Corey Jones brings over 19 years of experience in the banking industry and currently serves as a member of the team at Climate First Bank, a forward-thinking institution dedicated to sustainable banking. He is passionate about supporting the financial success and security of business owners, with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship and community resilience. Throughout his career, Corey has consistently exceeded sales targets and driven revenue growth by building strong client relationships.
He holds both an MBA with a concentration in Finance and a BA in Finance from the University of North Florida (UNF) and is a graduate of the Florida Bankers Association’s Florida School of Banking program at the University of Florida. As an adjunct professor at UNF, Corey takes pride in mentoring students, connecting them with career opportunities, and promoting networking activities that support their professional growth.
A Jacksonville native, Corey is an avid fan of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, AEW (All Elite Wrestling)—which was founded and is headquartered in Jacksonville—and MLB’s Athletics. An avid reader, his favorite book is Moneyball by Michael Lewis, which he first read in high school and admired for its portrayal of the team’s innovative approach to strategy and decision-making. At home, he enjoys life with his wife, Katrina, and their two daughters: 18-year-old Amelia, who just started at UNF, and 7-year-old Ava.
Kassidy Kinkel, whose passion for sustainability led her to the Green Chamber, is an experienced Principal Product Manager at Orion Advisor Solutions, where they lead the development of innovative products that drive success for financial advisors. With a background in finance and a passion for creating impactful solutions, Kassidy plays a key role in shaping the company’s product strategy and enhancing client experiences.
Outside of their work at Orion, she serves as the Vice Chair of the North Florida Green Chamber since the beginning of 2025, and has been on the board since April 2024. Committed to sustainability and environmental advocacy, Kassidy leverages their position to help drive positive change within the community.
A graduate of the University of North Florida with a degree in Finance, Kassidy has always combined a deep understanding of financial markets with a dedication to practical, results-driven strategies. They have earned certifications from Terra.Do in Climate Change: Learning for Action and are currently a candidate for the FSA Level II credential with the IFRS Foundation. Kassidy has also demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental causes through volunteer work with Surfrider, further aligning their professional and personal values.
When not focused on their professional endeavors, she enjoys surfing and traveling, two passions that often go hand in hand. They cherish spending time with their partner, Kyle, and their two dogs, Finnegan and Coconut, who are often part of their adventures.
Mallory Mizic is an experienced tax senior with BDO USA, a member of BDO International, the world’s fifth largest accounting network. BDO delivers assurance, tax, and financial advisory services to clients throughout the country and around the globe.
Mallory is a native to the Florida panhandle but moved to Jacksonville in 2014. She studied at the University of North Florida and received a bachelor’s in accountancy in 2018. Upon graduation, she began working full time with BDO as a staff accountant. Since working with BDO, she has worked on a variety of clients ranging from small, local businesses to large corporations. Currently, Mallory’s area of focus is with larger partnership groups, however she still enjoys working with her clients who are smaller in scale.
Mallory has a deep passion for all things sustainability and is always aiming to do better in her efforts to be green, while also attempting to encourage others to do the same. This passion is what brought her to the Green Chamber, and she is eager to work with businesses in the community to help them achieve their sustainability goals.
When she is not working, Mallory enjoys spending time with her wife, their cat, Lemon, and two pups, Ronin and Salem. She loves anything creative such as stained glass, building furniture, and painting.
Dr. Simmie Raiford currently serves as the Executive Director of the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership.
She has over 35 years’ experience as an educator at the elementary school, district, and state level. Leadership experience includes work as a principal of a gifted magnet elementary school, and district director of staff development. In addition, for three years, served as a district-level instructional coach for first-year teachers.
State level experience includes working as an educational policy analyst for the Florida Legislature. Dr. Raiford moved into private sector educational consulting in 2005, working as an organizational performance auditor and educational suitability assessor for facilities master planning.
Since 2010, her work has centered on supporting transformation efforts in schools threatened by state takeover. The focus of that work was on coaching new principals and teachers around key elements of school transformation, namely, instructional effectiveness, collaborative planning, data-driven decision-making, parent and community involvement, conducting classroom observations and providing feedback, designing formative assessments, and curriculum alignment. She has served as in her current role since 2018.
Amelia Amarrador, a junior at the University of North Florida pursuing her B.B.A in Marketing and serves as the Assistant Manager of the local and family-owned Juice Tap. She is currently part of the Membership Committee, where she combines her past experience as Outreach Coordinator for Intune Magazine and Public Relations intern at Climate First Bank, as well as her deep dedication to her hometown of Jacksonville.
She is passionate about environmental conservation and is committed to eco-friendly practices such as secondhand purchasing, limiting waste both at home and work, and reducing her own carbon footprint. She strives to encourage her own community to commit to such practices at both small and large scales.
Following the completion of her Marketing degree, she hopes to grow as a leader in local outreach and establish a net-negative organization.
While not studying or working, Amelia enjoys learning new recipes, traveling, and watching Jeopardy.
Alyssa Schneider, a marketing student with a passion for bringing brands to life through creative content and social media strategy. As a member of the Communications Committee, she uses her skills to enhance outreach and engagement, ensuring messages resonate with target audiences. Her love for storytelling and brand awareness shines through in her work, from leading social media initiatives for student organizations to executing marketing strategies that boost visibility and audience interaction.
Currently, Alyssa is a PR intern at Climate First Bank, a financial institution committed to sustainable banking and green initiatives. She also plays an active role in student leadership at the University of North Florida, serving on the executive board of multiple organizations and contributing to their marketing and outreach efforts. At Climate First Bank, she supports public relations, content development, and digital marketing strategies that align with the bank’s mission of environmental responsibility.
