Atlantic Circle’s signature event is back — and at one of Downtown’s hottest new venues, Pour Taproom! Join United Way of Northeast Florida’s young professionals group as we stir your passion for making a difference.

Sip, chat and connect with leading philanthropists through a lively panel discussion and candid roundtable conversations centered on community, purpose and giving back. 

Wednesday, Sept. 10
6-8:30 p.m.
Pour Taproom, 61 N. Laura St. Jacksonville, FL 32202
Tickets for members: FREE
Tickets for non-members: $15 until July 22, then prices increase

RSVP today

We’re excited to introduce our full list of panelists and table leaders below.

Panelists

Vickie Cavey – Managing Director and CEO, JEA

Sara Ley – Head of digital practice, J&J Learn, Johnson & Johnson

Eric Mann – President and CEO, First Coast YMCA

Whitney Meyer – Senior vice president and chief community impact officer, Jacksonville Jaguars

Darryl Willie – Duval County Public School Board Member, District 4

Table Leaders

Cameron Frazier – Founder and Principal, Becoming Collegiate Academy

Kenneth James Jr. – Senior director of regional sales, CSX

Agnes Lopez – Editorial and commercial photographer; founder of Posewell Model Management

Emily Moody – Vice president and chief experience officer, Phoenix Arts & Innovation District

Vickie Cavey

As managing director and CEO of JEA, Vickie Cavey is responsible for overseeing the electric, water, wastewater and chilled water services of JEA, the eighth largest public power utility in the nation. Vickie was named JEA’s CEO and managing director in Sept. 2024, after five months serving as interim CEO. A frequent counselor to JEA executive leadership and 32-year operations veteran, Vickie brings a deep knowledge of JEA and the utility industry. 

Vickie retired from JEA in 2016, then returned as special assistant for external affairs to interim CEO Paul McElroy in 2020, then assisted McElroy’s successor, Jay Stowe, as board liaison until January 2021. In March 2024, Vickie began serving as the JEA board of director’s liaison, a role she served in until being named interim CEO and managing director.

Previously, Vickie earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida and began her JEA career in 1984 as an engineer in the power engineering division, one of JEA’s first female engineers. She then advanced to managerial roles in commercial key accounts and special projects prior to director roles overseeing strategic partnerships/acquisitions and strategy development and execution. 

Vickie serves on the board of The Energy Authority (TEA), a strategic partner of choice providing energy solutions to 55 public power utilities, representing 30,000 megawatts of generation. She is also a member of the Large Public Power Council (LPPC). LPPC is the voice of large public power in Washington, DC, representing the 29 largest public power systems. The members of LPPC represents 30.5 million customers across 23 states. 

Vickie has a long history of involvement in the local nonprofit community. She currently serves as an advisory board member for the Stellar Academy of Engineering at Allen D. Nease High School and board member of the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. She is also a past president and board member of the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach and its foundation. Her volunteer service in local nonprofits spans decades, including United Way, BEAM, Mission House, PACE Center for Girls and many others.

Vickie enjoys yoga, paddleboarding, the ocean and anything else in the great outdoors. She is a lifelong resident of the Jacksonville area. She and her husband, Dan, have one adult daughter and live in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Cameron Frazier

Cameron Frazier, long-time Jacksonville native and educator, joined the educational movement in 2012 as a Teach for America Jacksonville corps member. True to Cameron’s goal of improving educational quality in his home community, he launched his career teaching English in his childhood neighborhood at Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School.

In his first year of teaching, Cameron was recognized by Duval County Public Schools for increasing student achievement in reading. He continued his career teaching third grade Reading at Rocketship Elementary in Nashville, where his unique ability to increase student achievement through a focus on school culture, academics and social-emotional development propelled him into leadership.

Cameron effectively implemented his social-emotional learning and culturally affirming model school-wide as the dean of students at KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School. Cameron was introduced to the school founding experience at KIPP Nashville College Prep Elementary as the founding assistant principal. 

Cameron currently serves as the founding principal of Becoming Collegiate Academy. He received support in launching Becoming Collegiate Academy as a founding fellow of the Freedom Fellows Institute, which prepares high impact leaders of color to return home to create schools of innovation in their communities. As a son of North Jacksonville, Cameron is honored to expand our community’s legacy through the launching of a high-quality and innovative school focused on preparing the next generation for success in college and life.

