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Pattye Sawyer - Vice President of Community Health Programs
Pattye Sawyer is vice president of community health programs for The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and its family of programs. She has nearly 20 years of experience working with Hillsborough and Pinellas communities in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention and education. In 1998, she began working with The Hospice’s AIDS services groups, guiding the formation of the umbrella organization, ASAP (AIDS Service Association of Pinellas). Pattye’s present position includes leading ASAP as well as development and implementation of new and innovative programs for ASAP and The Hospice.
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William Harper - Director of HIV Services
William Harper has been with ASAP since May 1996. He started in the program as a Case Manager and eventually became the Client Services Supervisor. After a couple of years in this position William was promoted to Program Manager and then accepted the Director’s position in November of 2007. William’s prior work history included ministry and real estate.
William noted, “My mission in life has always been to make a difference in the lives of others and help them find a way to deal with what life hands them. Since ASAP is all about making a positive difference in the lives of clients who are living and/or dealing with HIV, the fit for me was perfect”.
William is active in the HIV services community and has served on several Ryan White Care Council committees. He was a part of the committee that formalized standards and guidelines for individualized services. William currently serves on the Resource Prioritization and Reallocation Committee (RPARC) the State Department of Health Case Management Standards and Guidelines Committee. Within The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, William serves on the Service Excellence Committee and is an active member of the Employee Performance Review Committee. Other business affiliations include The Tampa Bay Business Guild, The Pinellas-Gateway Chamber of Commerce and NMAC (National Minority AIDS Council).
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Anthony Barros - Marketing Coordinator
Anthony B. Barros has served most of his professional life working in the HIV/AIDS Community. He is originally from Denver, Colorado where he graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver with a Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science. He has lived in Anyang, South Korea; Atlanta, Georgia and has resided in St. Petersburg since 1999. In June of 2001 Anthony became part of the ASAP family were he served as a case manager. A year and a half later he was promoted to the FACT Coordinator and now works as the ASAP Marketing Coordinator. Anthony is most proud of establishing the ASAP Food Pantry and bringing AIDS Walk St. Petersburg and Dining Out for Life to the Tampa Bay area. Currently he serves a on the Board of Directors for Dining Out for Life International. As he looks at his many years of service to the HIV/AIDS community a couple of his fondest memories include running with the 1996 Olympic torch and lunching with former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
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Bernadette Bass - Prevention Coordinator
Bernadette came to ASAP in August of 2001 as a Prevention Educator. Through the years Bernadette transitioned to Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services and VOICES/VOCES as a prevention counselor and safer-sex educator. Bernadette's years of experience in the prevetion field made her the perfect candidate for ASAP's Prevention Coordinator - taking over this position April 6, 2009. Bernadette has built lasting and productive relationships all over Pinellas County within community organizations where ASAP teaches and educates about HIV/AIDS prevention.
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David Karst - Suncoast Project Coordinator
David began his journey within the HIV/AIDS community while residing in northern Indiana. The year was 1989, when he tested positive for HIV. He spent the next 4 years being the sole caretaker for his partner who passed away in 1993. That same year David joined the AIDS Community Project (ACP) as a volunteer with the buddy program, answering phones and coordinating “Ribbons Across Pinellas” AIDS Awareness.
In April of 1997 he joined For AIDS Care Today (FACT) as an Americorps*VISTA acting as a liaison to the community and assistant to the FACT director. In 2002 David joined the ASAP family of programs as a paid staff member and established the P.E.T. Center - an HIV testing, education and drop-in center, later renamed the ASAP Suncoast Resort Project. With the help of a team of experts from ASAP and The Hospice of the Fl. Suncoast, ASAP was awarded a CDC (Centers for Disease Control) 6 year grant. Since that time the program has added a mobile HIV testing unit which currently serves testing locations in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties.
David continues to produce the Annual Miss ASAP Pageant, an HIVAIDS Awareness and fundraising event, entering its 6th year. The Miss ASAP crown has become one of the most coveted crowns among the Female Impersonator/Entertainment community in Pinellas County.
In 2008 David was awarded the National Americorps Spirit of Service Award for the years he worked as a VISTA and for accomplishments thereafter. David was selected out of 400 nominations from across the country.
David states, “It would be impossible to denote one particular memory as there as just too many!”
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Carolyn Eke-Peart - Assistant Program Coordinator/FFAN
Mrs. Carolyn Eke-Peart is a native of St. Petersburg Florida. She has dedicated her entire career to the Social Services community.