Beyond her academic and professional experience, Alyssa is a passionate photographer with a keen eye for capturing compelling visuals. She is also dedicated to community engagement, volunteering her time to support local initiatives and participating in crowd canvassing for meaningful causes. With a strong commitment to making a positive impact in both marketing and advocacy, she strives to use her skills to drive meaningful change.
Gina Schell, founder and owner of Ecochic Shades since 2019, shows her commitment to environmental stewardship through her business, which creates handcrafted, eco-friendly eyewear made from bamboo and other sustainable materials. Her company’s small-batch production model exemplifies her efforts to reduce waste while upholding high-quality standards. Additionally, she is a proud member of 1% for Planet and the North Florida Green Chamber, reflecting her dedication to ethical business practices and environmental responsibility.
Gina has over a decade of experience working with C-level executives and Boards of Directors in international nonprofits. Throughout her career, she has focused on addressing pressing issues, with a recent emphasis on climate action. Her diverse experience spans global health, refugee resettlement, and human trafficking initiatives. Gina’s expertise in board governance, strategic communications, fundraising, and partnership development makes her a valuable asset to the leadership team of the Green Chamber.
An art enthusiast, Gina serves on the Investment Advisory Board for the Saint Augustine Art Association, a nonprofit that promotes artistic excellence and community collaboration while fostering an inclusive environment for artists and preserving our artistic heritage. Gina holds a Master of Arts from the University of London, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. She is a certified Nonprofit Board Director and has certificates from Yale’s Women’s Leadership Program and several project management methodologies.
Our Committee Chairs are the movers-and-shakers of North Florida. They are the innovative minds that bring the Green Chambers mission alive. These committees are for Green Chamber members only. Please select a committee to join and attend our regularly scheduled meetings. Check our calendar for the most current information.
Policy Committee
Mary Tappouni Breaking Ground Contracting
Communication Committee
Kassidy Kinkel Summit Wealth Systems and Becky Russo Bec Creative
Event Committee
Dolly Penland Business Results
Membership Committee
Kassidy Kinkel Summit Wealth Systems
Sustainability Committee
Dave McKee Electrification Program Manager, JEA
Fundraising Committee
Committee Descriptions:
Membership
The membership committee is responsible for managing the NFGCC membership list; by being a point of contact to members if they have questions; making sure that members understand their benefits; periodically checking in with members who are not engaged; and making member calls when there are urgent NFGCC announcements. Membership Committee members are also encouraged to help the NFGCC reach potential new members. There will be opportunities to participate in tradeshows and festivals. This committee has the ultimate opportunity to network with members and meet sustainable leaders in town.
Communications
The responsibilities of the Communications Committee are to create and follow the NFGCC Marketing Plan. The Committee will prepare and distribute Press Releases, help design marketing material (event invites, posters, flyers, etc.), merchandise, and the quarterly newsletter. The Committee is tasked with preparing and posting on social media such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Lastly, the Committee will give feedback on the look and flow of the website in order to make improvements.
Policy
The purpose of the Policy Committee is to build a database of resources regarding local and state policies that effect business owners by: attending local government (city council) hearings and open forums; building relationships (outreach) with public officials; and following Federal and state policy issues. This Committee must determine if the NFGCC supports these issues and present a committee report to the BOD for approval. This Committee should partner with the USGCC Policy Committee. This Committee must build a lobbying and advocacy branch.
Fundraising
The purpose of the Fundraising Committee is to research/apply for grants, create a sponsorship structure, reach out to potential leaders (both individuals and business owners who are practicing sustainability) to be highlighted as annual sponsors, and to create fundraising events. The Committee will also think tank ideas regarding how to solicit the community for donations and convey them to the Board.
Event Planning
The responsibilities of the Event Planning Committee include planning, promoting, executing and attending monthly Green Chamber events (one networking and one educational). The Committee is expected to brainstorm potential event ideas, recruit guest speakers and experts for these events, secure the venues and prepare for any needs of the event (food, games, signage, equipment, etc.).
Sustainability
The Sustainability Committee is comprised of scientists and environmentalists that focus on what is happening in the sustainable world of business. This Committee is responsible for learning the new trends/data and how these changes can affect business. The Committee members help the NFGCC choose what is sustainable and what is not in North Florida and how NFGCC can help North Florida businesses improve their practices. The Committee will provide articles and news stories to the Communications Committee for weekly website updates and monthly/quarterly newsletter ideas. The Committee takes ownership in the Green Business Pledge, updating when needed, and the Sustainability Coaching program. This program is a benefit to new members to help them implement the Green Business Pledge. The Committee also partners with UNF and JU students to create the annual Sustainability Report and present it at our annual meeting.
The NFGCC Ambassadors are a prestigious group, who assure the membership is receiving the benefits available to them. Participation is by invitation only.
The mission of the Student Advisory Council is to include ALL students in North Florida, to advocate for a cleaner and greener community on campus. We inspire to be a model for others of social and environmental justice. Our goal is to engage students and faculty on campus across North Florida, by planning and implementing sustainable projects; and to network with the NFGCC professional members.
We have implemented events reducing plastic waste, gardening tips for dorms, beach clean-ups and hosted panel discussions with professional and professors. We also participate in the NFGCC Mentor-Mentee program.
Join Us at the Riverside Arts Market – July 12! 🌿🌊 It’s that time again—another year of our Green Marketplace at the Riverside Arts Market! This is your chance to promote your business and mission while celebrating Plastic-Free July with a vibrant community of eco-conscious shoppers and makers. Last year, we filled the back row, (more…)
Save the Date for our 6th Annual Green Tie Affair! Join us for a terrific time mingling with friends of the Green Chamber at our signature event held at Brick and Beam in historic Springfield. It’s also the perfect opportunity to see all that our sustainable Green Marketplace vendors have to offer! Check back soon (more…)
