Teamwork makes the DREAM work!
Between loads of paperwork and pulling the strings behind the scenes to keep the engine running smoothly, the team understands that the Core Members are the driving force behind everything they do. It is because of this that each team member finds time to devote and nurture their own loving relationships with the core members, as daily little reminders that the Core Members are the heart of L’Arche.
Amy Finn-Schultz
Community Leader/Executive Director
Amy was introduced to L’Arche in college. After her first visit, she knew L’Arche was a very special place and that it would somehow be an important part of her life. Over the last two decades, Amy has served as a live-in assistant, house coordinator, grant writer, accompanier and friend. She was the Community Leader from 2007-2015 and is happily the Community Leader again!
Amy and her husband Patrick have two school-aged daughters, Celeste and Grace, who have been raised in the greater community of L’Arche. As a family, they enjoy the beauty of nature, camping, kayaking and spending time with friends. Amy comes from a family that lived and embraced difference and understood the notion of every person having unique gifts. Having grown up with a sibling with disabilities taught her a lot about how to live and lead in L’Arche.
She has a Master’s degree in Ministry from the Franciscan School of Theology (Berkeley) and a Bachelor’s degree from University of Florida in English and Religion. Amy is actively involved in Pax Christi, the Catholic peace movement. She believes that L’Arche is one of the many small movements that help make the world a better place – one closer to God’s kingdom of peace and justice on earth.
amy@larchejacksonville.org
Nora Santamaria
Rainbow Workshop Director
I was blessed to be born in a country called Venezuela, to have a husband named Eduardo, two children, Andrea and Guillermo, and three wonderful grandchildren, Natalie, Noah, and Nathaniel! I had the blessing of graduating as an architect, and working in the navy several years before I worked at the Central Bank of Venezuela. I was blessed with the opportunity to emigrate to this beautiful country – one which has opened its arms to me and my family. That adventure led me to discover my second family: L’Arche Jacksonville in Florida. Rainbow Workshop has been my inspiration since 2013. Here, I have been able to share all the gifts that God has given me with the most wonderful human beings in the world, the core members.
rainbow@larchejacksonville.org
Patty Baker
Community Care Director
Patty Baker joined L’arche Jacksonville as the Community Care Coordinator in September 2021. Patty had worked in Ohio with children and adults with intellectual disabilities for 29 years. When she took the interview with L’Arche she knew right away that it was a great fit for her; and God made the way possible for her and her husband Eric to make the big move to Florida from Ohio.
Patty is a graduate of Ohio State University with an MA in Music Education and University of Dayton with a BM in Music Therapy. She and Eric have 2 dogs and 2 cats that made the move with them from Ohio. They also have 2 grandchildren and 5 adult children between them who unfortunately remain in Ohio and Michigan. Eric and Patty enjoy traveling, going to concerts, and watching Ohio State University Football (Go Buckeyes!). They also are becoming comfortable in their new life in Florida and their home in the L’Arche community.
patty@larchejacksonville.org
Verquishala (Vee) Lott
Community Life Director
My name is Verquishala S. Jones Lott. I am 39 years of age. I happily completed my nuptials to my high school sweetheart Demario Lott 20 years ago. To our union we have 3 kids together. Si’Dyess, Demarion and Symphony. I started my healthcare career prior to graduating high school while working at Providence Healthcare. Graduating in 2003 from Hancock Central high school with a dual enrollment allowed me to transfer to Eatonton Rehabilitation as a Certified Nursing assistant for the next 3 years. I worked as a level 5 Correctional Officer for 5 years at Hancock State Prison prior to relocating to Jacksonville, Fl. I attended University of Phoenix where I obtained a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration Management with a concentration in Gerontology. I am also a certified Life Coach, Travel agent and my husband and I are into real estate. While residing in Florida I have worked for APD licensed group home of which I was the Program Director, Area Director and the Director of Operations. I was also apart of an organization of which I had the pleasure of conducting business as their Targeted Case Manager Leader. On my off days I am enjoying time with my family traveling to different destinations and shopping.
Karla Smith
Business Manager
Karla Smith has been with L’Arche Jacksonville since 2013, but worked at United Way of NE Florida and BASCA before coming to L’Arche. She is our Business Manager extraordinaire. Really, she is the question lady. Everyone goes to her with all their questions. She grew up in Orange Park, FL. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Catawba College in Salisbury, NC.
She has one handsome son, Michael. Krista, her sister with intellectual/developmental disabilities, is her most favorite person ever.
When not working, Karla and her husband, Jeremy, enjoy hiking and kayaking with their dog Sable.
We know Karla loves working at L’Arche Jacksonville because she makes the drive from Middleburg 5 days a week.
karla@larchejacksonville.org
Shannon (Shae) Williams
Development Director
L’Arche welcomed Shae to the team in late 2021 and her passion and love for the community has grown since Day 1. In her role as the Development Coordinator, she works closely with, and supports the Development Office. Her organizational skills are a perfect match for the primary responsibilities of maintaining and managing the L’Arche database, supporting donor relationships formed through fundraising campaigns/appeals, and actively participating on the Golf Committee. Shae graduated with honors from St. Johns River State College with a Bachelors degree in Business Healthcare Administration.
