Miami — January 14,2025— LSF Miami Bridge Youth &Family Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Toshiba L.Mitchell as Program Director. A distinguished educator, leader and advocate foryouth and families, Dr. Mitchell brings exceptional experience to her role,including a career in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Reserve. She will beresponsible for outreach efforts and will oversee the daily operations of theorganization’s two campus.  

“We arethrilled to welcome Dr. Mitchell as the new Program Director of Miami Bridge,”said Raymond Ballinger, Southeast Regional Director, LSF. “It’s a calling andhonor to serve children and families facing hardship. Our work is difficult.Our hours are long and we are kept away from our own families, but the peoplethat do this work are dedicated and our best resource. Dr. Mitchell’s unwaveringdedication to child advocacy and extensive background in education will becrucial in the furtherance of LSF’s mission of building strong, vibrantcommunities.”

LSF MiamiBridge has two 24-hour emergency shelters for children and youthexperiencing traumatic stressors in their life. The goal is to help young peopleremain out of the juvenile justice system through our prevention andintervention activities with individual, family and group counseling. Sometimesparents are pushed to the limit and need our Nurturing Parent Program. A12-week program working with parents on better skills to deal with challengingand risky behaviors.  Runaway &Homeless Youth Program focuses on keeping kids off the streets and in safenurturing environments.  

Dr. Mitchell was mostrecently Director, Prevention Education and Outreach at Kristi House ChildAdvocacy Center where she spearheaded initiatives that equipped communitieswith knowledge and resources to combat child exploitation and trauma. Herleadership extended from the management of a multidisciplinary team tofostering partnerships with schools, law enforcement and communityorganizations.

She also has more than15 years of experience in higher education, including as Director of DistanceLearning at Florida Memorial University where she had responsibility forprogram development and financial stewardship.

“I am honored to joinLSF and lead the incredible work happening at Miami Bridge. Together, we willcontinue to create safe spaces and transformative programs that will uplift ourcommunity,” said Dr. Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchellserves as a fellow for the University of Miami’s Emerging TransformationalLeadership Program. She received her Doctor of Education in educationalleadership, Master of Science in Education and Bachelor of Science inorganizational leadership from St. Thomas University. She served as a member ofthe U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Reserve.

About LSF

LSFis a statewide nonprofit dedicated to helping the most vulnerable Floridians.We do this by reducing the suicide and drug addiction rate, giving families incrisis the support they need to persevere, and making sure those in poverty getthe education they need to close the achievement gap.

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