DuBlasé Foundation

DuBlasé Foundation STEAM Scholarship
Deadline to Apply: Aug. 31, 2024
Award Amount: $500 - $2,000

Empowering minorities for a brighter future in S.T.E.A.M. through education and advocacy. By supporting the brilliant minds of today, we’re steering towards a more promising, inclusive tomorrow. Together, we can drive positive change.

https://www.dublase.org/scholarship-opportunites

On behalf of the DuBlasé Foundation, we would like to congratulate Mario Williams Jr. the recipient of the 2024 DuBlasé Foundation STEM Scholarship Award. Mario will be attending Albany State University, majoring in Computer Science.

Congratulations on all your achievements and good luck on your scholastic journey at ASU!

Albany State University National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

On behalf of the DuBlasé Foundation, we would like to congratulate Wren King, the recipient of the 2024 DuBlasé Foundation STEM Scholarship Award. Wren is an Electrical Engineering Scholar hailing from Jacksonville, FL.

Congratulations on all your achievements and good luck on your scholastic journey at Florida A&M University!

Always a great time visiting our good friends at KIPP Public Schools Jacksonville (). Special thanks to Chief Operating Officer, Zac West for the invite to see all the amazing things they are doing over at KIPP Bold City High School.

We had a wonderful time at the Sciencesis Black Women in STEM exhibit event.

provides young girls with the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to excel in STEM. Through engaging content, interactive activities, and real-world examples, they aim to cultivate critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a sense of empowerment. By celebrating the achievements of women of color in STEM and showcasing their journeys, they inspire their young audience to dream big and believe in their own potential.

proudly supports!

Special thanks to Gameface 4:13 Training Academy for the invite to talk to their students about STEM.

GameFace 413 Training Academy’s goal is to create a revolutionary life-changing holistic approach for the youth through physical, mental and spiritual training.

On behalf of the DuBlasé Foundation, we wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Special s/o to the Johnson Family YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast FL for everything they do.

Special thank you to Nemours Children’s Health for the invitation to the game.

Mark your calendars and lace up your running shoes for Nemours Inaugural KidsHealth Run & Walk held on Saturday, December 2nd.

The DuBlasé Foundation will join the cause and support kids in need.

The DuBlasé Foundation celebrates National STEM Day (Nov. 8th) with a trip to Famu/FSU College of Engineering for their Annual Fall Career Fair.

We are excited to announce our newest Board of Directors:

Brian Gaines, PE
Darren Brownlee, DrPH, MHA
Chise Nicholson
Kady Yellow
Jason Sablon
Lauren Eakins, MBA
Jared McNealy, EP-C
Megan Hayward
Jeremy Coleman, MD
Deion Eakins, CTRS
Tanisha Bell
Flossie Eakins, FMC

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Flossie Eakins.

Flossie Eakins, FMC is a native of Kingsland, Georgia and a proud graduate of Jones College, where she holds a bachelors degree in Accounting.

Flossie is a retired Accounting Officer for the Commander Navy Region Southeast (CNRSE); Naval Air Station Jacksonville, and certified by Maxwell Air University - Defense Financial Management and Comptroller School.

During her impressive 40 year career, Flossie directed, managed and integrated financial resource management for the Commander Navy Region Southeast Jacksonville by executing budgets exceeding $500 Million dollars annually. During her tenure, Flossie formulated a number of systems, policies, prescribed procedures, which exercise effective control over vast array of financial operations.

Flossie had the pleasure of serving as Policy Advisor, where she implemented changes in the defense travel system, the standard labor data collection & distribution system, and the defense property accountability system in accordance with Department of Defense Financial Management directives. Flossie had the pleasure of serving as a member of the Crisis Action Team who advised leadership, EOC and other personnel of funding resources for disasters and health crisis. Flossie also performed resource management internal control reviews to migrate risk to the government, region, and installations.

Flossie has always been a true advocate for education. She looks forward to exposing more youth into STEAM fields of study. Flossie was a crucial asset to the government and was highly recruited by Regional Personnel, Installation Personnel and Tenant Commands for her analytical insight, technical expertise and organizational abilities to direct and implement financial operations daily. Flossie aims to inspire the next generation of STEAM leaders so they can one day be recruited by the worlds top employers in that same fashion.

