Florida Faith & Community Advisory Council Members

Mr. Garmon has dedicated over 30 years of his life to serving the faith-based nonprofit community in various leadership roles. From 2016 to 2022, Chad served as the Vice President of Community Engagement & Christian Initiatives at the YMCA of Central Florida. In this role, he supported the organization's strategic plan, enhanced member engagement, and fostered meaningful partnerships with community organizations, volunteers, and staff. His efforts helped sustain the YMCA’S Christian mission through faith-based programming and contributed to developing a national model for faith integration.

Before joining the YMCA, Chad was the Founder and Executive Director of Impact Ministries of Central Florida for 17 years. Under his leadership, the organization grew significantly, obtaining 501(c)(3) status in 2002, doubling its budget and services within four years, and mobilizing over 700 volunteers to serve individuals and families in need. By 2015, Impact Ministries had directly supported more than 420 residents throughout Central Florida. Currently, Chad serves on the Ministry Leadership Center board as well as a Ministry Collaborator for Nona Church. His previous leadership roles include ministering at a local church, serving as Chairman of the Board for the Youth Ministries Institute, and participating in the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness as a Faith-Based Committee Member. He has also been a Cabinet Member for the U.S. Mission Network.

A lifelong resident of Central Florida, Chad and his wife, Kimberly, have been married for 25 years. Together, they are raising their four children: Elijah (22), Rileigh (20), Micah (13), and Faith (9). Chad holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belhaven University and is ordained in Christian Ministry.

Mr. Smith is a lifelong resident of Pensacola, Florida, and serves as the Stake President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pensacola area. A stake president is the lay leader of a stake, which is a geographic subdivision of the Church similar to a Catholic diocese. In this role, Jake oversees Church programs for 10 congregations and more than 4,000 members across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, providing counsel and support to local ecclesiastical leaders and helping members in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ. Statewide, the Church has over 173,000 members in 274 congregations.

In addition to his church service, Jake is a licensed electrical contractor and co-owner of Bill Smith Electric, Inc., a family business founded by his parents in 1983 that he now operates with his brother. He and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of four daughters.