Bridges of America Management Team

Frederick C. Dixon - Director of Operations

Frederick C. Dixon stared his career in Corrections in 1972 as a Military Police Officer and Confinement Specialist in the United States Army.

Mr. Dixon's career with the Florida Department of Corrections began in August 1974 at Lake Correctional Institution in Clermont, Florida. His vast knowledge of correctional principles, combined with his dedication and commitment, earned him the opportunity to be promoted through the ranks. After 25 years of service with the agency, he retired as the Warden of Martin Correctional Institution.

Some of his accomplishments include an appointment by Governor Chiles to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. He was awarded the Distinguished Corrections Award by Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency, was a Warden of the Year Nominee, and was also recognized by the North American Association of Warden as Superintendents (NAAWS) for his excellence. He was appointed by Representative Rick Minton (District 78) to serve as a member of the State Minority Committee. He is also a graduate of Florida State University's Certified Public Manger's Program.

From 2005 to 2010 Mr. Dixon served as the Facility Director of The Orlando Bridge Transition Center and Work Release. In 2011 he joined the corporate Quality Management team as Director of Operations.

Mr. Dixon demonstrates an extraordinary hands-on management style. He develops and implements creative strategies to ensure the maintenance of public safety while preparing our program participants for a successful re-entry to society.

Brett D’Aoust - Director of Programs

Brett D’Aoust has been with Bridges of America since February 2008. He began his employment as the Executive Director of The Orlando Bridge and was promoted to Clinical Quality Management Director for Bridges of America in April 2010 overseeing all Clinical Programs throughout the organization. Mr. D’Aoust previously worked at Bay Correctional Facility, Panama City, Florida in the following roles: Chief of Unit Management, Program Manager and Public Information Officer. He was a key person in the development of programming for inmates to include substance abuse treatment, vocational programs, and canine training programs. Mr. D’Aoust began his corrections career at Gadsden Correctional Women’s Facility, Quincy, Florida in 1999 as an Addictions Treatment Unit Counselor. He was promoted to Addictions Treatment Clinical Supervisor in September, 1999, Mental Health Specialist in January, 2000, and to Addictions Treatment Manager in July 2001.

Mr. D'Aoust has a B.S. and Masters of Social Work from Florida State University, and is a Florida Certified Addictions Professional. Mr. D’Aoust began his career in substance abuse treatment and mental health in 1995 working with adolescents in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Cecilia I. Denmark - Corporate Quality Management

Cecilia I. Denmark is an experienced correctional manager with 29 years in the Criminal Justice system and 5years in the field of Substance Abuse/Re-entry initiatives. She is currently the Facility Director of Pompano Transition Center, a collaborative partnership between the Florida Department of Corrections and Bridges of America, Inc. to provide substance abuse treatment and programming in a work release environment. She served as a Correctional Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major, Classification Officer and Assistant Warden with the Florida Department of Corrections. Mrs. Denmark is responsible for operational, programmatic, and licensure standards at the Pompano Transitional center. She is a certified Correctional and Probation Officer and has been certified by Florida State University as a Public Manager. Additionally, she holds a Masters Degree from the University of Phoenix in Administration of Justice and Security and a Bachelors Degree from Barry University where she is now an adjunct professor. Mrs. Denmark has participated in training and leadership development for more than 20 years and is a member of various corrections, criminal justice, substance abuse and community organizations including serving as a mentor for the Broward County Big Brother/Big Sister program. It is her sincere desire to assist staff and offenders in developing their knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities.

Karen Neis - Quality Management Director of Programs

Karen Neis has 23 years of experience in the field of substance abuse, criminal justice, and mental health. She has worked as a counselor in various levels of care to include chemical and alcohol detoxification, out-patient services, MICA (Mentally Ill, Chemically Addicted) day treatment services, TASC (Treatment Alternatives to Street Crimes), residential treatment, and intake substance abuse placement services. She has also had the experience of establishing and facilitating women- specific substance abuse groups, delivered prevention services to youths in foster care settings, and taught addiction education courses geared toward certification in the state of New York.