Flossie is married to Darrell Eakins Sr. They have three sons, Darrell Jr., Darrin and Deion.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Tanisha Bell.  

Tanisha is a proud graduate of Florida International University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education.

Tanisha is currently a Lead Science teacher with KIPP: Jacksonville Public Schools with over a decade of teaching experience. She encourages her students to imagine a future without limits and prepares them with the skills and confidence to pursue the path of their dream so they can lead fulfilling lives and create a more just world.

Prior to moving to Jacksonville, Tanisha worked for Broward County Public Schools, where she served as a classroom teacher, the school-based Equity Liaison, and the Debate Coach. She also co-advised a mentoring group for bottom quartile students that helped them gain confidence inside and outside of the classroom setting. 

Tanisha is member of the Junior League, Jacksonville chapter and is committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

Tanisha looks forward to continuing her advocacy for STEAM education for our black and brown youth. 

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Deion Eakins.

Deion Eakins is a Certified Therapeutic Recreational Specialist. In his current role as a Recreational Therapist with Baptist Health on the behavioral health unit, his primary focus is to help improve the physical, mental and emotional well-being of the patients he works with by increasing their basic motor functioning, cognitive, and sensory skills.

Deion is native of Jacksonville FL. After graduating from Trinity Christian Academy, he continued his education at Florida International University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy. At Florida International University, Deion was a scholarship athlete for the Men’s Football Team where he was a 3x-Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll award recipient.

Deion enjoys giving back to the community and is currently a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. He is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, as well as the Undergraduate Academic Honor Society.

Outside of Deion’s professional career, he is the founder and CEO of Dynamic Sounds, one of the fastest growing entertainment companies in north Florida. Deion serves as the Senior DJ and Audio Engineer with an aim to provide the ultimate entertainment experience to all of their clients.

Deion looks to continue his works in STEAM and inspire youth to follow their dreams.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Dr. Jeremy Coleman.  

Jeremy Coleman, M.D., is a native of Yulee, Florida. As a former athlete who experienced numerous injuries, Dr. Coleman’s love for sports and wellness persisted well after his playing days ended. This experience, in addition to his love for science and improving the health and lives of others, spawned his interest in sports medicine.

Dr. Coleman earned his degrees at Morehouse College and Duke University School of Medicine. During family medicine training at Louisiana State University, he covered a myriad of athletic events, such as high school sports and professional wrestling. He was also selected as the Resident of the Year. He then served as a team physician at the University of Alabama as a sports medicine fellow with Dr. James Robinson. Dr. Coleman has numerous peer-reviewed publications and has presented sports-medicine topics at local and national conferences.

Most importantly, his love for his family and community led him back home. Currently, he is the Medical Director at UF Health Family Medicine – Wildlight and UF Health Family Medicine- Amelia. Dr. Coleman is also the Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine at UF Health-Jacksonville while serving as the team physician for Yulee, Hilliard, Fernandina, and West Nassau High Schools. He is actively engaged in several community initiatives and the co-owner of the Nassau Pride—an ABA semi-pro basketball team focused on community engagement and youth empowerment.

Personally, Dr. Coleman is devoted husband to his best friend and wife, Shalanda, and a loving father to his four daughters.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Megan Hayward.

Megan’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for innovation sparked her desire to transform the outdated processes of temporary staffing. Her frustration with the status quo motivated her to launch Temporary Assistance Guru or TAG, a staffing agency that revolutionizes the way companies acquire temporary employees. Driven by the belief that the industry was ready for a revolution, Megan created an cutting-edge software platform that allows a modern approach to an antiquated industry.

Undeterred by the challenges of founding and running a business, Megan’s commitment to her vision led her to not only succeed with her own agency but also to contribute to the establishment of another staffing company. Megan’s impressive achievements in the industry have earned her a seat on the advisory board of the latter, further solidifying her status as a thought leader and trailblazer.

Megan’s dynamic personality extends beyond her professional pursuits as she also boasts an adventurous side with a penchant for adrenaline-inducing activities. Her love for fantasy books showcases her imaginative and creative mind, indicative of her innovative approach to her work. She also played Division I basketball at the University of North Florida. Megan and her husband are part of the ownership group for the Jacksonville Icemen, the Community First Igloo, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and the Allen Americans.

