Leadership and Community Supporters

J. Nelson Kull, III

Founder & President

J. Nelson Kull, III lives with schizophrenia and was raised by a loving Mother who also had the illness. In 1993, Nelson helped found Pathways Drop In Center, Inc. and has served as its President since that time. Nelson has served on the Boards of NAMIGO, NAMI Florida, Mental Health Association of Central Florida, Disability Rights Florida, is past Chair of the NAMI Florida Consumer Council and currently serves on the State Mental Health Planning Council.

jkull@cfl.rr.com 407-617-3311

Christopher Vic Polk, Sr.

Chairman of the Board

Mr. Christopher Vic Polk, Sr. has been involved with Pathways since the very early years and has been on the board for 13 years. He is the current Chairman of the Board. He has a long involvement with 12 step groups, having many years of personal recovery. He is enthusiastic about sharing with others who are dually diagnosed as he is. 

Donald Abreu

Board Member

Donald Abreu, whose friends call him Bear, has been a Pathways’ member for over 13 years. He has been a resident at Pathways for 11 years. He has been a board member for the past 5 years. He enjoys volunteering at Pathways and helping people. Pathways appreciates his insight and many services.

Lt. Deanne Adams

Board Member

Lt. Deanne Adams is the crisis intervention team (CIT) coordinator for the Orange County Department of Corrections. She has worked tirelessly to ensure law enforcement officers are properly trained to handle situations involving people with mental illness in a state of crisis. In addition to being a Pathways Drop-in Center board member, Deanne also serves on the Board of Directors for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Orlando, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) of Central Florida, and is vice-chair of the Orange County F.A.C.T. Advisory Board.

Deanne.Adams@ocfl.net

Donna Helsel

Board Member

After 20 years as a business owner in Central Florida, Donna Helsel now works part-time as an office administrator, which allows her time to volunteer in the community. She dedicates her time to promoting mental health awareness through her role as Education Director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Orlando. Donna joined the Pathways Board in 2007 and continues to advocate for those living with a mental illness.

donna47200@aol.com

Edwin Hernandez

Board Member

After being dignosed with depression I became homeless and had to leave school. after spending 5 years on the streets I found Pathways which has allowed me to have a home, get my GED, and attend College, as well as giving me the oportunity to help others when I became a board member.

magikperson@yahoo.com

Minister Gerald G. Israel

Board Member

Minister Gerald G. Israel is a Board member of Pathways Drop-In Center, Inc. He has been a mental health consumer/advocate for 21 years in the community. Spirituality is an important part of his life. It helps him to live a productive life [Ministry]. As a board member of Pathways he has helped many mental health consumers in the community.

geraldministry@yahoo.com

Clarence Jackson

Board Member

Clarence Jackson became a board member after being helpful to the other members wanting to become more involved. Clarence has always tried to help make Pathways a better place and wants to help make it even better.

Robert James

Board Member

Robert James has been working in the mental health field for more than 15 years, with an emphasis in the last 10 years on helping the homeless population. He currently works for Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. as a case manager and outreach specialist. He is volunteering on the Pathways Drop in Center board of directors to assist the members and staff.

robertj@lakesidecares.org

Joe Mendoza

Board Member

Joe Mendoza currently serves as executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Greater Orlando (NAMIGO) which covers Orange and Seminole Counties. In addition to being a Pathways Drop-in Center board member, Joe also serves on the Florida State Mental Health Planning Council and is chair of the Orange County F.A.C.T. Advisory Board.

Office Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm, Monday through Friday. 407-253-1900

Lynda Pealer

Board Member

Lynda Pealer’s mother Elizabeth (Betty) Graham suffered from mental illness and was a member at Pathways Drop-In Center. Lynda’s mother later became a Pathways board member. Lynda is an advocate for mental illness as well as the coauthor of the manuscript “Growing Up in the Garden of the Mad.” A story of her experiences of growing up with a parent with mental illness. Lynda is a local licensed Optician as well as an ambassador for the One Sight program that helps the under privileged receive the Gift of sight domestically and internationally.

lyndapealer@yahoo.com

Edward Prouty

Board Member

Edward Prouty has been a Pathways’ member for over 10 years. He loves working on computers. He has been a board member for over 5 years.

edwp411@yahoo.com 321- 208-0449

Debra Shadoan

Board Member

Debra Shadoan has been an Orange County Community Corrections Officer for almost 15 years with experience in Pretrial Release, Probation and Mental Health Case Management inside the Jail. She has been a CIT Officer since 2003. She has non-Corrections Mental Health experience as a quality assurance coordinator, community based case manager and as facilitator of support groups for long term survivors of HIV disease.

Debra.Shadoan@ocfl.net