Zelda O’Connell born in Los Angeles, California, growing up in Mexico and Southern California. She experienced many of the challenges faced by inner-city children; gangs, drugs, violence, and foster homes. After several years abroad and living in different states she moved to Florida in 2013 after her husband retired from the military. Zelda has a Bachelors in Business Administration and Management with a focus in Health Administration and Services. She has over 15 years of business development and management in a medical health clinic environment, including working for the Central District Health Department in Idaho. Her current role within the Florida Dream Center allows her to bring life experiences and for profit development skills to a multi-program non-profit organization. She enjoys the ability she has to go out into the community and help residents through a boots on the ground approach while still working within the office to develop sustainable programs that provide direct services to individuals that fall through the cracks or do not qualify for other services.
The joy of helping others, her degree in business and her cultural upbringing of family and community importance created the perfect storm. After volunteering with the fledgling Florida Dream Center for nearly a year, they put her combined skills and passions to work. She quickly proved her mettle in the nonprofit and the community alike. She now works as the Chief Operations Officer where she guides volunteers and employees toward the goals of restoring dreams, renewing hope and rebuilding lives in the Florida communities in need.