Despite her numerous accomplishments, Megan prioritizes her role as a mother to son Israel, a wife to Reggie, former Jacksonville Jaguar and step-mother to Reggie’s four children.

Megan does still find time to contribute to the community as a member of the Women’s Center of Jacksonville Board and a member of the DuBlasé Foundation Board. Megan was also recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Jared McNealy.  

With a robust career spanning 15 years, Jared is a recognized Health, Wellness, and Safety leader, dedicated to crafting and implementing programs that prioritize the well-being and safety of individuals within various communities and workplaces. Throughout his impressive tenure at institutions like Elevance Health, US Xpress, and Florida Blue, he has exhibited a remarkable ability to blend strategy with hands-on implementation, ensuring healthy, safe, and engaged environments.

Jared holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology from the University of Florida and boasts certifications from both the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. His multi-faceted experience complements the Foundation’s mission of inspiring and nurturing the next generation of diverse innovators. Jared’s enthusiasm for The DuBlasé Foundation’s work is evident; he firmly believes in our vision to empower minority students through STEAM education and is excited to contribute his expertise to further amplify the impact on young people’s lives.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Lauren Eakins.  

Lauren Eakins is a native of Jacksonville, FL. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where she earned a bachelors degree in Healthcare Management, and her Masters of Business Administration (MBA).

For over a decade, Lauren has worked in healthcare administration across various specialties. In 2022, Lauren launched the 1st Walmart Health in the State of Florida. Walmart Health is a multiple service line healthcare organization providing Primary Care, General Dentistry, Behavioral Health, Optometry, Radiology, Audiology, Laboratory Services, and a Community Health Program.

Lauren sits on the advisory board for Florida A&M University, School of Allied Health, Division of Healthcare Management’s Undergraduate Program and is an official program mentor for the 1st year Master of Health Administration students. Lauren also serves as an official program mentor for the University of North Florida’s Taylor Leadership Institute.

Lauren is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and is a certified graduate advisor supporting the local chapters at the University of North Florida, Edward Waters University, and Jacksonville University. Lauren is also a member of the FAMU National Alumni Association- J.R.E. Lee (Jacksonville Chapter), and is a member of the National Association of Health Service Executives.

Lauren is married to Darrell Eakins, Jr. and has two children- Lindsey Amari and Darrell “Tre” Eakins, III. She works daily to create systems that advance health equity and to provide sustainable value to her community.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Jason Sablon.  

Jason Sablon is an Information Technology professional with over a decade of experience in various technology fields including finance, education, pharmaceutical and human resources. In his current role as an IT Engineer with Fidelity National Financial, he oversees the maintenance and support of production level applications to ensure the highest level of efficiency.
 
Primarily raised in the Jacksonville area, Jason is a graduate of Paxon School for Advanced Studies. He continued his education in Tallahassee, Florida, earning a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology at Florida State University.
 
Jason credits his experiences during college as the driving factor in his passion to mentor and inspire the next generation. He has a keen interest in STEAM and all things technology related and has previously volunteered his assistance and efforts in various community service based projects ranging from photography, web design and social media coordinator all to serve the Jacksonville community.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Kady Yellow.  

Kady Yellow is a proud graduate of Binghamton University, where she earned dual bachelor degrees in Graphic Design and Mathematical Sciences. Kady is also a graduate of the University of New Orleans, where she earned her master’s degree in Arts Administration. 

Kady is the Senior Director of Placemaking and Events for Downtown Vision, tasked with overseeing event programming, public space activations, and beautification projects in the business improvement district. Kady comes to Jacksonville from Michigan where she hosted a national conference as part of the global Placemaking Week series and implemented 120 pop-up projects that prioritized the riverfront, public parks, sidewalks, streets and alleys. 

Yellow brings a decade of creative placemaking and event expertise from her work in New Orleans, California, Alaska, New York, and Western Europe where she conducted her graduate school coursework. Her writing has been featured in FlintBeat and My City Magazine (Michigan), Street Art United States (Boston), CURBED (New Orleans), and she published her first book on urban art in 2019. Today she has spoken in three countries and is known throughout the United States for her equitable placemaking process and resident-led economic development model.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Chise Nicholson.

