Manager of Community Engagement and Equity Initiatives
Groundwork Jacksonville
As Groundwork Jacksonville’s manager of community engagement and equity initiatives,
Gloria engages the citizens — especially residents from historically underserved urban
neighborhoods — in visioning, advocating for and shaping Groundwork projects including
McCoys Creek restoration and building the Emerald Trail. Gloria’s professional career has been
diverse, yet at the core of her work has been a dedication to Service, Environmental Justice
and Equitable Development. She joined the U.S. Navy and served 22 years of active service,
first as a Hospital Corpsman and then as an Environmental Health Officer. After retiring in
Jacksonville, she used her skills as an educator and preventive health advocate with the
Florida Department of Health in Duval to support initiatives such as the Green Team’s
community garden. Gloria has an MA in Human Resource Development from Webster
University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Excelsior and an Associates of
Science degree in Environmental Health from Merritt College. Originally from South Carolina,
Gloria now proudly claims Jacksonville as home for her and her husband and two daughters.