Ms. Neis began working at Bridges of America as the Clinical Director of The Sanford Bridge upon moving to Florida in 2005. One year later, she was promoted to the Executive Director of that facility. Ms. Neis remained in this position for approximately three and a half years up to the date the center was down-sized due to The Department of Corrections' financial cuts. Bridges of America offered her a position within the Quality Management Department where she stayed for a few months before moving back into programming as the Assistant Facility Clinical Director of The Orlando Bridge Transition Re-entry Center in August, 2009. In April 2010, Ms. Neis accepted the position of Executive Director of The Orlando Bridge. In November of 2011, she was promoted to the corporate office Quality Management Director of Programs. Ms. Neis looks forward to many more exciting and fulfilling years with Bridges of America.

Alice Powell - Director, The Auburndale Bridge

Alice Powell has over 15 years of experience in the substance abuse field and has done extensive training in the Therapeutic Community Modality. She was a Facility Director in New York and joined the Bridges of America team upon moving to Florida. She believes in the Bridges of America motto that "all people can change" and has a special understanding of the different challenges that are present with female addicts on their road to recovery.

Ms. Powell holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work from a well renowned college for women - Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Addiction Professional in Florida and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Pennsylvania. She began working at Bridges of America as a counselor and has been promoted three times. Ms. Powell served as the Assistant Facility Director at the Orlando Bridge Transition Center before her promotion as Facility Director of the Auburndale Bridge.

As Facility Director, she looks forward to the challenges as well as the rewards that come from working with female clients as they address their addictions, their fears, and begin to hold their heads high as they enter recovery.

Felishia Dexter - Director, The Bradenton Bridge TC/WRC

Ms. Dexter spent three years with the Hillsborough County School System before transitioning to self-employment for twelve years. In 1992 she joined the Florida Department of Corrections. Due to her dedication and excellence, she was quickly promoted from Correctional Officer to Correctional Officer Captain. Ms. Dexter was named Officer of the Year in 1997 and 2000, and in 2009 she was awarded the Secretary's Coin of Excellence. During her tenure with the Department, she was a presenter for Women Facing the Future, a regional trainer for the Offender Based Information System (OBIS), and the team leader for the Crisis Negotiations Team at Zephyrhills and Polk Correctional Institutions. Ms. Dexter is a Certified Florida Department of Law Enforcement Instructor. She believes that in order for an offender to re-enter society, they must re-enter their hearts and minds to make their lives work to the fullest capacity; they must believe in order to achieve.

Iana A. Patterson - Director, The Broward County Bridge TC/WRC

Iana A. Patterson is an experienced correctional manager with 19 years in the Criminal Justice system — 3 of those years in the field of Substance Abuse/Re-entry initiatives. During her time with the Florida Department of Corrections she served as a Correctional Officer, Sergeant, and finally Captain, working with both male and female offenders. She is currently the Facility Director of Broward County Bridge TC/Work Release Center where she is responsible for operational, programmatic, and licensure standards. In addition to being a certified Correctional Officer Mrs. Patterson served in the United States Air Force from October 1984 through October 1990 during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It is her sincere desire to assist staff and offenders in developing their knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities.

Jeffrey D. Wainwright - Director, The Jacksonville Bridge Work Release

Jeffrey D. Wainwright has extensive experience and over twenty nine years of service with the Florida Department of Corrections. Mr. Wainwright joined the Bridges of America team after retiring from his position as Warden. He is currently serving as the Facility Director of the Jacksonville Bridge.

Mr. Wainwright began his career as a Correctional Officer in 1980 and was promoted through the ranks as a Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, Assistant Warden, Warden, and Acting Regional Director. Jeffrey has managed Reception Centers, Youthful Offenders, Female Facilities, Close Management, Maximum Management, and Death Row.