Chise Nicholson graduated Florida A&M University in 2011 and began his career in Washington DC as an architectural drafter focusing on as-builts and interior renovations. After moving to Jacksonville, he taught high school CAD/ Revit classes as well as night classes for adults. While teaching he was able to increase his knowledge on BIM integration, detailing and 3D modeling which led him to his current Project Architect position with Stellar.  During his time with Stellar he has furthered his Architectural/Construction knowledge, project management skills and gained much experience working on projects over 300,000 SF. These projects consisted of Commercial Cold Storage distribution facilities, warehouses, military, office buildings and mixed-use buildings.

Chise has always shown a passion for mentoring High School students through the ACE Mentor Program and Stellar Engineering Program. He has aspirations to continue in the construction industry using his knowledge to design buildings that enhance the space for its users with a purpose as well as exposing students and minorities to the benefits of careers using STEM.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Dr. Darren Brownlee.

Dr. Darren Brownlee is a Senior Division Chair of Education at the Mayo Clinic of Florida. He is a former scholarship athlete, playing football at West Virginia University, later earning his Master of Health Administration from Hofstra University, and his Doctor of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from the Johns Hopkins University. He is a proven leader in the management of both people and resources with special strengths in operations, analytics, health equity, and enhancing access.

In addition to his profession, Dr. Brownlee is a Past Chapter President and current Board Member of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE), is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader Alum, a former United Way Northeast Florida Stein Fellow, a recent alum of Leadership Jacksonville, and is a part of the incoming Leadership Florida Class. He continues to serve in various capacity in his community and is a proud Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc.

Recently, Dr. Brownlee was recognized in the Jacksonville Business Journal’s list of 40 Under 40 as well as, the Florida Black Expo’s list of Top 20 Under 40. He continues to serve and excel in fostering collaboration, mentoring, and forming successful internal and external partnerships.

The DuBlasé Foundation would like to introduce you to our newest board member Brian Gaines.

Brian Gaines is a Professional Engineer with nearly a decade of experience in the Utility industry. He serves JEA in their Water/Wastewater Project Engineering & Construction division and has cumulatively managed over $100 Million in project budgets. As a team lead, he relies heavily on strong interpersonal skills. He is also responsible for several key factors while overseeing design and construction of water-based treatment plants and facilities; these factors include resource and communication planning, contract administration, as well as schedule, cost and risk management.
 
A native of Jacksonville, Brian attended Stanton College Preparatory High School and graduated from University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He also has affiliations with multiple engineering-centered organizations, namely: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and the Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA). In association with these groups, he has held officer positions, and participated in or oversaw student competitions based on engineering principles.
 
Brian believes STEAM is the foundation of the type creative thinking the youth will use to build the critical innovations of the future; he is excited about the opportunity to influence equitable access to STEAM for underserved Jacksonville communities.

Special thanks to Edward Waters University for the invite to speak to your students.

Be the change you want to see!

Special thanks to Mr. Leon over at Atlantic Coast High School for inviting us to speak to his classes.

Special thanks to Mrs. Jameea Jackson-Gaines and the wonderful faculty at R.L. Brown Elementary for the warm welcome.

It’s always an honor to be able to be a resource to the next generation.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our S.T.E.A.M inspired mural unveiling at Brooklyn Park. We want to send thanks to our partners City of Jacksonville, Florida - Government and Downtown Vision, Inc. for all the support. We want to send a special thank you to the Brooklyn neighborhood for welcoming us with open arms.

Photos by: 904 Happy Hour and April Visuals

https://hbcuconnect.com/content/391229/famu-engineering-alumni-launch-foundation-with-unveiling-of-s-t-e-a-m-inspired-mural

FAMU Engineering Alumni Launch Foundation with Unveiling of S.T.E.A.M. Inspired Mural JACKSONVILLE, Fla. September 18, 2023. The DuBlasé Foundation launched its non-profit organization with the unveiling of S.T.E.A.M. inspired mural at Brooklyn Park Saturday September 16th in Jacksonville, Florida. The DuBlasé Foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit organization focused on Science, Tech...