Our Team

Willie A. Battles

Chief Executive Officer

Willie A. Battles, a businessman and pastor from Williston, Florida, is known for his community development in the areas of housing, home ownership, family building, and saving children. After years of fostering these initiatives, he was inspired as a Watchman on the Wall in his community to develop Unity Family Community Center.

Battles’ own personal commitment to making transformative differences in people’s lives expanded into a one-of-a kind approach to service delivery in the Williston community and surrounding areas. The approach encompasses holistic service delivery that addresses the spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, educational and social needs of individuals. His personal commitment, and his own consistent presence in the service delivery, breeds a unique trust and has brought him, and UFCC, recognition from across the state of Florida and the nation.

M. Joyce Wilson

Executive Director

M. Joyce Wilson is the Executive Director with UFCC for 12 years. Ms. Wilson has over 25 years of experience in organizational development (nonprofit), federal and state grant administration to include peer reviews, federal reporting, grant management, and grant writing. She has worked as a Community Coach with Florida State University, Center for Prevention in providing technical assistance and training to substance abuse prevention coalitions in the NW and NE regions of Florida. Her passion for community impact began with her employment with the State of Florida for 23 years. She managed Florida’s Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to oversee federal funds to address juvenile delinquency which included distributing pass-through grant funds to communities that addressed juvenile delinquency in high risk communities.

Ms. Wilson serves on the board of Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition as Treasurer and has been appointed to serve as a member of Nature Coast Economic Development Council. Ms. Wilson holds a B.A. in Business Administration with concentration in Management and Dual Master of Arts in Management & Leadership and Human Resource Management. and development in communities through partnerships, commitment and resources.

Nosheika Rucker

Project Director – Sexual Risk Avoidance Education

Nosheika Rucker is the Project Director for the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program (SRAE) and has been with UFCC for 14 years. She is certified as a Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist and Train of Trainers (TOT) for the evidence-based curriculum, Making A Difference (MAD).

Ms. Rucker serves as a mentor in her community to several youth. Ms. Rucker is currently enrolled at College of Central Florida, pursuing her education in Business Administration.

Corey Edwards

Teen Health Education Specialist – Sexual Risk Avoidance Education

Corey Edwards is a Teen Health Education Specialist and has been with UFCC since June 2019. He brings prior experience in Logistics, non-clinical Prevention Intervention Counselor and Juvenile Detention Officer with MRJDC. Mr. Edwards volunteers through mentoring young men.

Stephanie Miller

Project Director – Mentoring Program

Stephanie Miller is the new Mentor Coordinator and has been with UFCC for 1 year. For over 10 years, Mrs. Miller has been working with youth and families, through volunteering and mentoring.

Shari Gillum

Teen Health Education Specialist

Shari Gillum is a Teen Health Education Specialist, for the Personal Reasonability Education Program (PREP) and has been with UFCC for 8 years. Ms. Gillum has been trained by ETR associates to educate youth through a curriculum known as Promoting Health Among Teens.

She has obtained her national certification through the National Education Abstinence Association (NAEA). The certification Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist (SRAS) is designed to educate youth on avoiding risky behaviors that may lead to STD’s/HIV and reoccurring pregnancy. Ms. Gillum has 8 years of experience in victims advocate work and has served many families in Columbia and Levy counties.

Ivy Nichols

Teen Health Education Specialist

Ivy Nichols is a Teen Health Education Specialist, for the Personal Reasonability Education Program (PREP) and has been with UFCC for 14 years. Mrs. Nichols previously worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for almost 4 years.

She has been certified as a Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist, trained in the Making a Difference curriculum, Too Good for Drugs curriculum, Choosing the Best Curricula, Promoting Health Among Teens curriculum, and LifeSkills curricula.

Blaine Vitallo

Project Director – SWAG Afterschool Program

Blaine Vitallo is the Project Director of the Students Winning and Achieving Goals (SWAG) afterschool program and summer camp. He has been with UFCC for 3 years. He is a writer and former Language Arts Teacher.

Mr. Vitallo is a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in English.

Annie Battles

Resource Specialist – Prevention/Intervention

Annie Battles is a Prevention/Intervention Resource Specialist with UFCC for almost 2 years. She is currently taking on the title as Project Director for UFCC’s newest program, Vocational Rehabilitation. Ms. Battles has over 34 years of experience working in State Government, non-profit, public and private sector. She has served with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Office of Prevention and Victim Services as the Statewide Disproportionate Minority Contact and Volunteer Coordinator where she managed contracts that received federal funding by DJJ. Ms. Battles background includes, Consulting Clinician (Circuits 3, 5 & 8) with BAYS Florida, SRAE Program Director with Unity Family Community Center, Career Coach with Workforce Connections Henkel’s & McCoy, 21stCentury Community Learning Project Director with Levy County School Board, Restorative Justice Neighborhood Accountability Board Program Director with UFCC, Statewide Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Office of Prevention and Victim Services, SAFE & Family Services Coordinator with Associated Marine Institutes, Train the Trainer for Restorative Justice and Program Director/Recreational Therapist for Girls Club of Alachua County.

Ms. Battles received her Bachelor’s in Recreational Therapy from the University of Florida and her Master’s for Guidance Counseling, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Counseling from Webster University.