Kenneth James Jr.

Kenneth James Jr. is the senior director of regional sales at CSX Transportation. A seasoned transportation and supply chain executive, Kenneth began his career with CSX in 2002 as part of the Management Trainee Program and has since held a variety of leadership roles across materials management, procurement, energy and sales.

Born in Palatka, Florida, Kenneth holds a Bachelor of Science in health sciences and an MBA with concentrations in supply chain management and marketing, both from Florida State University. He is a certified purchasing manager through the Institute for Supply Management and a published author in ISM Magazine for his article, “Solving Supply Chain Inefficiencies.”

Kenneth’s contributions have been recognized with several honors, including the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and CSXT’s Chairman’s Award of Excellence. Before joining CSX, he held roles in health care, logistics and retail management.

A committed community leader, Kenneth has served on the boards of OneJax, the Museum of Science and History (MOSH), United Way of Northeast Florida and the Florida State University Supply Chain Advisory Board.

With over two decades of industry experience, Kenneth brings strategic vision, operational expertise and a passion for developing strong, sustainable business relationships.

Sara Ley

Sara Ley is the head of digital practice for J&J Learn at Johnson & Johnson with over 20 years of experience delivering global solutions across technology, professional services, aviation, health care, energy and finance industries.

Currently, Sara leads development for technical talent, AI and digital upskilling, and professional skills for all Johnson & Johnson employees.

Previously, Sara was the senior director, digital learning strategist, for PwC. She was accountable for leading the learning strategy for PwC’s digital transformation, “New World. New Skills.” This included learning applications and immersive training programs for staff and partners to develop storytelling, data analysis, visualization and automation skills that enabled a more diverse, tech-skilled workforce and supported creating groundbreaking digital solutions for clients.

Prior to joining PwC, Sara was the digital learning and technology leader for General Electric’s (GE) Crotonville learning and development organization. She was responsible for leading GE’s digital learning strategy and ongoing development of award-winning, social learning platform, “BrilliantYOU” (GE’s Digital University). Previously in GE, Sara was the IT learning leader and established and managed technical and leadership development for IT employees.

Sara is a graduate of Florida State University, with an MS in instructional system design and BS in communication for business. She serves on the board for United Way of Northeast Florida and Pine Castle Inc. Sara lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her two sons, and is a licensed private pilot.

Agnes Lopez

Agnes Lopez is a Filipino American editorial and commercial photographer whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Financial Times, MIT Technology Review, The Local Palate, Food Network, in cookbooks and in campaigns for national food brands. She was awarded the gold medal for her food photography in the cookbook category of the Independent Publisher Book Awards for “The Chef’s Canvas Cookbook.” 

For the past seven years, Lopez has been hard at work directing her first documentary “JAX Filipino Chefs,” following the journey of eight Filipino American chefs as they set out to change the culinary scene of Northeast Florida with their food.

Her portraits of Filipino World War II Veterans, “The Faces to Remember Project,” were recently
on display in exhibits at the Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina. More about the project can be seen here.

Agnes recently launched a new talent agency, Posewell Model Management, which focuses on providing a diverse and inclusive roster of models for today’s brands and ad campaigns. Some clients include Adidas, Vrbo, Apple, Disney, BMW and many more.

She is an advocate for the Filipino American community and serves on the board of directors as the secretary of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO). Agnes is also a founding board member of Jax Filipinos, a non-profit dedicated to sharing Filipino culture with the Jacksonville community through arts, education and community outreach.

Eric Mann

Eric Mann has dedicated over 40 years to the YMCA movement, currently serving as President and CEO of First Coast YMCA since 2011. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions in YMCAs across the United States, including Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New Haven and Asheville.

Notably, Eric served as CEO of YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh before being recruited as the first African American leader of Florida’s First Coast YMCA.

Eric was elected as the sixth chairman of the board for the Jacksonville Civic Council (JCC) in May 2022, having been a board member since 2014. After completing his term as chairman in 2024, he remains an active member of the board. He previously co-chaired JCC’s Race and Social Justice Task Force, overseeing the development of a community report set for release in the summer of 2022. Additionally, Eric has contributed his expertise to the board’s membership and executive committee.

