and President of Health Central Foundation

  • Chief Development Officer, Orlando Regional Medical Center
     

​Government Appointments:

 

  • Orange County Community Action Board

  • Teresa Jacobs Mayoral Appointment Family Homelessness Committee 

  • Foundation for OCPS School Board Member

  • Orange County Value Adjustment Board 

 

Board Member or Advisory Committee Positions​

 

  • Member, Adventhealth Winter Garden Hospital Advisory Board (Present)

  • Past Chair/Current Member, West Orange Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (Present)

  • Member, Central Florida Women’s League (Present)

  • Member, Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips (Present)

  • Sustainer, West Orange Junior Service League (Present)

  • National Center for Simulation and Modeling

  • American Cancer Society

  • Winter Garden Heritage Foundation

  • West Orange Chamber of Commerce

  • Rotary Club

  • Roper YMCA

  • United Arts of Central Florida

  • Commission on Homelessness Housing Alternatives Committee

  • Dr. Phillip’s Performing Arts Circle

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