Abigail Alexander, MA, MPH, Director of Research and Training
alexander@gcjfs.org
Abigail oversees the day-to-day operations of the FCST's direct service program in Miami and the Miami-based national training program. She also directs the department's research efforts and chairs the agency's Research Review Committee. Previously, Abigail worked as an evaluation coordinator for a domestic violence research center. She has conducted field research in India, Nepal and Tibet among Tibetian refugees looking at the impact of displacement and recreation of culture and in Belize related to the impact of natural disasters. Abigail received her B. A. in Anthropology from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. She then received dual masters through the University of South Florida's Global Health program in Applied Anthropology (M. A.)and Global Public Health (M.PH).
Maria Coker, Training Coordinator
mcoker@gcjfs.org
Maria is responsible for ensuring the effective coordination of people, materials and information to execute successful trainings. Mary has extensive experience in developing, coordinating and executing meetings, trainings and conferences for non-profit and for profit organizations. Mary holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.BA) from the University of Miami and a Masters degree in International Business from Nova Southeastern University.
Lauren Marx, Program Assistant
lmarx@gcjfs.org
Lauren is responsible for the information dissemination through surveys, training and material requests, resource development and social networking. After graduating from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Marketing, Lauren spent the next four years gaining professional experience in sales, marketing, and advertising, and event coordination. She is currently working on a M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University. Additionally, Lauren is an interning research assistant for the Association of Conflict Analysis and Resolution
Mark Cassini, National Training Specialist
mcassini@gcjfs.org
Mark Cassini graduated with a B.A. from Indiana University, majoring in Cultural Anthropology. He is currently doing graduate work at the Intercultural Institute in Portland, Oregon for his Masters in Intercultural Relations. Mark was the Executive Director at Exodus Refugee/Immigration, Inc., a refugee resettlement agency primarily serving the Karen and Chin of Burma. After Exodus, Mark was the Cultural Orientation Regional Coordinator for East Africa at Church World Service’s overseas processing center in Nairobi, Kenya under the state department’s Bureau for Population and Migration. He is currently the National Training Specialist at the Florida Center for Survivor’s of Torture, as part of the National Partnership for Community Training, a federal technical assistance program funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