Eric’s commitment extends beyond the YMCA and JCC; he currently serves as board chair for Brooks Rehabilitation and serves on the boards of Fifth Third Bank, Mars Hill University and Tiger Academy Charter School. Additionally, he is a member of THE Players Council and formerly served on the board of Patriot Transportation, Inc. Remarkably, Eric also holds the role of chair for the South African YMCA Coalition.

Academically, Eric holds a Bachelor of Science degree in recreation with a minor in psychology from Mars Hill University in North Carolina, where he also serves as a trustee on the Mars Hill University board.

In his personal life, Eric is married to Branita Thompson-Mann, and they are proud parents to one daughter, Erica.

Whitney Meyer

Whitney Meyer is the senior vice president and chief community impact officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the Jaguars community impact initiatives, including operations of the Jaguars Foundation, Inspire Change and Social Justice Initiatives, and community activities in connection with local development projects.

She previously worked as the inaugural vice president and chief diversity officer at the University of North Florida. In that role, she advised university leadership on diversity, inclusion and racial equity pertaining to strategies and policies, learning and research, community relations and the recruitment, retention and admission of faculty, staff and students of color.

Currently, Whitney serves on community boards such as the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, University of North Florida Foundation, the American Heart Association and the World Affairs Council. She also is a frequent volunteer for the Friends of Boone Park South.

Emily Moody

Emily Moody is a third-generation Jacksonvillian who returned home in 2003 to make a lasting impact through arts, culture and community. After attending Flagler College, she launched a fashion career in Los Angeles as a buyer and merchandiser for the famed Fred Segal, then moved to Atlanta to work as assistant designer and sales rep for TROO before following her heart back to Jacksonville.

Emily has shaped the city’s creative landscape through ventures like the pioneering boutique Anomaly, award-winning music venue Underbelly and First Friday in Five Points, all designed to build community and spark engagement.

She is the co-founder of Wolf & Cub, a concept shop reopening in the Phoenix Arts & Innovation District, and formerly spent nearly a decade at the Cummer Museum producing creative, inclusive and community-driven events.

Now serving as vice president and chief experience officer at the Phoenix Arts & Innovation District, Emily is leading the 8.3-acre revitalization of Jacksonville’s North Springfield neighborhood through regenerative placemaking by blending arts, culture and community to reimagine space and spark inclusive growth.

She serves on the SPAR board, the Mayor’s Arts Transition Committee and volunteers with Friends of PHXJAX. Emily lives in Atlantic Beach with her husband, two kids and their Frenchie and loves exploring everything from Florida springs to Berlin street art.

Darryl Willie

Darryl Willie is a dynamic education ambassador with experience from K-12 to higher education. He has worked in education for the past 20 years: from the front lines as a classroom teacher in the Mississippi Delta, to education administrator in California at UC Berkeley, to executive director of Teach for America in Jacksonville. He has served on the Duval County School Board for six years and will serve through 2026. While on the board he has been a part of securing monumental funding for the rebuilding of neighborhood schools, successfully raising teacher salaries with a county-wide vote and changing the names of confederate schools in the community.

Darryl’s work has been centered on impacting communities of color, with an intentional focus on sustainable outcomes for students and young adults. In addition to his school board role, Darryl also works as a nonprofit leader and consultant in workforce development and education, developing community and business partnerships, managing strategic projects and accelerating and facilitating learning spaces across multiple cities and states. His work has not gone unnoticed, as he has been recognized as an as a Jacksonville nonprofit emerging leader, selected for the Leadership Jacksonville program, named a School Board Partners national fellow, included in Leadership Florida’s education class, and honored in the Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.

Darryl also serves on several local boards and has served on advisory boards for university presidents at two institutions. His community involvement includes the following: Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation, Jacksonville Arts and Music School, Level the Playing Field Leadership Academy, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, Inc.

Darryl is a proud military brat and has lived in many states and overseas. He attended North Carolina State University where he was student body president and holds a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Georgia. Darryl lives on the northside of Jacksonville with his brilliant and beautiful wife and his three inquisitive daughters.