COAS | Dean's Leadership Council
The College of Arts and Sciences is privileged to have the leadership and commitment of its Dean's Leadership Council. The Council's mission is to foster a vital relationship between the College and the community that it serves. The College is honored that the following individuals have given at least $2,000 per year to the College and have committed to serving the Arts and Sciences with their time and their talent:
- Leinesa D. Adams - CEO GrowthSpring Enterprises
- John (Jack) Allen – Investor
- Juliette Gredenhag* – Educator and Community Advocate
- Sheila Hickson-Curran – Medical Safety Officer, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
- Veronika Jenke – Curator of Education, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
- Jessica Lee* – Environmental Scientist
- Katie LeMaster – Retired Nurse and Social Worker, Mayo Clinic
- Janice Machin – Retired Nurse and Adjunct Professor of Art History
- Dr. Shiv Mahadevan – Senior Research Fellow, Materials Discovery, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
- Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Marcon – UNF Professor Emerita of Psychology
- Christina McIntosh* – Local Realtor and team leader for ENGEL & VÖLKERS Jacksonville
- Pam Paul – Community Leader, UNF Supporter since its founding
- Rhodes Robinson – CEO, Environmental Services, Inc.
- Judy Score – Retired Marketing and Development professional
- Robert (Bob) Tonsfeldt – Retired Business Executive
* UNF Alumni
Leinesa D. Adams
Leinesa delivers growth and innovation with GrowthSpring Enterprises. She received her Executive M.B.A. from Jacksonville University and her B.S. in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Florida. She enjoys spending time with her family, serving in non-profit organizations, playing the bass guitar, and playing tennis. Leinesa is excited to work with UNF’s College of Arts and Sciences, supporting their mission, having once been an Osprey in undergraduate studies.
John J. “Jack” Allen
Jack is an investor. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics and is a licensed Florida real estate broker. Jack’s continuing service to the community is evidenced by his present commitments to the Boards of Trustees of the University of North Florida Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art – Jacksonville. 
Juliette (Julie) Gredenhag
Julie is a double University of North Florida Alumna! Julie earned a Double Bachelor of Arts in Communication and English with a minor in French in 1999. During her undergraduate studies she spent a summer semester at the American University of Paris in 1997. She earned her Master of Arts in English from UNF in 2022.
Supporting UNF and its College of Arts and Sciences is important for creating a better future in Jacksonville and in our world. It has been an honor for her to help establish study abroad scholarships for both COAS and the College of Business students and to support French and Francophone Studies at UNF. The Cascone Family Foundation established the Cascone Family Foundation French and Francophone Studies Professorship.
Julie is a Jacksonville native who has served on various community and school boards and committees and enjoys spending time with her husband, Jonas (2000 graduate of UNF with a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Sciences), and their four children.
Sheila Hickson-Curran
Sheila was born in London. She graduated with a B.Sc., in Optometry & Vision Science from City University London MCOptom, British College of Optometrists. Currently, she is the Medical Affairs Leader, Retinal Diseases at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. For the last 15 years, Sheila and her family have called Ponte Vedra Beach home.
Veronika Jenke
Veronica is retired from the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. She worked there for 20 years, from 1987-2007, and served as its curator of education in the National Museum of African Art. She received a master’s degree in painting from The University of Alabama and a Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in art education from Indiana University Bloomington. Veronika and her husband, Rip Stockho, moved to Fleet Landing in 2020. Veronika is a lead supporter of the Ceramics Visiting Artist Workshop.
Jessica Lee
Jessica is an environmental biology graduate student at the University of North Florida. Jessica was the first Friends of Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Fellow at UNF. Currently, she is finishing her graduate degree and is the Florida Aquatic Preserve Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Program Coordinator.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature from the University of South Florida. She is married to Carlton Lee, has two children, and resides in Avondale.
Katie LeMaster
Katie is a Jacksonville Native. She earned her Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Science, Social Work, from Florida State University. Additionally, she earned an associate of Science, Nursing, from Florida State University. She is a retired U.S. Navy Social Worker and retired Mayo Clinic Registered Nurse. Her board affiliations have included the National Association of Social Workers, Catholic Charities, St. Johns County Historic Resource Board, and the Board of the Mental Health Resource Center. Katie is a 1990 graduate of Leadership Jacksonville. Katie supports her mother’s scholarship, the Harriet LeMaster French Scholarship Endowment, that helps students interested in French studies, minor in French language, or any other French degree study abroad.
