Julie Watson (pictured above), a program director and associate professor in the College of Health and Natural Sciences at Bay Path University, has been elected to the board of directors at Betty Griffin Center.
“Julie brings a vast amount of experience in health and rehabilitation, along with years of expertise in operations, which represents a great addition to our board,” said Betty Griffin Center CEO Kelly Franklin.
Before joining Bay Path University in 2017, Watson served as a fellowship coordinator at Brooks Rehabilitation from 2015 – 2017 – where she continued on as a scholarly mentor until 2021. Prior to that, she was an assistant professor for occupational therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences from 2009 – 2017.
In addition to receiving many awards and honors for her professional achievements, Watson has donated her time to serve on many other boards including the St. Johns County Falls Coalition and Wildflower Healthcare – along with supporting special events for nonprofit agencies including the Habitat for Humanity and the ‘Wear It More Than Once for Charity’ event, which she founded in 2016.
Watson received her PhD in Public Health from the University of Florida in 2015.
The board also elected new officers for the 2023-24 terms, including:
Jayne G. Evans, the executive officer for consulting firm Heart Touch, began her second term as board chair. Jose Gavarrette, the vice president of supplier business management at Citi, was elected board vice-chair.
Melissa Angulo, the chief financial officer at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra, was elected board treasurer.
Lauren Howington, a benefits consultant at Acentria Insurance in St. Augustine, was elected board secretary.