Board of Directors

Amber R. Tynan is the Executive Director for United Partners for Human Services and has 20 years of nonprofit management experience. She has spent most of her career consulting with nonprofits ranging from start-up, grassroots organizations to five-hundred million in asset size - finding ways to improve their operational efficiency, while creating alternative solutions to meet the needs of their target demographic and local communities. Amber has specialized expertise in fundraising, donor cultivation, board governance, strategic planning, and community building.

Amber has been recognized for her demonstrated commitment and performance in our nonprofit community as the Fundraiser of the Year by the Big Bend Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (2013), "Leader of the Year" by the Leadership Academy of North Florida (2014), Kiwanian of the Year by the Capital City Kiwanis Club (2013 and 2014), 2014 KCCI Community Catalyst, Tallahassee Democrat’s 25 Women You Need to Know Honoree (2015), Golden A.C.E. Recipient (2015), Tallahassee Women Magazine’s Women Who Mean Business Rock Star Award Recipient (2015), , Girl Scout Council of the Panhandle’s Women of Distinction Honoree (2016), Centennial Award Recipient by the Capital City Kiwanis Club (2016), Walter Zeller Fellowship Award Recipient by the Capital City Kiwanis Club (2016), Reubin Askew Community Engagement Leadership Award Honoree (2022), Oxford Learning Academy’s Community Leader of the Year Recipient (2023), Domi Station's Community Leader Recipient (2023), Tallahassee Women's Magazine's R.E.D. Gala Determined Award Honoree (2023), and a member of Leadership Tallahassee Class 35.

A philanthropist at heart, Amber enjoys volunteering within the community and serves on multiple boards sharing her personal philosophy of “together we’re better.” Amber is a graduate of Florida State University with a B.A. in English and Communication. Amber and her husband Ray welcomed their daughter Finnley-Ann Harper in 2016 and when she is not at the office, you can usually find Amber SCUBA diving or on their boat in the Gulf of Mexico.

Lashawn Gordon is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at United Partners of Human Services. Having worked in the human services sector for the last 22 years, Lashawn has extensive experience in nonprofit management, working with at risk youth and families, community engagement, & leadership and program development.

She’s a recipient of the Department of Juvenile Justice’s (DJJ) Leadership Award & the Outstanding Service to Youth and Families Award. She received the Golden Ace Award (2020) and was recognized as one of Tallahassee Community College's Women’s History Month Honorees. She was also recognized as one of Tallahassee’s "25 Women You Need to Know" (2020). She has also won the Ruben Askew Progressive Leadership Award (2022). In 2023, she was featured in the Cherry Hall Alexander African American History Calendar, presented by Tallahassee Community College (now known as Tallahassee State College).

She is a member of Leadership Tallahassee (Class 34) and past chair of the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women & Girls, member of the Leon County School District Advisory Council and has served on numerous Non-Profit Boards of Directors.

Justin Fitzpatrick joins us with experience within the human services nonprofit sector, most recently serving as the Community Relations Director for We Are All We Need, Inc. (WAAWN).

Born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, Justin is a product of Leon County and all it has to offer. An alumnus of Florida A&M University with a degree in Music, he has worked with numerous organizations and businesses in the areas of social media development and management, website building and multimedia creation, as well as fostering community-based collaboration through the Village at WAAWN.

He is passionate about giving back to his hometown, and shining a light on nonprofit organizations that are truly making a difference, for the world to see.

Michael D. Thompson, Pharm.D.  brings extensive experience as a Pharmacist, retired university professor and administrator with a clinical specialty in HIV drug therapy management, and implementation and evaluation of health-systems to foster quality interprofessional patient care.

Michael has also successfully received over $2M in research and clinical service funding, including the establishment of the Florida/Caribbean AIDS Education Training Center, and consultative services for provision of both the Florida Department of Health and Leon County's AIDS Drug Assistance Programs.

Michael has written and contributed to over twenty-four publications, and actively serves on numerous boards helping organizations achieve health equity for their clients.