MIDDLEBURG – Pace Center for Girls, a nationally-recognized model that provides education, counseling, training and advocacy for girls and young women, proudly announces the appointment of Genelle Thomas as Executive Director of Pace Clay.

“Genelle is a dynamic, collaborative leader who has the vision and experience to advance our mission and lead the center in Clay County,” said Mary Marx, Pace President and CEO. “I look forward to working alongside Genelle as she engages the Clay community in Pace’s work and reaches more girls across Northeast Florida.”

Thomas brings more than 20 years of nonprofit and youth development leadership to Pace Clay. She has a proven record of community impact and most recently served as the Director of National Initiatives at Partners for Youth with Disabilities. She was instrumental in increasing sustainable fiscal support, launching new programming, and building coalitions during her tenure. In this role, she co-founded the National Disability Mentoring Coalition and co-chaired the Mentoring and Leadership Task Force through UNICEF’s Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities.

“It’s an honor to lead Pace Clay and empower my home community’s next generation of girls and young women,” said Genelle Thomas, Executive Director at Pace Clay. “When we focus on supporting girls, they gain the power to achieve success in all areas of their lives, leading to positive outcomes for themselves, their families and our Clay community.”

Thomas is a University of North Florida 2023 JAIDE Institute Research Fellow, was recognized as a 2011 Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal and received the “40 Under 40” Award in 2012. She has supported the growth and sustainability of many nonprofits through board membership, including ElderSource and The Pillowcase Project.

Thomas holds a bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in educational psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Harvard University Extension School. She is completing a Doctor of Education from the University of North Florida. Founded in 1985, Pace provides free year-round middle and high school academics, case management, counseling, and life skills development in a safe and supportive environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds upon girls’ individual strengths. Dedicated to meeting girls’ social, emotional and educational needs, Pace has a successful and proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading advocates for girls in need.

For more information on Pace Center for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org.