Staff

Dr. Irvin PeDro Cohen is the third executive director of LISC Jacksonville. Dr. Cohen brings over 15 years of experience in community development to LISC’s Jacksonville office with a track record of leadership in programmatic development to impact challenged communities. As executive director, Cohen will lead LISC's local staff and programs focused on catalyzing economic opportunity for local residents.

Most recently, Dr. Cohen served for 6 years with Florida’s First Coast YMCA as the Vice President of Operations and Social Responsibility.  Dr. Cohen led an effort that saw the construction and the development of the $ 4 million dollar Johnson YMCA Teen Center.  Prior to that Dr. Cohen led the city’s efforts with the New Town Success Zone. 

Dr. Cohen is a Jacksonville, FL native graduating from Raines High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of North Florida, an MBA in Marketing from Pfeiffer University in Charlotte, NC and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Non Profit Management from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.  His research is largely centered on the social well-being (education, healthcare and economics) of low socioeconomic communities, particularly the role the African American church plays within that space. 

Currently he serves on the advisory boards of the University of North Florida’s School of Education, the University of Florida’s Clinical Translation Science and Vanderbilt University’s Recruitment Innovation Center and JASMY Inc.  His memberships include: the Jacksonville Chapter NAACP, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated Jacksonville Alumni Chapter and Leadership Jacksonville -- Class of 2014.

Pedro and his family live in the Springfield neighborhood; and he enjoys reading and woodworking in his spare time.

Dr. Melissa Chester has joined LISC Jacksonville as Economic Development Program Officer. In her role, Dr. Chester will create and lead economic development initiatives for LISC Jacksonville, with a strong focus on LISC’s Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs) and small business development and support. She will also oversee LISC’s Project Boots homeownership program and support related initiatives.

Dr. Chester earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where she has also served as an assistant professor, and her doctorate in sport management from Florida State University. She currently serves as executive board member of the UNCF Leadership Council, president of the First Coast Association of Realtists, president of the Women’s Council of the First Coast, and as a board member for multiple other organizations.

Dr. Chester joined the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) in 2017 and currently serves as president of the Jacksonville chapter. NAREB was founded in 1947 “…as an equal opportunity and civil rights advocacy organization for African American real estate professionals, consumers, and communities in America,” according to NAREB. The group founded the designation of Realtists, because at that point in history, African Americans were barred from joining the National Association of Realtors. So, they founded NAREB and became Realtists to open pathways and doors to homeownership for African Americans. NAREB has grown into a powerful organization that partners with many major economic players and financial institutions to accomplish its mission.  

Linda Leo joined LISC Jacksonville in April 2021.  Prior to LISC Jacksonville, Linda held various non-profit leadership positions in the Jacksonville area for over 25 years. Linda will lead resource development and community outreach for LISC Jacksonville, securing financial support from all sectors to support community and economic development initiatives. “I love contributing my fundraising and marketing skills toward making a positive impact in the community, and LISC provided the perfect opportunity to continue my passions and help Jacksonville’s most vulnerable citizens and neighborhoods."  Linda is a graduate of University of Connecticut with a B.S. in Marketing.

John joined LISC full-time in 2019 as Disaster Recovery and Resiliency Manager, focused on Hurricane Irma recovery, establishing a Duval disaster coalition and serving as a citizen expert on the City Council’s Special Committee on Resiliency. In his current housing-resiliency role, John promotes neighborhood-based interventions that help residents in formerly-redlined neighborhoods build family wealth through homeownership, including legal assistance to address heirs’ property, appraisal devaluations and a home repair collaborative that integrates energy efficiency and weatherization to promote health, cost savings and storm resiliency.

John also serves on national LISC’s Green Team organized around three core areas – Green and Healthy Homes and Jobs, Resilient and Regenerative Communities and Equitable Green Finance – to take advantage of growing opportunities across the public, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors for LISC and partners to support environmental sustainability and climate justice while building more livable communities.

His experience includes working as tenant intake attorney at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and 16 years as national legal counsel for The First Tee youth development program. John also practiced real estate and finance law in Jacksonville, and continues to advise faith communities and nonprofit organizations. He has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, and a B.A. in History from the University of Illinois.

Sample Video Links: 
Duval Disaster Coalition/Long Term Hurricane Irma Recovery: Click Here for Video

Environmental Defense Fund’s series “Keeping Florida, Florida” includes how equity-driven organizations in Jacksonville are working with City leaders to build climate resilience and equity for all populations – Click Here for Video

Charles (Chuck) Shealy joined LISC Jacksonville in April 2017. Chuck has extensive experience in commercial lending and a strong history in working with municipalities, planning departments and neighborhood organizations to meet "smart growth" initiatives and reach mutually beneficial goals. 

Chuck has been involved in the Atlanta real estate market for nearly 30 years holding positions with Confederation Life Insurance Company; Maxwell Properties, Inc.; SCI Real Estate Investments, LLC; and Massell Commercial Real Estate. Prior to joining LISC Jacksonville, he worked for IGI Real Estate Consulting who has offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Greenville South Carolina. 

Chuck graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance and Real Estate.

Originally from Jacksonville, Kristopher Smith joined the LISC Jacksonville staff on April 20, 2020. In his role as Community Development Program Officer, Smith oversees LISC’s Jacksonville Urban Core Initiative and its efforts to advance economic growth in urban core neighborhoods. Kristopher brings nearly 20 years of experience in community engagement and development, grantmaking and capacity building to the organization.

Kristopher comes to Jacksonville from Lexington, Kentucky where he served as Director of Community Services for the Community Action Council in Lexington managing the organization’s community centers and Head Start initiatives focused on reducing poverty, helping ensure program excellence and compliance while providing financial oversight for the agency’s $42 million annual operating budget as part of the senior leadership group. Before joining Community Action, he served as a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Mid-South, focusing on workforce development, community revitalization and education issues. Prior to that, Smith was the director of leadership development for the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and during that time he worked closely with the Older Industrial Cities funder working group to allocate resources and oversee project execution.

Kristopher received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University; and his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Bethune – Cookman University. Also, he participated in Neighborworks’ Achieving Excellence in Community Development Program for Senior Executives at Harvard University, and received his certification in Entrepreneurship Education from Babson College.

Kathie joined LISC August 2011. Before joining LISC, Kathie worked for various non-profits in Jacksonville including United Way of Northeast Florida and Daniel Memorial, Inc., the oldest child care serving agency in the state of Florida.  Prior to working with non-profits, Kathie worked for Sears Distribution Center in Jacksonville for 15 years.

When not in the office, she enjoys going to the gym and has participated in several half-marathons and has run a full marathon.  She also enjoys spending time with her two grandchildren and working in the yard. But her one favorite thing to do, is decorating her house for Christmas.  Her house is the most decorated house in her neighborhood. 

Wilber currently is responsible for preparing and monitoring the annual budgets for several LISC offices and developing systems to improve the efficiency of their accounting and reporting processes. In addition, he is responsible for overseeing the design of the accounting systems, internal control procedures and financial reporting of numerous LISC subsidiaries.

Wilber brings to LISC over two decades of experience in accounting and finance which include working at Aruvil International, Diagnostic Health Services, and Federacion Nacional Comerciantes. He is fluent in Spanish and holds a bachelor’s in Accounting from Universidad de San Buenaventura and a CPA License from the New York Department of Education.

Wilber joined LISC in 2003 as a Junior Accountant and was promoted to the position of Director of Finance for LISC NYC in 2014. In 2015, he served as a budget and finance consultant to LISC Jacksonville and in 2016 he expanded his role in finance and budgeting as a permanent contracted staff consultant for LISC Jacksonville.