Special Leadership Update

Author: Moses Harvin
Community Involvement
Published: Saturday, 31 Jan 2026

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Dear Valued Partner and Supporter,

Thank you for your ongoing support of Junior Achievement’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. As a valued partner, I am writing to share an important update regarding Junior Achievement Space Coast.

Our President, Dr. Jack Pladdys, has informed the Board of his decision to step down from his role to pursue a new professional opportunity out of state. While we will miss his leadership, we recognize that this is an amazing opportunity for Jack and his family, and we wish them the very best in this next chapter. The Board has accepted his resignation, effective March 31, 2026.

While we are sad to see Jack go, we are thankful to have a few months for the Board to work through the transition to new leadership. During this time, Jack will remain fully engaged and will continue to lead with focus and professionalism. He is committed to supporting our staff and ensuring continuity across our relationships, operations, and strategy.

Our mission, programs, and partnerships remain unchanged, and with our strong staff team in place, it is business as usual for Junior Achievement Space Coast. The Board is organizing a search committee and will initiate a structured process to identify our next leader. Throughout this transition, our primary focus remains on serving students and delivering the high-quality programming you have come to expect.

Whether you are a donor, volunteer, or stakeholder, we are deeply grateful for your commitment. Your support is the foundation of everything we accomplish together, and 2026 is poised to be a fantastic year for the young people we serve.

Thank you for your continued dedication to Junior Achievement Space Coast.

Sincerely,

Moses Harvin II

Board Chair

Junior Achievement Space Coast

"Its a way to expand our curriculum without having to put out more resources. Thats a win for everyone."

Amy Kneesey, Vice Chairman of the Brevard County School Board

"JA is relevant to my school, more so now than ever."

Beth Westfall, Assistant Principal West Side Elementary School

"Junior Achievement is an outstanding, motivating program for our elementary students. Several of [our teachers] had JA volunteers last year and all had great praise for the program"

Hilah R. Mercer, Principal Cambridge Elementary Magnet School

"I have long believed that this JA experience is so valuable for our UCF students and that actually it is a rare win for all experience, the UCF students, the school teachers, the school students, the UCF Education Profs, and the JA sponsors."

Michael Johnson, PhD, UCF Professor, College of Education