Various locations including virtual!
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Katie Wiggins, Executive Director
Katie Wiggins moved to Jacksonville from Orlando at the age of 12. Katie began her career in the criminal justice field before becoming a victim advocate and group facilitator in Northeast prisons helping Florida's restorative justice and recidivism rate. She graduated from the University of North Florida with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. and has years of experience working in the field of mental health, counseling children, adults, families, and couples. Katie has incredible compassion for the hurting in our community. She is the owning counselor of Uprooted: Where Healing is Planted, a private practice in the Jacksonville area with a specialization in attachment and grief with a concentration in complicated grief due to homicide loss. Katie founded Healing Roots: Where Hope Is Found Inc. to help the community heal from the complicated grief caused by violent loss. As Executive Director of the board, she strives to provide support and safety to individuals and families served by Healing Roots within the community and co-members of the board.
.JPG/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1209,h:605,cg:true)
Anna Santiago, President
Anna is a Registered Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern and the owner of IncrediblyMe Counseling, LLC. In addition to her practice, she works full time as a Senior Juvenile Probation Officer. Anna became a counselor along with the work she does in the field because it has always been a passion of hers to help juveniles that have struggled within our legal system. Anna has been a part of so many youth's lives within the delinquency system that never had a chance to begin with; so many at such a young age have struggled within a broken family, with trauma, abuse, neglect, and have developed a survivor perspective in life. Anna challenges herself to help those that have endured so much pain to create a foundation of discovering who they truly are and uncover what makes them truly incredible. Anna's passions led her to Healing Roots because the criminal justice system affects everyone, even the victims. Anna brings her same passion for working with those that have struggled within our legal system to the victims of having a loved one lost to homicide. Anna's goal is to help others heal and through all the pain, most of all, help them rediscover how truly incredible they are
Sara Simpson, Vice President
Sara Simpson is a local native who enjoys nature and the eclectic scene that Jacksonville offers. She graduated from The University of North Florida (SWOOP!) with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is in the process of becoming licensed. Sara is a firm believer in community and has five years’ experience working in the field of mental health with a concentration in juvenile justice. Sara is currently a functional family therapist with BAYS Florida where she provides strength based and restorative interventions for the delinquency population. Previously, she was the program coordinator for the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Grant where she provided oversight of policies, procedures and best practices, collected data to ensure quality of service implementation and collaborated with community stakeholders. It is Sara’s hope to help build a strong community through advocacy, education and respect. As the Vice President of the board, she strives to provide support, knowledge, and dedication to the other board officers, the individuals our organization Healing Roots serves and the community in which we live.
.jpeg/:/cr=t:2.83%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:94.34%25/rs=w:1209,h:605,cg:true)
Dorothy Edgerton, Secretary Treasurer
Dorothy Edgerton serves Pneuma Life Church as Church Life and Care Coordinator overseeing the counseling, benevolent care, and bereavement support to families within Saint Johns County and Jacksonville. Dorothy is a mother, writer, teacher, and spiritual counselor who has served with several non-profit organizations and churches over the course of her career. Her compassion toward those grieving and in need moves her to support Healing Roots with enthusiasm and passion as secretary on the board.