New Members Join SPC Foundation Board, Board of Trustees
7/16/2021
By Foundation Staff
Two new faces grace the board of the St. Petersburg College Foundation – banking executive Bemetra Simmons and healthcare leader Jackie Munro – and SPC's Board of Trustees now has a new member in insurance industry, veteran Jason Butts.
Bemetra has served as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for United Way Suncoast since January 2020, after working in financial services for 15 years. Prior to joining United Way Suncoast, she was Florida Managing Director at Mutual of Omaha Bank. In that position, her primary role was to grow the bank’s profile through community and civic engagement. She began her career as an account manager with WorldCom and later served as a global account manager at AT&T Global Services.
The daughter of an Air Force chaplain, Bemetra attended Christian Brothers University in Memphis on a basketball scholarship and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She is active in the community, serving on the Board of Trustees for Christian Brothers University, Community Tampa Bay, and the City of Tampa’s Police Review Board.
Jackie is Vice President of Nursing Systems & Resources at BayCare Health System. She has been part of BayCare hospitals for 31 years, serving in various nursing leadership roles, including System Director of Clinical Education and Nursing Practice from 2016-18.
In her current role, she is responsible for the professional development and practice of nursing across the entire health system, ensuring the highest levels of quality and consistency in nursing across all clinical settings (including hospital, ambulatory, home care, and behavioral health). She earned her pre-licensure RN degree from St. Petersburg Junior College, and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Tampa, a Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida, and a Doctorate in Nursing Science from the USF. Jackie is also President of the Florida Organization of Nurse Executives.
Jason serves as Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development for SimplyIOA and Insurance Office of America. Appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Palm Harbor resident's term began March 26, 2021. Jason was the founder and owner of Commonwealth Insurance of the Bay Area. A member of the Florida Association of Insurance Agent, Jason currently serves on the board of the YMCA of North Pinellas and Greater Palm Harbor. He earned his bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Florida.
