Our Leadership

Executive & Advisory Board

Our Board is comprised of the most invested and accomplished professionals in the Lakeland community and beyond. Many of them have not just raised families in the Polk County School System but attended local schools themselves. They chose to invest in the community personally and professionally with their talents and experience. Their dedication and commitment to our community, Lakeland Leads, and our children’s future will provide a pathway, hopefully many, for success.

Executive Board Members

Chairman of the Board

David Hallock

GrayRobinson

David commenced the practice of law with the general practice department of a large firm in Miami, Florida. After practicing for seven years in Miami, David moved to Lakeland, FL, in 1997 to focus his practice on corporate business transactions. Presently, David is involved in corporate and business representation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, tax, health care law, banking, and wealth protection planning.

David grew up in Los Angeles, California, and Bartow, Florida. After he graduated from Bartow High School in 1981, he attended Wake Forest University, where he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s in accounting. He received his law degree from Florida State University College of Law in 1988. David later traveled to Brussels, Belgium, where he obtained a Master’s in International and Comparative Law from Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Past Chairman of the Board

Jeff Chamberlain

Retired, Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Jeff Chamberlain started his career at Publix in 1972 as a front service clerk in the Satellite Beach, FL, store. After working in various roles at several stores in Brevard County, he was promoted to Store Manager in 1983.

Chamberlain transferred to the Real Estate Department in 1991 serving as manager for North Florida and South Georgia. Then in 1999, he was promoted to Director of Real Estate Market Strategy, followed by another promotion in 2011 to Vice President of Real Estate. He became Sr. Vice President of Real Estate & Facilities in 2017.

Ashley Bell Barnett

Community Advocate

Ashley Bell Barnett of Winter Haven, Florida, is a community advocate with experience as a public educator, workforce development analyst, and nonprofit leader. Bell Barnett was appointed to the Governing Board in December 2020, and her term expires March 1, 2023.

A fifth-generation Floridian, Bell Barnett earned her Bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL, and her Master of Public Administration from the University of South Florida.

Bell Barnett serves in a variety of capacities at organizations across the community, including the Vice Chair of Polk State College District Board of Trustees, Community Impact Chair of United Way of Central Florida, Talbot House, Lakeland Regional Hospital Foundation, GiveVisuals Inc., Bonnet Springs Park, JRDF, and the Polk County School District.

A Leadership Lakeland Alum, Leadership Florida, and Leadership Polk Alumni, she was recently honored with the 2019 “She Knows Where She’s Going” award bestowed by Girls, Inc.

At Large

Alice Hunt

Hunt Construction of Central Florida, Inc.

Alice Hunt is the Vice President of Hunt Construction of Central Florida, Inc. and President of Hunt Properties, LLC, which specializes in residential and commercial construction in the Central Florida area.

In addition to her professional work, Hunt is active in the community. She is a past chairman of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and received the Chamber’s prestigious George Jenkins Award in 2018. She also served on the Chamber’s Leadership Lakeland Alumni Board of Directors.

She has served as Chair of the Florida Polytechnic Foundation’s Board of Trustees and was Chair the Charter Review Commission for Polk County in 2018. She has also served on the Boards of the Early Learning Coalition, Polk State College Foundation, Polk County Builders Foundation, Lakeland Economic Development Council, Central Florida Development Council, and the Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center.

Hunt is a member of the Polk County Builders Association and the Florida Homebuilders Association.

She is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She and her husband reside in Lakeland. She has three children, one granddaughter and five grandsons

At Large

Brian Philpot

AgAmerica

Brian Philpot is the CEO and Principal Owner of AgAmerica Lending, with headquarters located in Lakeland, FL. His background includes extensive experience in Real Estate investing, agriculture lending, real estate law, market analysis and negotiation.

AgAmerica developed from Brian’s long-term investment company, Land South Group. Founded in the late 1990s, Land South Group was an investment firm with a particular focus on timberland, agricultural, and conservational real estate across the southeastern U.S. Land South Group also made value investments in residential development, industrial real estate, manufactured housing, office properties, mitigation banks, broadcast towers, and distressed real estate debt.

Jack Harrell

Harrell's

Jack Harrell received his education from Georgia Southern College. His community involvement and leadership roles include serving on the advisory boards for the Salvation Army, Youth for Christ, and Parker Street Ministries. He is also a member of the Florida Council of 100. In addition, Jack Harrell, Jr. is a Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harrell’s, LLC,

a leader in the green industry and the premier producer of quality custom blended fertilizers and distributor of chemicals and grass seed for the golf course, sports turf, lawn care, and horticulture industries. The Harrell’s are longtime residents, business, and civic leaders of Lakeland. They created Harrell Family Charities in September 2016 out of a firm belief that God had richly blessed their family and they committed to giving back what had been so graciously given to them. They said their community through the support of local charities, education institutions, healthcare organizations, and community improvement projects.

