Community Leader: Jennifer Tragash

Jennifer Tragash

Jennifer Tragash is being recognized for her dedication to the Gainesville community. She has worked for over 30 years to promote positive outcomes for children and families in our community. Born in Gainesville, Florida, Jennifer earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Florida and holds a Florida teaching certificate in Specific Learning Disabilities K-12. She has a broad range of teaching, multi-disciplinary assessment, resource development, and consultative experience in early childhood through post-secondary teacher and parent education.

Currently Ms. Tragash serves as the Director of The Mentor Center. She states, “The mission of The Mentor Center is to support local mentoring organizations, programs and initiatives in order to strengthen and expand mentoring opportunities for the citizens of Alachua County.  Our vision is that every child, young adult, parent, and/or business entrepreneur in our community who needs and wants a mentor will be suitably matched with one.” Prior to joining the Mentor Center, Jennifer was the United Way of North Central Florida Director of Impact and Initiatives where she worked with a broad array of non-profits in the education, health, and social service sector. She worked for over 20 years as a Program Director of the University of Gainesville Reads program and the University of Florida Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Training program (MDTP). Jennifer has served as a mentor and life coach for more than 20 children and young adults. She asserts, “I am convinced that through intergenerational mentoring we can positively impact the world”.

Jennifer saw the importance of mentors early in life. “My first mentoring experience occurred when I was ten years old.  I was asked by family friends to help their six-year old son who had Down’s syndrome learn to read.  I ultimately did teach this child to read, write, and calculate numbers.  This experience shaped the course of my personal and professional conviction that one individual can make a positive difference in another individual’s life,” says Tragash. Her life in growing up in Gainesville too helped to shape her dedication to mentorship. “I attended Gainesville public and private schools in Gainesville, Santa Fe College, and ultimately graduated from the University of Florida.  Alachua county is an extremely diverse community in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, faith, politics, education, ability, and income, however, we are for the most part a tolerant community, open to collaborative problem-solving and learning. I have been extremely blessed by multiple opportunities over the years to learn from, work with, and be mentored by intelligent, compassionate, innovative individuals across all of these areas.”

We need more people like Jennifer Tragash she is role model to us all and this is why she is our community leader.