RIVERFRONT PARKS CONSERVANCY
The Riverfront Parks Conservancy is dedicated to the stewardship, activation, and ongoing improvement of the connected network of riverfront parks in Downtown Jacksonville.
A private non-profit organization, the Conservancy is governed by a Board of Directors led by Barbara Goodman. Goodman is a parks professional with 37 years of parks management and leadership experience with the National Park Service and Timucuan Preserve, the State of Florida, and International Parks Consulting. The Conservancy partners with the City of Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreation department through a Friends of the Park agreement.
Our purview includes the public parks along the riverfront, including the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks. Initially, we will focus on Friendship Fountain and St. Johns River Park, and the Riverwalk. As new and renovated parks are constructed, additional areas will be added with the agreement of the Parks Department.
The Conservancy will serve as a community resource for input and communication regarding riverwalk and park planning and implementation.
Funding sources will include park operations/event revenue, corporate partnerships, private and public grants, individual philanthropy, City of Jacksonville support and developer agreements.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BARBARA GOODMAN
Board President
Barbara Goodman is an International Park consultant and co-founder of the Riverfront Parks Conservancy. She is a versatile community leader successful in spearheading and completing comprehensive projects while maintaining positive relations between various partners and participants. She is dedicated to ensuring continued development of tourism and resource protection both locally and globally.
Barbara retired from the National Park Service in 2015 after 33 years of service; most recently as the Superintendent of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve for 18 years. During this time she provided the leadership and vision for the development of an unprecedented tri-lateral agreement between the National Park Service, Florida Park Service, and the City of Jacksonville Preservation Parks to create a seamless system of parks and to cooperate in planning, promotion, and resource protection.
Barbara provides consultation assistance and guidance to Directors of National Park systems internationally in the areas of park planning and tourism in association with Global Parks and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation.
She served as the Deputy Secretary, Land and Recreation at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection overseeing the Florida State Park System – which includes 175 parks, 800,000 acres, 100 miles of beaches, 7,500 miles of trails, 4,000 miles of paddling trails; and the Florida State Lands program providing oversight for 12 million acres of public lands, land sales acquisition and the Florida Forever program.
PENNY ZUBER-SIMCOX
Secretary
Penny Zuber-Simcox is the Executive VP – Chief Operations and Financial Officer of the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, one of the area’s largest not-for-profit organizations, serving five counties at multiple locations with over 1,800 employees. The YMCA is committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
In her dual role of CFO and COO, she provides oversight for the organization’s annual budget of just under $40 million and effective operation and delivery of YMCA programs and services, ensuring exceptional experience for and accessibility to all. She ensures the organization adheres to all applicable laws and regulations to protect the YMCA’s status as a charitable organization, and plays a key role in the long term sustainability of the Y through development of staff, board, funding and new branches.
Penny moved from the Philippines to the United States as a teenager, obtained a Bachelor of Finance degree from University of North Florida, Jacksonville, and has been in leadership roles at the YMCA for 38 years.
Penny was recognized in 1999 as one of Jacksonville Business Journal’s “Forty under 40,” named a Woman of Influence in Business in 2009, Ultimate CFO in 2019, and graduated with Leadership Jacksonville’s “best” Class of 2012. She is a founding board member of Girls on the Run (Jacksonville), a member of the Women’s Giving Alliance, CFO Leadership Council (Jacksonville Chapter), and served as Treasurer of the Jacksonville Women’s Network Board of Directors.
Penny has completed eight marathons and while her knees have had too many birthdays, she still enjoys her occasional runs. Penny is most proud of her two grown daughters, Savannah and Sarah, and recently blended her family with her husband’s, Carl Simcox.
BILL SHELTON
Treasurer
Bill Shelton is a CPA and Tax Managing Director at BDO USA accounting firm.
He is a Jacksonville native and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida State
University.
Bill has been involved on several non-profit boards including former Treasurer of Riverside Avondale
Preservation as well as Chair and Treasurer of the Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center.
Bill enjoys being outdoors gardening, on the water and traveling.
JACOB BENTON
Board Member
Jacob Benton serves as the General Manager for Champion Brands, a beverage distributor headquartered in Jacksonville. In his role, Jacob develops and implements plans to achieve performance goals as well as oversees execution of all daily business activities. He is especially passionate about the company’s culture and community impact and is dedicated to leading a purpose-driven organization. During his tenure at Champion Brands, Jacob has managed several sustainability-oriented projects including the addition of NE Florida’s largest commercial solar panel array and a public use CNG fueling station.
Outside of work, Jacob serves on multiple industry and community-related committees. He currently serves on the JAX Chamber’s JAXBIZ board as well as that of the National Beer and Beverage Wholesaler’s Association. He was selected to participate in the JAX Chamber’s Hightower Emerging Leaders Fellowship as well as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ JAX MVP program.
A lifelong Northeast Florida resident, Jacob graduated from Bolles High School before attending the University of Florida where he obtained undergraduate and master’s degrees in Business Administration. Jacob, his wife, Alison, and their two daughters, Layton and Amelia, live in Palm Valley. In his spare time, Jacob enjoys all things “outdoors” including fly-fishing, cycling, boating, camping, and traveling with his family.
