Gainesville For All was formed to address racial and economic inequities that hurt people and hinder our community from achieving its best potential. It is an initiative of The Gainesville Sun in partnership with the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.
We are currently working on a list of recommendations for systemic change that will be released in early 2018. The recommendations will be in addition to more than two dozen that citizens made last spring to tackle persistent racial and socio-economic inequities in the Gainesville area community. We’re pleased that nearly half of those recommendations already have been implemented.
GNV4All Senior Team
James F. Lawrence
Director of GNV4ALL
James is a native Floridian who retired as editorial page editor at the Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle in December 2014 after a 42 year career in journalism.
Nathan Crabbe
Opinion and Engagement Editor at The Gainesville Sun
Nathan writes The Sun’s editorials and a weekly column as well as edits letters to the editor and guest columns appearing on the daily editorial page and Sunday Issues section.
Health and Transportation Chair
Wendy Resnick
Resnick is an active volunteer with several community groups, including the Alachua County Safety Net Coalition and Tobacco Free Alachua. She is a graduate of both UF and Nova Southeastern University and works for UFHealth Shands Hospital in finance. Wendy has volunteered with GNV4ALL since 2017.
Criminal Justice Co-Chairs
Lawrence Certain
Lawrence has worked in the Criminal Justice profession for the past twenty-eight years. He is currently assigned to Security Administration at the Department of the Jail. Lawrence is married to Tina Certain and they have two adult children.
Will Halvosa
Halvosa is a retired Captain from the Gainesville Police Department after 30 years and currently the DMC (Disproportionate Minority Contact) Coordinator of that agency. He is a graduate of the University of Florida in Criminal Justice and certified in Racial and Ethnic Disparity through Georgetown University. He is married to Rosa with 2 children and 2 step children.
Family Support Co-Chairs
Krys Ochia
Krys has been in transportation, land use and transit management for over 25 years. He has also taught college courses in land development, economic development, and community organizing. While in Portland he participated in collaborating with the largest newspaper to work out a better framework for representing Africa in the mass media.
Boisy Nathaniel Waiters, Jr
Boisy earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from West Virginia State University and a Master of Science in Higher Education and Administration from Barry University. He has over 20 years of experience in education and training. Boisy proudly served in the United States Air Force. He currently works at the University of Florida as a community engagement & diversity coordinator. Boisy is happily married to Daphne and has two sons, Christopher and Zachary.
GNV4All Interns
Feba Mathew
Feba is an upcoming sophomore at the University of Florida. She is majoring in Microbiology and minoring in Health Disparities in Society. She is incredibly excited to be working with GNV4ALL to help increase awareness about issues in Gainesville regarding socioeconomic disparities. She has worked with organizations including Hearts for the Homeless and the Boys and Girls Club in efforts to increase opportunities and resources for those who previously did not have access to them.
Anthony Avila
Anthony is a Bachelors Science candidate in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology with a minor in Health Disparities and will be graduating in 2022. His passion is lifestyle medicine and aims to empower individuals by taking control of their health.Anthony is a member of Primary Care Progress. This upcoming fall he will serve as a director for the Health & Wellness division in an organization called Alpha Epsilon Delta.He is excited to work alongside the amazing people in GNV4All and continue with the Morning Mile program in the fall.
Fahim Chowdhury
Fahim is a senior at the University of Florida. He is majoring in Biochemistry with dual minors in Health Disparities in Society and Public Health. He is passionate about social justice work. He served on the executive board for a campus organization known as Gator Advance. He has also worked with Gainesville Fire Rescue’s Community Resource Paramedicine program. Fahim is working on the GNV4ALL newsletter, podcast, and other efforts to help the organization spread its message.
Hannah Gutner
Hannah is a May 2021 Bachelor of Science candidate in Environmental Management, with a minor in Agriculture and Natural Resource Ethics and Policy. She also serves as a volunteer student commissioner on the City of Gainesville Nature Centers Commission.During her internship with GNV4ALL’s transportation team, Hannah will be researching and collecting background information on other communities’ K-12 transportation policies, including funding strategies and outcomes.