Luanne Panacek
Title: Executive Director
Specialty: Leadership to the local community and state on system of care development and revenue maximization.
Contact Information:
Children’s Board of Hillsborough County
1002 E. Palm Ave
Tampa FL 33605
Phone: (813) 229-2884
E-mail this USF Collaborative Partner
Details:
Main Expertise:
“I provide leadership to the local community and state on system of care development and revenue maximization.”
Educational and Professional background:
Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Master’s Degree in Counseling and Doctorate in Special Education at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Panacek has 25 years of experience across an array of services to children and families, including work in mental health, education, early childhood intervention, childcare, residential and day treatment and juvenile justice, and is licensed as a mental health counselor. She also did volunteer work in the community (applied research, consultation and advocacy in foster care, adoption and early childhood issues). She left a faculty position at USF to go to the Children’s Board in 1995. She established a more formal link between USF and the Children’s Board to help improve local service delivery and system of care development.
What is the biggest issue you are dealing with?
“The devolution of fiscal responsibility for social programs, from federal to state to local communities. It’s erroneous to assume that the local community is able to provide funding that has historically been provided by the state.”
What do you wish every professional knew?
“I wish every professional understood and used the concepts of social marketing. If we want to improve the quality of life for children in our community, our community must initiate and embrace a new high standard regarding what we expect for every child. By partnering with opinion leaders, consumers of service and other stakeholders, we can dramatically increase the local base of support for addressing and solving our community problems.”
What do you wish every community member knew?
“I believe we’re all connected through a universal consciousness that includes shared positive energy to do good things for others. Sometimes we assume that to help is too complicated or time consuming but often what matters most is simply “noticing” and doing small positive things for others woven into the fabric of our day-to-day lives. Every person can do something to make the life of a child better, no matter how busy he or she is.”
How would you summarize your desire to help others?
“The return is always greater than the investment.”
