James P. Lewis
Lanark Village,FL
Summary
Trusted operations and governance professional with 15+ years coordinating executive priorities, confidential communications and investigations, complex projects, public-facing events, and relationships across government, nonprofit, education, and community organizations. Serves as delegated authority for a county health department when the Administrator/Health Officer is absent and as a stipend-supported District Secretary for a statewide civic organization. Known for sound judgment, diplomacy, precise follow-through, and anticipating what leaders and stakeholders need in fast-changing, high-visibility environments.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
District Secretary (Board Officer; Stipend-Supported)
Florida District of Kiwanis
Statewide Florida
06.2025 - Current
- Serve as a trusted governance and administrative partner to the District Governor, executive officers, and an approximately 40-member board for a statewide organization of roughly 250 clubs and 5,250 members; screen and resolve requests while protecting executive attention.
- Manage the districtwide calendar and host or coordinate four annual board meetings, biweekly executive leadership calls that increase to weekly before major events, and recurring finance, personnel, bylaws, executive, and special-committee meetings.
- Prepare board materials, official minutes, rosters, correspondence, and decision records; support executive sessions and handle investigations, officer removals, child-safety concerns, and coordination with Kiwanis International legal counsel with strict discretion.
- Serve as the primary onsite problem-solver for a 400-person, six-figure district convention—the district’s largest single expense—coordinating its budget, hotel and AV staff, catering, contracts, registration, VIP care, seating, receptions, dinners, awards, and speaker logistics.
- Coordinate annual travel and itinerary details for the visiting international board counselor; negotiate vendor rates, review contracts and financial statements, code expenses, approve invoices, arrange urgent purchases and hotel deliveries, and respond to executive needs after hours.
- Draft limited newsletter communications in the Governor’s established voice and distribute time-sensitive district and holiday messages while maintaining consistency, professionalism, and follow-through.
Operations Manager
Florida Department of Health
Crawfordville, Florida
01.2024 - Current
- Direct daily onsite operations and serve as delegated authority in the Administrator/Health Officer’s absence, including signing on the Health Officer’s behalf, representing the department on emergency statewide calls, and making time-sensitive operational decisions.
- Coordinate leadership priorities, meetings, communications, and follow-through while handling confidential personnel actions, grievances, contracts, succession planning, budgets, and other sensitive organizational matters.
- Manage concurrent strategic and operational initiatives, including strategic planning, workforce development, quality improvement, community health assessment and improvement, performance management, grants, and special assignments.
- Prepare executive-ready reports, workplans, presentations, correspondence, and decision materials; track deliverables, identify barriers, and communicate progress to internal and external stakeholders.
Community Projects Manager & Accreditation Coordinator
Florida Department of Health
Bonifay & Chipley, Florida
01.2018 - 01.2024
- Managed a dual-county team of nine and a portfolio of public health programs, grants, budgets, workplans, contracts, community partnerships, and special projects with competing deadlines and reporting requirements.
- Coordinated the dual-county Performance Management Council and chaired meetings in the Health Officer’s absence; developed agendas, briefings, progress updates, and action tracking for organizational priorities.
- Led planning and logistics for public meetings, trainings, observances, campaigns, and community events while maintaining productive relationships across public- and private-sector partners.
- Created and maintained strategic, workforce, quality improvement, community health, and health equity plans; used process-management and continuous-improvement methods to monitor performance and adjust implementation.
- Managed budget forecasting, purchasing, grant writing, reporting, personnel coordination, and regional tobacco-prevention activities covering 18 counties.
Tobacco Cessation Program Co-Manager
Big Bend Area Health Education Center, Inc.
Marianna & Tallahassee, Florida
01.2010 - 01.2018
- Managed day-to-day operations, staff, contractors, volunteers, deliverables, training, outreach, and partner relationships across a seven-county service area from a remote office.
- Served as lead presenter, trainer, and community liaison; coordinated with colleges, healthcare programs, employers, and community organizations to deliver services and events.
Education and Training Specialist
Florida Department of Health
Bonifay, Florida
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Coordinated a youth prevention program, solicitations and bids, purchasing, budget administration, program reporting, and communications with the state program office.
Education
Master of Public Health - Public Health Practice
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL04-2027
John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach - Leadership training and facilitation
08-2026
Public Health Executive Leadership Institute -
University of South Florida
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Chipola College
Marianna, FLPublic Health Leadership Institute -
Region IV Public Health Training Center At Emory U
Skills
- Executive & Board Support
- Confidential Correspondence
- Calendar & Meeting Coordination
- Project and Process Management
- Stakeholder & VIP Relations
- Event and Conference Logistics
- Executive Deadline & Calendar Management
- Reports, Presentations & Briefings
- Budget & Vendor Management
- Microsoft 365
- AI-Assisted Research
- Communication
- Administrative Efficiency
Education And Leadership Development
- Master of Public Health, Public Health Practice, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 05/01/27
- Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, Chipola College, Marianna, FL
- Public Health Executive Leadership Institute; Public Health Leadership Institute, 01/01/20, 12/31/21
- John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, 01/01/17, Present
Additional Board Leadership
- Washington County Council on Aging, Board President, 01/01/21, 12/31/25
- Washington County Council on Aging, Board Advisor, 01/01/25, Present
- Washington County Council on Aging, Board Member, 01/01/19, 12/31/21
- Bay County Community Health Task Force, Board Treasurer, 01/01/13, 12/31/19
- Chipley Kiwanis Club, Vice President and President-Elect, 01/01/23, 12/31/25
Timeline
District Secretary (Board Officer; Stipend-Supported)
Florida District of Kiwanis
06.2025 - Current
Operations Manager
Florida Department of Health
01.2024 - Current
Community Projects Manager & Accreditation Coordinator
Florida Department of Health
01.2018 - 01.2024
Tobacco Cessation Program Co-Manager
Big Bend Area Health Education Center, Inc.
01.2010 - 01.2018
Education and Training Specialist
Florida Department of Health
01.2009 - 01.2010
Master of Public Health - Public Health Practice
University of South Florida
John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach - Leadership training and facilitation
Public Health Executive Leadership Institute -
University of South Florida
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Chipola College
Public Health Leadership Institute -
Region IV Public Health Training Center At Emory U