Carolyn has served in many different capacities. After graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, she began her working career as a Probation Officer with the Jackson County Juvenile Court System in Kansas City, Missouri. Carolyn returned to St. Petersburg and her career moved on to Robinson’s Department Store as a Loss Prevention Specialist. She then joined Goodwill Industries as a Federal Bureau of Prisons Case Manager and a Florida Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Director.
Carolyn transitioned to Gulf Coast Community Care as an HIV/AIDS Case Manager. In 1996 she joined forces with ACP which is now AIDS Service Association of Pinellas better known to the community as ASAP. Presently she serves as Assistant Program Coordinator of Family Case Management Program and also coordinates ASAP’s Brighter Seasons for Children Program.
Carolyn has served the HIV/AIDS community for 15 years.
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Sheryl Hoolsema - HIV Services Manager
Sheryl Hoolsema currently serves as the HIV Services Manager for ASAP. Prior to ASAP Sheryl worked as a certified nurses aide for The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and worked with many residents of the Red Ribbon Homestead. While attending classes at Eckerd College she focused on issues relating to those infected with HIV/AIDS and completed her internship with ASAP in 2001; and in 2002 she received her Bachelors Degree in Human Services. Sheryl began working as a case manager with ASAP in 2004 and embraces the opportunity to help make a difference in the community she is proud to call home. Sheryl was promoted to HIV Services Manager in March 2008, and divides her time between the St. Petersburg and Clearwater ASAP offices. The primary function of the HIV Services Manager is coordination of case management services for ASAP.
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Volunteer Coordinator
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Lewis Williams - Senior Case Manager/Team Leader, St. Petersburg
Lewis Williams is the Sr. Case Manager/Team Leader at the ASAP St. Petersburg office. Lewis reflects “After serving my country in the armed forces, I realized I wanted to work in a position where I could give back to those in need”. He began his social services career with the position of Credentialing Agent with Manatee County Rural Health Services, Inc. Soon he transitioned to the HOPWA Financial Assistance Program where he processed and submitted applications from local HIV/AIDS agencies to allocate funds for the needs of enrolled and eligible clients. These experiences brought Lewis to the knowledge that he wanted to be even more involved directly with clients. Soon Lewis moved to direct case management where he served for two years before transferring to ASAP. Lewis has been with ASAP/The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast for six years.
Lewis’s community involvement includes:
- Minority AIDS Committee - Linking Ex-Offenders to HIV Care
- New Hope M.B. Church – Tampa - Mentoring Minority Male Youth
- Earth Mission Ministries – St. Petersburg - Assisting Individuals with disabilities
- Volunteer with ASAP Community Programs Team to recruit food items for the ASAP food pantry from Mac Dill Air Force Base.
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Suzanne Matthews - Senior Case Manager/Team Leader, Clearwater
Suzanne Matthews holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and has worked as a case manager for ASAP for the past 8 years. She has a total of 20 years case management experience, including the mental health field and HIV/AIDS. Suzanne has a variety of past work experience including the travel industry, education, business, finance and real estate.
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Dave Konnerth - Contract Specialist
Dave came to ASAP as a client in 1994 looking for information and assistance as a newly diagnosed person. Dave recollects “The staff was compassionate, caring and patient as they guided me through the system. I met the executive director through a mutual friend and remarked at how professional everyone on the staff was. She asked if I would consider joining the team on a part-time basis to help out with bookkeeping. Given the help I received (both financial assistance and no nonsense information), how could I possibly say no?”
Dave’s prior professional background was in banking and real estate finance and after moving to Florida in 1987 he spent several years in the hospitality industry. Dave noted he really enjoyed working with the ASAP staff and clients, as well as numbers, so his part-time position which began in April of 1995 slowly morphed into a full-time position in late 1996.
Dave credits his employment at ASAP as a contributor to his healthy lifestyle. Dave states “I’ve been given opportunities to continue my education and have earned a certificate in not-for-profit management through the University of South Florida. I have served on the West Central Florida Ryan White Care Council for 3 years and have chaired a sub committee for over 4 years. My involvement with ASAP and the RW committees have reminded me to remain ever grateful for my health.”
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Tyrone Singletary – Linkage/Prevention Program Coordinator
Tyrone Singletary is the Linkage/Prevention Program Coordinator for ASAP. Mr. Singletary has been in the HIV/AIDS service field for over thirteen years. Tyrone started as an Outreach Specialist with EMPACT Resource Service Center in July of 1995 and became a part of the ASAP/Hospice family on November 1, 1999.
In his current position, Tyrone supervises all Comprehensive Risk Counseling and Services (CRCS) case managers and VOICES/VOCES group facilitators and their respective volunteers. Tyrone is the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and Florida Community Planning Group (FCPG) representative for ASAP and also serves on the Providers Group Committee for social services agencies in Pinellas County.
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