Theresa is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, and is a 1976 graduate of Edinboro State University, in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. And, she’s been a resident of Florida since 1976. She is a single mother of a twenty-eight year old son named Rion, and grandmother to 3 year old Adrion.
Theresa first began her employment with the City of St. Petersburg as a Relocation Officer in August, 1977, as a temporary employee, whose position was funded through the City’s Community Development Block Grant entitlement from U. S. HUD. She previously served in various management positions at the City prior to assuming the position of Minority Business Enterprise Coordinator in 1986. Following a three-year hiatus as the MBE Coordinator for Tampa General Healthcare, Theresa returned to City government in June 1996, to assume her old position as MBE Coordinator. She continued to serve in this capacity until her promotion to Manager of Business Assistance and assuming the responsibility of operating the City of St. Petersburg Business Development Center. In this role, she was responsible for administration of the City's Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Procurement and Assistance Program, as well as management responsibilities associated with day to day operations of the Business Development Center (now known as the Greenhouse). In October, 2002, Theresa was appointed as the Community Affairs Director for the City of St. Petersburg. Her department was the responsible for enforcing local, County, State and Federal anti-discrimination laws. She also provided oversight for the Committee to Advocate for Persons with Impairments (CAPI), the Civilian Police Review Committee, and the City’s Summer Youth Intern Program and Workforce Training Program; which were administered by contracts with outside non-profit organizations.
Theresa retired in 2012 after a lengthy public service career; with the City of St. Petersburg. However, she returned to working for the City of St. Petersburg as the Veterans, Homeless and Social Services Manager in early, 2018, after a call from Mayor Rick Kriseman.
She has been active in the community in various capacities, including, but not limited to the following: founding member and Secretary, National Forum for Black Public Administrators - Tampa Bay Chapter, Co-Chairperson, Community Alliance, Graduate of Leadership St. Petersburg, President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) - West Coast Chapter in both 1991 & 1994, and President of the Florida Association of MBE Officials in 1996. And, she has been a Board member for R’Club Child Care, Inc. almost two decades, after joining as a parent representative on the board when her son was in elementary school.