Meet the Team
The TSIC NASSAU TEAM
Alexis Holton is a nonprofit leader and community advocate with more than 15 years of experience advancing educational equity and youth development. She most recently served as Managing Director of People, Operations & Strategy at City Year Jacksonville, where she oversaw cross-functional operations, organizational development, and strategic planning for a team serving thousands of students each year. In this role, she led site-wide training and professional development, strengthened hiring practices, supported donor cultivation, and managed a $5.5 million budget to ensure programmatic effectiveness and compliance.
Alexis’ career has spanned a variety of leadership and program management roles, including positions with the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, Inter-Tribal Sports, and the Police Athletic League’s Eastside campus. She has also contributed to national research on student support services, piloted new systems for student data tracking and staff development, and consistently built strong partnerships with schools, funders, and community organizations.
Beyond her professional leadership, Alexis has long been committed to serving her community. She is a proud first-generation college graduate who once benefited from mentors and scholarships, and she has paid that forward as a Take Stock in Children mentor, a scholarship advisory board chair, and an inaugural member of the Weaver Scholars Philanthropic Initiative through The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. Over the years, she has organized philanthropic events benefiting CASA and the Children’s Miracle Network, volunteered with the YMCA, and supported countless youth through direct service and mentorship. A resident of Nassau County, Alexis is deeply engaged in her local community as well. For the past three years, she has volunteered as a youth soccer coach in Hilliard and Callahan and currently serves as Treasurer for Cub Scout Pack 351. She also regularly volunteers at her children’s schools, reflecting her belief that strong communities are built through everyday acts of service.
Alexis holds dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of North Florida, with minors in social work and American Sign Language, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California, where she concentrated in nonprofit leadership and management.
Outside of her professional and community commitments, Alexis enjoys family life with her husband, Aaron, and their three sons—William, Michael, and Matthew.
Jacque Banks grew up not far from Kansas City, Missouri, where she entered the field of education. She began her career by establishing the first program in her school district for children ages 3- 5 years old with disabilities. She was one of twelve educators from the state selected to be part of a special grant funded program at the University of Missouri, where she received a master’s degree in education. While a graduate student in that program, Jacque led the local public school district in the development of new methods for identifying and providing services to young children with disabilities, as well as teaching courses for her fellow students. She also traveled across the state, facilitating training for daycares, preschools, and other school districts.
Jacque went on to earn her Specialist in Education degree, with an emphasis in Administration, while working as a Central Office Administrator in a rural Missouri district. She was an adjunct professor for Northwest Missouri State University. During this time, she was selected as the Outstanding Educator of the Year by Phi Delta Kappa, a local Education Honor Society, as well as the Outstanding New Special Education Administrator for Missouri. Jacque eventually moved into the role of Assistant Superintendent in her Kansas City suburb community, where she provided oversight for more than thirteen programs, as well as handling public relations for the district and, oftentimes, the city. The thirteen programs included students of all ages, focusing on those with needs that could impact them educationally. Jacque has also taught Title I Reading and Math in a rural Virginia district, as well as being a Central Office Administrator in Roanoke, VA.
In addition to her public education experience, Jacque brings a background of working with nonprofit boards. Most recently, she was a founding member of a nonprofit organization providing supported employment for adults with disabilities. Jacque is excited to be returning to what she loves: working with students and families in her community to help make a difference.
Ally Schaerf, a proud southwest Florida native, grew up in Fort Myers and spent many summers traveling to Fernandina Beach to camp at Fort Clinch with her family. With deep family ties to Nassau County, where much of her family received their education, Ally has developed a profound appreciation for the local school system and its close-knit community.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and began her career as a second-grade teacher. Through her time in the classroom, Ally discovered her true passion lay in advocating for students and educators, inspiring her to pursue a Master’s in Education Policy Studies at George Washington University, where she is on track to graduate in Spring 2025. While at GW, Ally worked in the university’s First Gen. Office, supporting first-generation college students.
After her first year in Washington, D.C., Ally felt drawn back to Nassau County and the opportunity to give back to her local community. She is now completing her Master’s degree remotely while residing in Fernandina Beach with her boyfriend, Curtiss, and their two beloved cats.
In her free time, Ally enjoys exploring new destinations and has set an ambitious goal of visiting all 50 U.S. states before turning 50—she’s already made it to 27 states and counting!
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Sandra is a native of Nassau County and a lifelong resident of Callahan. She attended Callahan Elementary, Callahan Junior, and graduated salutatorian from West Nassau High School. She holds an AA degree from Florida State College, a bachelors in secondary education in English from UNF, and a master is school guidance from NOVA University. Sandra spent 16 years in the classroom teaching English at Callahan Middle. She then went to Hilliard Middle Senior to be a guidance counselor for 13 years and returned to CMS in guidance to finish her 36 year career. She is also proud of the fact that she is a third generation NCSB employee and her two daughters are 4th generation teachers/counselors here in Nassau County. She and her husband have 4 daughters and 8 grandchildren: 7 boys and 1 girl. All 8 grandchildren live in Nassau County and will attend Nassau County schools.
Over these 36 years, Sandra has had extensive experience with TSIC…as a mentor, school counselor, and advocate for the program. She is a great communicator and works well with students and parents. She is most looking forward to the relationships she will make through this program and the new experiences she will encounter. Her educational philosophy is simple: whatever it takes to make children succeed–it can’t be cookie-cutter–each child is a different individual and needs to be approached in that manner.
Nora Wood is a dedicated educator who hails from Fort Thomas, Kentucky. She discovered her passion for teaching at an early age, which led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at The University of Louisville. Nora furthered her academic journey, obtaining a Master’s degree in Education from Indiana University.
Aside from her thriving career of 17 years in Elementary Education, Nora finds immense joy in her role as a wife and mother. Fernandina Beach has become the cherished home for her family, consisting of her husband and three children. She is an active member of the community participating in the PTO and proudly supporting her son’s baseball and basketball teams and her daughters’ swim team.
Her educational background, combined with teaching experience and involvement in the community, have prepared her to excel in the College Success Coach position. She is excited to begin working with Fernandina Beach High School and Middle School students in the Take Stock in Children Program.