teamwork
About
how we started
history
In 2003, two concerned mothers met with Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty to discuss strengthening families in their community. The idea for “Week of the Family” was born.
Through their efforts, and the extraordinary help of Mayor Crotty, on October 28, 2003, Orange County’s first Week of the Family Proclamation was signed.
Mayor Crotty gave his support, including a place to meet, staff members, and resources to help bring together what some Orange County Staff Members call “The best example of citizens getting involved in the community.”
Since that time, Week of the Family celebrations have spread throughout counties in Florida and communities in several other states. Events include free festivals, concerts, family history conferences, parent seminars, service projects and other events–all meant to remind families to spend time together and strengthen the relationships that matter most.
We always welcome helping hands.
Week of the Family
team members
Board of Directors
Click + to read more.
Melanie Williams, President
Christian for over three decades, Melanie M. Williams has been married to Trevor Williams since December 16, 1996, and together they have four boys, Adam, Ryan, Erik, and Neal.
Prior to getting married and having children, Melanie served her country as a diplomat with the Jamaican Embassy in Bonn, Germany, and at the Jamaica Mission to the United Nations in New York where she worked until the birth of her second child in September 2000.
Melanie has had the privilege of staying at home affording her the opportunity to follow one of her passions – writing. Melanie is a published author of two children’s books. She provides editorial service and publishing guidance to prospective Writers.
Melanie works part-time as a Program Assistant with Informed Families of Florida. She volunteers her expertise serving on the Week of the Family Committee for over eight years, and on the Foundation for Orange County Public School Committee.
In addition, Melanie has, for over 16 years, served with her sons’ elementary, middle, and high schools PTA/PTSAs within Orange County, Florida. She is a past President of the Orange County Council of PTAs/PTSAs, and currently, is the Secretary of the Florida PTA. She holds a Florida PTA Lifetime Membership Award for her commitment to the PTA mission and the community.
Melanie is one of the Facilitators of the Sisters Bible Class that meets on Tuesdays at her home congregation, the Southside Church of Christ in Orlando, Florida, USA. She enjoys presenting encouraging, thought-provoking lessons on the Prayer Calls. She is passionate about serving with the Youth Ministry assisting with participation in Youth Conferences and programs.
Her hobbies are writing, reading historical and inspirational books, traveling, and importantly, serving others. Her heart’s desire is to surrender her life completely to God and to win souls for the Kingdom.
Elizabeth Rahter, Vice President
Elizabeth Rahter has been passionate about families (other than her own) since undergraduate school. She enjoyed learning the complexities of the family dynamic in relation to communities and government, as well as within the home. She continued that quest while studying for her master’s in public administration as well as her Juris Doctorate degrees at Brigham Young University.
Elizabeth started her government employment during summers through college and continued throughout law school and beyond. She retired from government service when she started her family but has continued practicing law in the greater Orlando area for more than 28 years. She and her husband, Rob, have four children and a nephew for whom they care and who bring them great joy in life.
Elizabeth has enjoyed serving on the Orange County Week of the Family Foundation since 2015, and feels it is just the right combination of everyone and everything she loves and has interest in! Elizabeth is active in her local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and enjoys serving in many different capacities there like teaching and interfaith/government outreach. Service is her love-language.
In her younger years, Elizabeth served as a missionary in the Antwerp, Belgium mission and relishes any opportunity to speak Flemish or visit with friends from her time abroad. She also enjoys tennis and travel and is an avid fan of any sport her children play or in any activity in which they get involved. She loves learning and therefore loves listening, reading, and asking questions to find out what other people know and have learned. She enjoys being on the children’s school advisory committees and volunteering whenever she can. She loves living in sunny Florida and soaking up the light from the sun and all the wonderful people around her, and hopefully, reflecting some of God’s light into the lives of those around her.
Suzanne Zeinfeld, Secretary
She graduated from Owens Technical College with a computer programming degree, but quickly learned that she did not want to sit in front of a computer all day. She wanted to be with people! Suzanne continued her education receiving a degree in Business and Computer Science with minors in Finance and Accounting at the University of Toledo. That opened doors to the retail and banking industry and eventually to meeting her husband of 30+ years. She has lived most of her married life in Fort Worth, Texas, Virginia/DC area and now Orlando, FL. While she has no children, Suzanne says she has had ‘children’ of the four-legged variety!
Suzanne’s interest in helping people and her love for animals led to an opportunity to volunteer at Loudoun Therapeutic Riding in Virginia where she assisted trainers with horses used as therapy for disabled children and military vets. Wanting to give back to the wonderful horses that gave so much to the children and vets, Suzanne began training in the Masterson Method for Equine Massage.
It was there that Suzanne decided that it was more important for her to invest her time and money in local charities rather than big national organizations. She felt strongly about supporting those in her own community where she could be part of the solutions and results could be seen first hand.
Suzanne is currently a mentor to a recipient of the Support Our Scholars program and assists with their fundraising efforts. She is actively involved with the local Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization where she gets to build beds for children and use power tools! She volunteers at Give Kids the World and supports other local organizations, such as Southern Cross Service Dogs, nonPareil Institute, Advent Health and The Faine House. She also enjoys tennis, golf, travel, the beach and time with friends and family.
Suzanne believes that helping others to see and locate the resources and opportunities available gives them the ability to make choices that educate, elevate and empower them to improve themselves and their situation. This builds a stronger individual which extends beyond to a stronger family and community.
Suzanne is often reminded of something that her high school band teacher once said… ‘We are only as good as the weakest member of this band. It is ALL of our jobs to help each other if we want to be the best we can be’. Words she lives by.
Kimberly Adamski, Treasurer
Kimberly Adamski serves as the Compliance Officer for the Florida PTA. Prior to being an employee, she volunteered her professional knowledge, and time serving local PTAs/PTSAs in the positions of Treasurer and Vice President.
She is a PTA advocate and strongly holds to the PTA Mission “to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.”
She has a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (Computational Sciences, Psychology, and Elementary Education) from the University of Central Florida and an AA in Early Childhood Education from Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. She holds a valid Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion and complies with IRS AFSP requirements. Kimberly is the CEO of “ITaxYouRelax”.
She is mother to four wonderful children and resides in Orlando, Florida.
Committee Members
Yvette Shelton-Edmonds
Ivory Rodante
Social Media Guru
Renee Raper
Mayor of Lake Buena Vista, FL, Children’s book author, Business owner, Volunteer worker and a passionate Mother and Grandmother
Deja Barnes
Orange County Citizens’ Commission for Children
Danna Jackson-Carroll
Orange County Citizens’ Commission for Children
Pam Carson
Director, OCPS District Foundation & Community Outreach
Panya Campbell
Community Relations & Marketing/Florida Ambassador, Simply Healthcare Plans
Neal Kimball
Family Table Time
Victoria Laney
Southwest Orange County Representative
Tiffany Gong
Craig O’Neil
City of Winter Park
Fatima Ait Rami
Outreach Director, Islamic Society of Orlando
Marsha Reece
GRAND Parents America EXPO/GRAND Magazine
Vaidwattie “Vaido” Jagmohan
OCPS Foundation, Administrator, Additions School Volunteers
Todd Rowley
Special Events Coordinator, Orange County Parks & Recreation
Mariel Milano
Director, Family and Community Engagement, OCPS
Curtis Moser
City of Ocoee, Community Event Aide, Community Relations
Kent Keoppel
Just Serve
Christine & Jessica Pinkowski
Progam & Promotions, Orange County Library System
Carol Clark
Orange County Parks & Recreation