Mr. Wainwright holds numerous Training Certificates that include Emergency Management, Riot and Disorder, Evacuations, Special Weapons and Tactics, Correctional Emergency Response Team, Explosives in a Correctional Setting, Natural Disasters, Environmental Health and Safety, and Firefighting. He is also a Certified Instructor in the areas of Instructor Techniques, Firearms, Self-Defense, Special Munitions and Chemical Agents. Mr. Wainwright has been a member of the Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency, Northern American Association of Wardens and Superintendents, Corrections Foundation, Correctional Peace Officers Foundation, and the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Mr. Wainwright began his second career with Bridges of America in August 2009 as an Assistant Director at the Orlando Bridge. He was then promoted to Acting Facility Director at the Turning Point Bridge in Pompano Beach, Florida. In December 2010 he was promoted to Facility Director of the Orlando Bridge and in June 2011 he began leading the Jacksonville Bridge as Facility Director.

The belief that “a man can change” drives Mr. Wainwright’s leadership on a daily basis and he promotes this attitude to all his Staff. He also believes that "walking the beat" is the proper management style and always strives for excellence as a servant leader.

Raul Banasco - Director, The Orlando Bridge TC/WRC

Mr. Banasco joined the Bridges of America Leadership Team in June 2011 as the Facility Director of The Bradenton Bridge and in January 2012 became the Facility Director at The Orlando Bridge. He spent 25 years in public service at the city, state and county levels. Mr. Banasco began his career in the in 1986 with the New York State Juvenile Justice Department. In 1988, he joined the Florida State Department of Corrections (FDOC) as a Correctional Officer at the Central Florida Reception Center. During his 19 years with FDOC, he served as a Correctional Officer, Classification Officer, Probation Officer, Probation Supervisor, Classification Supervisor, Assistant Warden of Operations and Programs, and Warden. In addition, he served as the Director of Staff Development for over 28,000 employees throughout the State of Florida, both for Institutions and Probation & Parole services. In October 2006, he was appointed as Major of the Orange County Corrections Department in Orlando, Florida. In September 2008, he was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of the Osceola County Corrections Department, where he served until retiring in December 2010.

Mr. Banasco earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Iona College in New York and continued his education at Florida Atlantic University with a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration. He is also a Certified Public Manager, Certified Jail Manager, Certified Corrections Executive, and a Certified National Auditor for the American Correctional Association.

He is an active member of several national and local professional organizations in the area of corrections and law enforcement. He is currently a member of the American Correctional Association Affirmative Action Committee (since 2002), American Jail Association, North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents and Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency. He is also a member of the Central Florida Y.M.C.A. Achievers Board of Directors. He is a founding member of the National Organization of Hispanics in Criminal Justice and served as President of the organization from 2006 to 2009. Most recently he was elected to serve on the Executive American Correctional Association Board of Governors as the Large Ethic Minority Board Member for the 2010 – 2014 term.

Mr. Banasco firmly believes that offenders deserve an opportunity to prove that with positive programming and their commitment to self-help programs, they can achieve "change for a brighter future".

Barbara Leveton - Director, The Turning Point Bridge WR

Barbara Leveton began her career with Bridges of America in September of 2009 at The Broward County Bridge as Office Administrator. Her career in Law Enforcement stems back 25 years when she became a Corrections Officer for The Florida Department of Corrections in July of 1987. Mrs. Leveton moved up the ranks from Correctional Officer, to Sergeant, and closed her career with the Department in the rank of Lieutenant in 2008 after 21 years of service. During that time, she became a certified instructor in General Subjects, Defensive Tactics, Human Diversity, and was a trained certified hostage negotiator serving on the facilities' Hostage Negotiation Teams. Mrs. Leveton has extensive knowledge in the area of Human Resources as she was assigned as the Facilities Recruiter for 5 consecutive years. Mrs. Leveton, who prides herself on giving back to the community, decided to join the Bridges of America family in 2009 so she could change people's lives for the better. Mrs. Leveton was promoted to Facility Director at the Turning Point Bridge in May 2012 and looks forward to helping Turning Point Bridges men reach new heights. She works hard to achieve great things for the staff and men at her facility.