Janice Machin
Janice earned her Bachelor of Art, Public Affairs and Master of Art, Art History, Ancient Studies. She taught as a faculty member in UNF’s Department of Art and Design from 2004-2011. Her key areas of interest are ancient studies and art history. Janice also maintained her registered nurse licenses in Ohio, New Jersey, and Florida. Janice is married to Bob Machin and has a daughter, Kristen, who is a children’s book author. Janice and Bob are lead supporters of the Art, Art History, and Design Department and support an annual lecture, the Machin Ancient Studies Lecture, every fall semester.
Dr. Shiv Mahadevan
As a way of continuing Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s strong relationship with the College, Shiv accepted the invitation to be on the Dean’s Council following Dr. Carol Lakkis. Shiv has a PhD in Chemistry with a focus in organic chemistry. Shiv has been a chemist for J&J Vision Care in Jacksonville since 2000.
Dr. Rebecca (Becky) Marcon
Professor Emerita of Psychology, University of North Florida, continues her advocacy for UNF Faculty and Students by serving on the Dean’s Leadership Council. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, Ph.D., Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, M.A., Education (School Psychology) and California State University Fullerton, B.A., Psychology. She enjoys spending time with friends, helping Head Start, watching college sports, traveling, and baking. In honor of her father, Becky established the Frank B. Marcon Endowed Scholarship for active students in the Society for Women Engineers.
Christina McIntosh
After living overseas throughout her childhood, Christina moved to Jacksonville at the end of high school. She is an Alumna of the University of North Florida, earning her Bachelor of Arts Spanish in 1995. Christina is a Realtor for the McIntosh Group: Engel & Völkers, Jacksonville. She and her husband, Steven, have four children.
Pam Paul
The daughter of Pam and Bobby Paul, who have been ardent supporters of UNF since its founding, Pam brings deep experience in non profit governance and management in the realms of early childhood, K-12 education, youth development and the arts. She is excited to follow in her parent’s footsteps at UNF and feels a strong affinity for UNF’s focus on student success, particularly first generation college students.
Pam holds a BA from Middlebury College and an MBA from City University in London. Pam recently served as the board chair of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens for three years, guiding significant changes that have greatly expanded its audience. Her professional career included executive positions at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, The Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, and The Jacksonville Children’s Commission where she was passionate about improving education and supports for underserved students.
Prior to that, Pam worked in account management for advertising agencies in New York, Atlanta and London.
She is married to Hank Holbrook, a partner in the law firm Lippes Mathias, and has a son, Chad, who is in graduate school in Urban Design at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Pam is a member of The Women’s Giving Alliance, Christ Episcopal Ponte Vedra and supports several nonprofits. She loves reading and travel. Recovering from a knee replacement, she hopes to get back on the tennis court soon.
Rhodes Robinson
Rhodes is a triple Alumnus of North Carolina State University, earning his Master of Science, Wildlife Biology, Bachelor of Science, Wildlife Biology, and Bachelor of Science, Textile Technology. He is a wildlife biologist, Certified Environmental Professional, and Professional Wetland Scientist. During his career, Rhodes has conducted environmental studies throughout the Southeastern United States and Eastern Caribbean on over 1,000,000 acres of land. He has extensive experience in large-scale planning and permitting projects, conducting and coordinating master plans, developments of regional impacts, environmental impact statements, and mitigation banks. Rhodes and his wife, Sarah, live in Queen’s Harbor. Rhodes is an Honorary Alumnus and has been a dedicated member of the Council for over 15 years. Rhodes and Sarah established the Robinson Family Scholarship Endowment for Environmental Studies, Environmental Sciences, or Biology students.
Robert (Bob) Tonsfeldt
Bob is a 39-year veteran of the telecommunications industry. He had been president of BellSouth Mobility, Inc. since its inception in 1983. Before joining BellSouth, he was vice president of engineering and operations of Advanced Mobile Phone Service, the AT&T subsidiary that developed and built the nation's first cellular telephone system. In 1991, Bob Tonsfeldt was appointed chief operating officer of Cellular Data Inc. He has held directorships with Aircall (London), BellSouth Australia, Mobilcomm American Cellular Communication and BellSouth Mobility. He was elected Cellular Telecommunications Industry president in 1986.
Bob has been dedicated to the College of Arts and Sciences for over 20 years. He has served on the Dean's Leadership Council and created meaningful change for our students through his scholarships and volunteer work. His scholarships include the Gwynne Tonsfeldt Behavioral Neuroscience Scholarship and the Tonsfeldt Classical Music Scholarship. Bob is an UNF Honorary Alumnus. He received the UNF Presidential Medallion from President Pam Chally in 2022.