JULIE DAVIS
Board Member
Julie Davis is a multi-generational Jacksonville native who is passionate about improving the quality of life in Jacksonville for the benefit of all of the members of our community. She practiced law in Jacksonville for over 30 years and retired in the fall of 2021 to have more time to volunteer and to enjoy her two young grandsons whom she is lucky to have living in our area.
Julie ended her legal career with 7 years of public service as an Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville. During her legal career, Julie was a member of the transactional practice groups of the law firms of Foley & Lardner, LLP, and Smith, Hulsey Busey. She worked in-house for two Jacksonville-based companies – as General Counsel for Body Central (aka Body Shop stores), and as Assistant General Counsel for Independent Life Insurance Company. She has an undergraduate degree from Sweet Briar College and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Julie has served on many community boards including the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless and the Jacksonville Historical Society. She currently serves as Senior Warden of her church, in several positions with the Women’s Giving Alliance, sings in the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, and is working on having a somewhat respectable game of golf. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Tommy (also a Jacksonville native), their two adult daughters, and their two adorable grandsons, ages 3 and 1.
DONALD FORGIONE
Board Member
Donald Forgione has nearly four decades of progressive leadership experience in the tourism, hospitality, environmental, and parks & recreation fields. He understands what it takes to foster a top-rate customer service culture while protecting the natural and cultural resources. His passion for the land and her people is inspiring and contagious.
He has held many positions from Park Ranger to the Director (ret) of the Florida Park Service which includes 1,000 employees, 15,000 volunteers, 30 million visitors and 175 State Parks. Under his leadership, the Florida Park Service was awarded the National Gold Medal for Excellence making Florida the only state to win this prestigious accolade four times.
Donald has served on many committees and boards including the National Association of State Park Directors, the Association of Southeastern State Park Directors, State Park Leadership School and is the current President of the Florida Park Service Ranger Association. He continues to serve and lead Americas State Parks with the company he founded, Tailgate Talks. He co-authored The Ecotourism Providers Handbook and works with many recreation and parks agencies across the nation.
BARBARA GUBBIN
Board Member
Barbara Gubbin is a nonprofit community leader who served from 2005 to 2017 as the Director of the Jacksonville Public Library system in Duval County, with responsibility for the Main library and 20 branches. In her role, and with her board of directors, she worked with three mayoral administrations and elected officials.
A native of England, she spent her earlier career in Texas where she served as the director of the Houston Public Library and held leadership roles with national and international library associations. In Jacksonville, she served on the Boards of the World Affairs Council and the Jacksonville Women’s Network (JWN), and currently serves on the World Affairs Council’s Education Committee, the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club Northeast Florida and the Riverfront Parks Now coalition.
KRISTEN DUREAUX
Board Member
Kristen Dureaux is a property manager with HomeRiver Group in Jacksonville. Originally from Sumter, SC, she began her professional career in 2013 after studying history at the University of North Florida. She managed multifamily apartment communities in Jacksonville, South Carolina and Atlanta before moving back to Jacksonville. She is an active volunteer, a downtown enthusiast, a youth cheerleading coach, and a member of Jacksonville’s active running community.
MICHAEL KIRWAN
Board Member
Michael B. Kirwan is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP, as well as co-chair of the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Team. He counsels business clients on securities, acquisitions, financings, corporate governance matters, and fund formations. He is the former president of the North Florida Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and has served on numerous civic and charitable boards including Episcopal School of Jacksonville and Scenic Jacksonville. He holds a J.D. from Harvard and a B.S. from Duke University.
NANCY MARSHALL
Board Member
Nancy Marshall’s career has focused on assisting retailers and developers in the leasing, merchandising and management of mixed use retail projects. Having spent 38 years directly involved with major New York City real estate development projects, Nancy has hands on experience with public/private partnerships as a seasoned development manager.
Nancy was most recently the Director of Retail Leasing & Property Management at Grand Central Terminal where she directed day-to-day asset management functions. Under Nancy’s supervision, Grand Central Terminal generated revenue in excess of $35 million annually. During Nancy’s tenure Grand Central underwent a $250 million renovation which include base building design and construction, requiring the approvals by both the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and the NY State Office of Historic Preservation. Nancy oversaw the implementation of a robust leasing/merchandising plan, tenant design/construction coordination, as well as marketing/promotions, public relations and the planning of commercial and cultural events.
NANCY POWELL
Board Member
Nancy Powell serves as executive director of Scenic Jacksonville and chairs the Riverfront Parks Now Coalition advocating for a connected network of urban riverfront parks and green spaces. Scenic Jacksonville’s focus areas include expanding the tree canopy, design of our urban environment, and the overall visual and eco-friendly beauty of our city. She served as a six year board member and two year Chair of Riverside Avondale Preservation, a neighborhood association for a historic district, and remains active on RAP’s zoning and parks committees.
Nancy’s first career was as a marketing executive with American Express, AT&T Universal Card Services, MediaOne (now Comcast), and as an independent consultant. She then spent a decade managing the operations and marketing for a leadership consulting firm, Stop At Nothing, Inc. She holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, and an undergraduate degree from Brown University.
A student of cities and public spaces and community advocate, Nancy is using her third career to make a positive impact for Jacksonville’s downtown. In her spare time, she plays tennis, pickleball, and likes to travel to see and learn from other cities. She has three adult children and lives in Avondale with her husband, Ted.