Linda M. Lanier: Executive director/CEO, Jacksonville Children's Commission
“I spent six years as the executive director of our local homeless shelter, and every day I looked into the eyes of people who didn’t get what they needed when they were children…education, health care, even basic safety. I know there’s a better way. We can avoid a huge amount of human suffering as well as public costs by simply taking proper care of our children. The Children’s Movement of Florida is helping our citizens, policy-makers and elected officials understand that decent care for all our children is both urgent and achievable.”
Linda M. Lanier
Executive director/CEO, Jacksonville Children's Commission
1095 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.
Jacksonville 32206
904-630-6425
E mail: llanier@coj.net
www.jaxkids.net
Linda Lanier is the executive director/CEO of the Jacksonville Children’s Commission, a department of the City of Jacksonville and one of eight funded Children’s Services Councils in Florida. The commission serves this northeast Florida city of almost 900,000 people by funding prevention and early intervention programs for children and their families including early childhood education, family visitation and support for newborns and new parents, after school programs, summer camps, mentoring, programs for children with special needs, mental health services, nutrition programs for after school and summer programs, subsidized child care, juvenile crime prevention, out-of-school suspension, mentor screening and training, and professional training.
She is the former president of the Sulzbacher Center, a full-service, 24-hour homeless shelter that provides more than 300 men, women and children with emergency shelter, meals, case management and medical care, including psychiatric and dental care. Before then she had a 26-year career with Planned Parenthood in Cincinnati and Jacksonville, working in the training departments and as executive director.
She is a native of Great Britain and was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ms. Lanier received her bachelor's degree from the College of Education and Home Economics at the University of Cincinnati. She has served on numerous community and state boards, and in 2000 she was appointed to the Commission on Homelessness by Gov. Jeb Bush. Ms. Lanier has been honored with several community awards for her service and leadership, including the EVE Award.
Linda is married to Michael Lanier. Their family includes Adam, Andrew, Sara and daughter-in-law Sarah, and three grandchildren. She lives in Atlantic Beach where she enjoys boating, gardening and books.