Board Advisor

Frederick Heid

Polk County Schools Superintendent

In April 2021, Frederick Heid was unanimously selected by the Polk County School Board to become the new superintendent of Polk County Public Schools. Mr. Heid arrived in Polk County with an extensive background in education. More than 20 years ago, he taught at Booker Middle School in Sarasota County, Fla. In his third year as an educator, he was recognized as Sarasota County’s Teacher of the Year.

In June 2010, he joined the Florida Department of Education to help schools struggling to boost student academic performance. He served as Bureau Chief for School Improvement and leader of Florida’s Differentiated Accountability (DA) project. Mr. Heid later became Chief Academic Officer for Duval County Public Schools, a large district serving more than 127,000 students.

In June 2014, he was appointed as superintendent of District 300 in Algonquin, IL. He holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida and is pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Aurora University.Mr. Heid, his wife, and his teenage son live in Lakeland.

Todd Baylis

CEO/Co-Founder of QGiv

Todd is CEO and Co-Founder of Qgiv, a Lakeland-based online giving platform that has worked with over 5500 organizations throughout the US and Canada to more effectively implement and grow their online fundraising through year-round giving, peer-to-peer and event-based fundraising solutions. He previously served as President and CEO of Cipher Integrations, a Central Florida-based managed service provider acquired by DSM in 2021.

He earned his MS in IT Management, with the highest distinction, from Carnegie Mellon University and received his BS in Computer and Information Sciences, summa cum laude, from Florida State University. In January 2010, Todd was named by The Ledger as one of 20 young professionals to watch under the age of 40 and was also named a Polk County Emerging Leader in 2011.

He served as Chair for the Lakeland Area Economic Development Council and as a Director for the Florida Polytechnic University Foundation. He has previously served as a Director for the United Way of Central Florida, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, Camp Fire USA Sunshine Council (Past President), Imperial Symphony Orchestra (Past Chair), and as a past Steering Committee Member of Lakeland Vision and Emerge Lakeland. He is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XXV.

Marcy Benton

Vice President of Human Resources at Publix Super Markets Inc.

Marcy began her Publix career in 1992 as an accounting clerk. In 1995, she joined human resources, and after holding various positions, she was promoted to director of retail associate relations in 2013. In 2017, she was promoted to her current position, Vice President of Talent Management. Marcy received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in business administration from the University of South Florida. She also was a recipient of Publix’s George W. Jenkins and President’s awards. Marcy provides strategic leadership and oversight over all human resources operations, impacting more than 225,000 Publix associates. Her leadership was instrumental in responding to the pandemic and expediting the hiring and onboarding of tens of thousands of new associates. Benton also oversaw a recognition program that awarded associates for their hard work with Publix gift cards and accelerated pay increases.

President

Dr. Melody Rider

About Our President

For nearly three decades, Dr. Rider has devoted her life to the field of education. Her journey began as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher. She was then called to work in supplementary education where she became a Director of Education but also thrived as a Center Director and District Manager. In these crucial positions, she tirelessly worked with at-risk students who were below grade level, guiding them toward academic success.

With unwavering dedication, Dr. Rider transitioned into leadership roles within the higher…

education system. As an Academic Dean, Executive Director, and eventually Campus President, she proved herself as a visionary in the realm of higher education, driving positive change and fostering growth within academic communities.

As an accomplished scholar, Dr. Rider boasts an impressive academic background, holding five post-secondary education degrees. Breaking barriers in her family, she was the first to achieve a college degree. Her educational journey began with an Associate degree focused on child development. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts, with a minor in Psychology and obtained her K-6 teaching credential from California Lutheran University.

Continuing her pursuit of knowledge, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Psychology. She further expanded her expertise by completing her second Master’s Degree in Compliance and Ethics, with a concentration in Forensic Accounting. Finally, in 2019, she earned her Doctoral Degree in Education Leadership for Capella University.

Dr. Rider’s tireless commitment to education, combined with her remarkable academic achievements, has undoubtedly made her a force to be reckoned with in the field of education. Her passion for empowering students, coupled with her leadership acumen, continues to leave a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals within the education community.