The Take Stock Manatee Team
Anne LeBaron
~ Chief Executive Officer
Anne Joined TSIC Manatee as a mentor in 2014 and continues to mentor today as well. In 2015 Anne chaired our Community Council for a year. She then became a Board Member where she served for 2.5 years. She stepped in to take the Interim Chief Executive Director (CEO) position in October of 2019 and in Feb. 2020 she took the CEO position permanently.
Anne brings with her 40 plus years of Sales, Marketing, Recruiting/Hr/Management and has extensive experience with turnaround recovery for private and non-profit organizations. Anne is originally from Texas and has worked all over the United States in her professional career. From Texas to Montana, New York and Connecticut which led her to Florida. Her two daughters live in Dallas and have blessed her with 3 wonderful grandkids Henry, Hudson, and Emilia Anne.
She graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a BS degree.
Michael Higley
~ Director of Operations
Michael Higley, with a career spanning back to 2001, brings a wealth of experience in education, technology, and leadership to his role as Director of Operations. His background encompasses work in public, charter, and non-profit education, granting him a diverse skill set. Michael excels in managing all facets of projects, from initial planning to grant implementation, progress monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
Michael received his doctorate in e-Learning from Northcentral University. He received his Masters Degree in School Leadership and Administration and his Bachelors of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, specializing in middle school education, from Austin Peay State University.
Michael joined the Take Stock Manatee team in 2023 and looks forward to supporting students and families throughout Manatee County. When Michael isn’t supporting his Take Stock community, he consults for a non-profit organization, NCCE, which is a professional learning organization dedicated to computer education and teacher training.
Meloney Jones
~ Student Services Coordinator & College Success Coach
Meloney Jones has been a College Success Coach with Take Stock in Children of Manatee County since 2017. She earned her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Eckerd College and Masters Degree in Community Counseling from Slippery Rock University. Meloney and her husband have 3 amazing children. They relocated from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2015. In her free time, Meloney enjoys watching
Steelers, Pirates and Penguins games, exercising as well as shopping at the Nike outlet!!
When asked why she works for Take Stock Manatee: “I work in the nonprofit world because I want to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of the underserved, but highly deserving youth in our community. Our program provides the youth in our community with the opportunity to envision their goal of pursuing a post-secondary education as a reality instead of a dream through hard work and dedication. I am honored to play a small role in helping our youth reach and exceed that goal!”
“Taking it easy won’t take you anywhere.” Nike
Kelly Suba
~ Data Specialist & College Success Coach
Kelly moved to Florida in 2003 from upstate New York. Her education is from the State University of New York in Oneonta where she dual majored in Business Economics and Speech Communications. Kelly landed her first real job traveling for a computer software company in Maine installing and training non-profits such as school districts and government agencies on fund accounting.
Once Kelly and her husband Rich moved to Florida, she took some time off to raise their four children. Once all her kids were enrolled in Braden River Elementary in August of 2008, she started part-time with the Take Stock Team. Since then, Kelly has helped in all areas of the program from working with the students, supplying information on data and statistics, and aiding with events to help raise funds so that we can serve more students.
Kelly’s favorite part of the Take Stock program is helping the students navigate their way to college and providing the resources necessary to make their journey as easy as possible!
Kay Taylor
~ College Success Coach
Kay, originally from Sarasota, Florida, is a passionate advocate for education and mentorship. She graduated from Florida State University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. Her journey began at Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she made a significant impact as the Lead Mentor Manager. During her college years, Kay also contributed to Upward Bound, mentoring and tutoring low-income, first-generation students.
Her dedication to helping first-generation students stems from her own experience in the CARE Program at FSU, which funded her entire college education. This personal connection fuels her commitment to making higher education accessible to all.
In January, Kay embraced a new role as a mother to her baby girl, Terra. Motherhood has further inspired her to join Take Stock, where she aims to help more children achieve their college and career goals. Kay’s journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation.
Denise McGirr
~ Mentor Coordinator
In 1995, Denise relocated from Wilmington Delaware to Florida with her husband of 37 years, Matthew. Denise, and her husband have 3 amazing daughters and 2 wonderful granddaughters. When Denise is not spending time with her grandbabies, she is basket weaving. Denise has taught basket weaving at all levels for many years and has been honing her own skills for over 20 years.
Denise, a graduate of the University of Delaware, has a long history of working in the nonprofit world. Before relocating to Florida, she worked at the Delaware State Hospital as a Sheltered Workshop Manager. Once in Florida, she worked for the Department of Children and Families as a Protective Services Case Manager and then began working at the Manatee School for the Arts (MSA) as their Testing Coordinator. Denise’s tenure at MSA included working with Take Stock Manatee for many years as MSA’s TSIC School Coordinator. Ultimately, Denise joined the Take Stock Manatee Team in the fall of 2021 as our Mentor Coordinator. Denise is also a Take Stock Mentor and enjoys spending quality time with her assigned scholar.
“Working at Take Stock Manatee allows me to be a part of something much larger than myself, it allows me to open doors, share experiences and watch mentored scholars grow and succeed by just being there for them, listening, encouraging them – It truly takes a village”.
Ryan Steward
~ Community Outreach Specialist
Ryan Steward has been a dedicated educator in Manatee County for nearly a decade and is now joining Take Stock Manatee as our new Community Outreach Specialist. Before his teaching career, Ryan served in the United States Air Force, spending the majority of his enlistment overseas supporting various high-stakes missions. After his military service, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History & Political Science from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, where he actively worked with organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project to enhance the college experience and foster a sense of community for veterans at USF.
Ryan’s integral role in local education and community outreach efforts has equipped him with the experience needed to continue supporting children and families in Manatee County. He brings energy and enthusiasm to his new position and is committed to accomplishing his mission with the same dedication he demonstrated in his previous roles.
