Celebrity Sponsors
Our Celebrity Sponsors for 2011 are Jackie Pons, Leon County School Board Superintendent, Mayor John Marks, Mrs. Jane Marks, and Bob Gabordi, Tallahassee Democrat Editor, Anna Johnson Reidel, Television Personality, and Dennis Jones,Tallahassee Chief of Police. These well-known people have committed to help us promote the dance and get the word out!
JANE A. MARKS, M.A., LMFT, LMHC
Jane A. Marks, M.A., LMFT, LMHC has been a practicing psychotherapist in the Tallahassee area for the past 35 years. Jane received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Florida State University in 1969. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Chapman University. Jane is a bi-weekly consultant on the WTXL Channel 27 Morning News on teen mental health issues. She is a member of numerous charitable organizations and sits as a member of various boards of directors including Florida State University’s Friends of Dance as well as Girls and Boys Town, San Luis Mission Foundation board, and the Tallahassee Memorial Foundation. Jane has volunteered her time over the last twenty years to promote WFSU Public Radio and WFSU Public Television during their annual membership drives. She is active with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. Jane has received many awards including “Family Therapist of the Year”, the NAACP Image Award and the Kids Incorporated Champion for Children award. She was most recently honored as the Woman of the Year for the 2007 Women of Distinction Awards.
JOHN MARKS, III
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
John Marks, Mayor of the City of Tallahassee, is the Managing Partner of the Tallahassee Office of Adorno & Yoss, LLP. Prior to that he was a shareholder and lead utility regulatory attorney for ten (10) years in the law firm of Katz, Kutter, et al., P.A. and thereafter for six (6) years with Knowles, Marks & Randolph, P.A. Appointed by Governor Bob Graham in 1979, he served eight (8) years on the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC); the last two as its Chairman. Before serving on the FPSC, he was employed as an Administrative Law Judge with the Commission. He has been an adjunct professor at the Florida State University College of Law teaching utility regulatory law and a faculty member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ utility rate school.
He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court and is a member of the American, National, Florida and Tallahassee Bar and the Tallahassee Barristers Associations. He is also a member of the American Law Institute, the ABA's Public Utilities Law Section and the Florida Bar's Local Government and Administrative Law Sections. He is past chairman of the Florida Bar's Public Utilities Law and the Equal Opportunities in the Profession Committees. He was named Florida Super Lawyer (Utility Regulatory Law) by Florida Super Lawyers magazine for the years 2006 and 2007.
Apart from his professional affiliations, Mr. Marks was elected (February 25, 2003) to a four year term as Mayor of the City of Tallahassee and re-elected in 2006 and 2010. He also serves on numerous boards and also served as the first President of the Florida League of Mayors 2005-2007 and was recently elected 2nd Vice President of the Florida League of Cities which puts him in line to be President for the 2009-2010 term. Mayor Marks is a graduate of Class XX of Leadership Florida, he has a life membership in the NAACP, and was formerly a political analyst/co-host on the local television show “The Usual Suspects”. Mr. Marks received his B.S. degree in 1969 from the Florida State University School of Business and his Juris Doctor degree in 1972 from the FSU College of Law, and he also served four years in the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate. He is married to Jane Awkard Marks, a psychotherapist, and has one son, John, IV, a graduate of Harvard University and the Columbia University Law School and a daughter-in-law, Cristina.
JACKIE PONS
LEON COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
Leon County School Superintendent Jackie Pons has spent the past 27 years in education. In those years, he has earned an extensive and diverse experience base in education, leadership and community.
He holds a BS in Physical Education from FSU and an MS in Administration and Supervision from FAMU. He began his teaching career at North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee and Robert F. Monroe High School in Quincy. He has served as a basketball coach at both schools and later as an assistant basketball coach at Florida State University, where he also taught as an adjunct professor.
In 1987, Pons came to Leon County Schools joining the faculty at Rickards High School. At Rickards, he worked his way from the classroom as a teacher to administration, athletic director, dean and finally, assistant principal. His next assignment took him to Godby High School as an assistant principal, and in early 1999, he was promoted to principal of Deerlake Middle School. In November of 2006, he was elected to his current position as the Superintendent of Leon County Schools.
Among his many honors, Pons was named Leon County Schools Principal of the Year for 2000. In 2005, he led Deerlake Middle School to the much coveted recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School of Distinction.
CHIEF DENNIS JONES
TALLAHASSEE CHIEF OF POLICE
Chief Dennis “Denny” Jones has served in numerous roles throughout his career in law enforcement, beginning in 1978 as a police officer with the Daytona Beach Police Department, and later assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division as a detective working in the Burglary, Robbery and Homicide Units. Eventually, he was assigned as the Deputy Commander for both Criminal Investigations and Support Services, before being promoted to Police Commander in 2002. Then he was appointed as Chief of Police for the Daytona Beach Police Department and he retired in April 2006.
Chief Jones was selected to serve as the Chief of Police for the City of Tallahassee in May 2007 after a national search.
Chief Jones is a graduate of Penn State University and the 223rd Session of the F.B.I. National Academy. He is also a U. S. Navy Vietnam Veteran (1971-1975) and is a Life member of the VFW. He serves on many boards and associations, including as a board member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend (2008-2010).
Chief Jones enjoys spending quality family time with his wife Cindy, and daughters Heather, and Shannon. He is also known to cheer for football teams from Pennsylvania, even after living in Florida for over 32 years!!
ANNA JOHNSON REIDEL
TELEVISION PERSONALITY
Anna Johnson has been a television personality with the CBS affiliate WCTV for 35 years. Anna is perhaps best-known for her interviews with many national celebrities and heads of state, and is considered one of the most widely recognized female personality in our community. She has also produced, written and directed television shows, commercials, public service announcements and special programming. She has received numerous national and local honors.
Her charitable accomplishments include record-breaking fundraising efforts for local charities and she continues to serve as mistress-of-ceremonies for local events and community projects.
She produces a segment on children in foster care who want and need a permanent family. Through the power of television, 70% of the children featured are now in permanent families with a mom and dad of their own.
Anna Johnson Reidel is president of her own company, Reidel & Associates and has also started a new company with her son-in-law, Gary Bryant, called “Acoustic FX”…..a Live Event Sound Management System specializing in software products designed to boost the fund raising and entertainment factor for athletic events in local and state high schools.
Anna is married to Robert Reidel and has four children and six grandchildren.