2024

EMPOWERMENT ACADEMY, INC.

Deliah Floyd-Carter is a passionate educator with over 30 years of experience in the education arena. She has run a successful tutoring and after-school company for the last 16 years. Considering herself a lifelong learner, Ms. Floyd-Carter holds a BA in Management, a BA in Marketing, an MSA in HR Administration, and an MBA. She has been instrumental in helping EA obtain several grants and RFP awards. Her ability to aggregate data to use in formative and summative reporting assessments is unmatched. She has helped EA achieve economic success and was a key player in our agency's VR contract approval. Deliah is poised to expand EA's fiscal and community service footprint as we scale to greater heights.

Sonia Roberts, Executive Director

Lizette Wright Pearson, Director

Sylvia Floyd, Director

Dr. Adrian Johnson, Chair

Bridget Jennings, Vice Chair

TiLena Robinson, Treasurer

Donald Maestre, Secretary

Tawanda Stevenson, Board Member

Beth Eimers, Board Member

Grants and Contracts Manager

“It is my life's goal to be a servant of humanity. My mission can best be accomplished by working in the nonprofit sector. As the Grants and Contracts Manager for Empowerment Academy, Inc., I look forward to helping the agency grow and prosper.”

Deliah Floyd-Carter

Deliah Floyd-Carter

Foundation History

Empowerment Academy, Inc.

900 Cesery Blvd, Suite 118

Jacksonville, FL 32211
Office 904-900-8391 Fax 904-309-9935

“Serving the community is a family tradition starting with my grandmother Ruby O. Hardy, who impacted my views of the difference just one person can make.”

Sonia A. Roberts

2009 - Founder, Sonia A. Roberts, began a program that assists people interested in becoming entrepreneurs through offering education assistance and referrals to community resources

2010-2013 - Partnered with Young Hearts Child Development Center, Empowerment Academy, Inc. offered SES Tutoring to students attending Title I schools

2011 - Incorporated nonprofit and received 501c3 designation from the IRS

2015 - Opened doors at new corporate office

2015 - Awarded FEMA/FDEM Residential Construction Mitigation Grant

2015 - Received designation as a Florida CCTC Entity

2016 - Awarded FDOE 21st CCLC Grant

2016 - Received CHDO designation from City of Jacksonville’s Housing and Community Development Division

2017 - Established partnership with JHG to provide employment training to at-risk students with IEPs/504 plans through Vocational Rehab.

2024 - Contracted with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to provide career exploration and pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities.

Foundation Board

Founder and Executive Director

Sonia A. Roberts

Sonia A. Roberts is a social services professional with over 26 years of experience in the non-profit arena. She played an integral role in implementing a local social services pilot program that focused on serving the holistic needs of low-income families by coordinating existing community resources. Her work on this project provided the foundation for the United Way of Northeast Florida’s Income Strategy Program. Sonia’s authored work can be seen in the program components of this very relevant United Way initiative. Prior to taking her current leadership role at EA, Sonia worked for a local community development corporation where she served as the Chief Operations Officer. In addition, Sonia is a licensed counselor who provides mental health services for Corporate EAPs and private patients. As a certified consumer credit counselor, Sonia has helped many local families achieve their dream of homeownership by providing them with the knowledge and skills to improve their credit, set and adhere to a budget, and understand the implications of financial decisions.