Shae is eternally grateful for her wonderful husband Justin and three young children, Selah , Zion, and Eden. She lives a full and joyful life by helping others, being a part of her community, spending time with her family and friends, paddle-boarding, shopping, and cooking. Shae loves Jesus and hopes to shine His light in the world through authentic living and loving. Being a part of L’Arche Jacksonville has profoundly contributed to her spiritual, personal, and professional growth.
shae@larchejacksonville.org
Elizabeth Cashen
Community Engagement Coordinator
Elizabeth has been sharing life in L’Arche Jacksonville since 2019. Over the years, she has served as an Assistant and spent two years as the House Coordinator of Peace House. In 2022, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from the University of North Florida and continues to bring her passion for inclusion, wellness, and connection into her daily work
Elizabeth’s connection to L’Arche started long before she officially started sharing life. Her Uncle Richard was a beloved Core Member in both Peace and Greatfull House, and her mom served as a Community Coordinator for 11 years. Being surrounded by the spirit of L’Arche from such a young age has shaped her belief in the beauty of belonging and mutual care. After growing up in community, Elizabeth considers the Core Members her family and feels it is a true privilege to walk through life alongside them.
Now as Community Engagement Coordinator, she finds joy in building relationships, welcoming new people into the mission, and celebrating the everyday moments that make L’Arche home.
elizabeth@larchejacksonville.org
Nancy Smith
Graphic Designer and Community Consultant
Over the years, Nancy has worn several hats within the L’Arche community. First and foremost, she is the proud sister of core member Tommy! Since 1998, she has been a member of the Auxiliary Committee; a volunteer Development Assistant; Golf Committee member; Chairman of the Family Support Committee; Development Director from 2008-2011; and Development Advisor since 2017. As a career Graphic Designer, Nancy is involved in marketing for L’Arche and directs the design of L’Arche print and digital communication materials including brochures, fundraising appeals, website, and email.
A Florida State grad with a BA in Communication Design, Nancy has been married to Jeff Smith since 1975 and has two wonderful children, Adam and Erin, plus a fantastic granddaughter Ansley. Adam lives in Jacksonville Beach; Erin and husband Ben live in Atlanta with their two large, lovable dogs, Brody and Gus.
nsmith32223@gmail.com
Fr. Tom Poth
Pastoral Minister
Board of Directors
He has served in the following parishes: Resurrection Parish, Jacksonville, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, Christ the King Parish, Jacksonville, St. John the Baptist Parish, Atlantic Beach, St. Catherine Parish, Orange Park, and Blessed Trinity Parish, Jacksonville.
Msgr. Haut retired in 2013. He has served as Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities, Dean, Vicar General, and member of the Diocesan College of Consultors, Priest Personnel Committee, and Presbyteral Council.
When Bishop Snyder came to the Diocese of St. Augustine he directed Msgr. Haut to start work on a plan to respond to the needs of disabled people in parishes. Sister Rita Baum took the lead and soon there were people wanting to open a residence for people in need. They were able to arrange for the Diocese of St. Augustine to offer what had been Saint Mary’s Home for orphaned children and Harbor House began. He has been a fan of L’Arche for a long time. One of his nieces is on the staff of L’Arche USA so it’s a family thing!
Pete Havens oversees fundraising, revenue strategy, and operations for Jacksonville Today at WJCT Public Media, where he has helped expand WJCT’s digital audience, grow Jacksonville Today to more than 50,000 subscribers, and strengthen the sustainability of its nonprofit newsroom. Before joining WJCT, he worked in communications and fundraising roles in the nonprofit, media, and tech sectors, and also spent time as a journalist. Pete brings a data-focused approach to audience growth and donor engagement. He has been connected to the L’Arche community for years and is excited to bring his fundraising and operations expertise to the L’Arche Jacksonville Board of Directors. He is committed to supporting community-centered organizations and work that builds connection and belonging. Outside of work, he enjoys running, backpacking, surfing, and a good coffee shop.
https://tassonelaw.com/frank-tassone/
Claire earned a B.S. in Biology from Mount St. Mary’s University and brings more than 10 years of nonprofit experience to her work. From 2015 to 2025, she worked with L’Arche Jacksonville in several roles, including House Coordinator and live-in assistant, Outreach Coordinator, Director of Community Life, and Community Project Manager. She has also supported environmental and youth-focused organizations, including the Student Conservation Association, where she helped provide conservation work opportunities for high school students in urban areas, and Environmental Traveling Companions, where she served as an adaptive kayak guide offering outdoor and environmental education experiences to people with disabilities and youth from under-resourced backgrounds.
In her spare time, Claire provides guided kayak ecotours in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Claire lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida, with her husband and pets. She enjoys anything that gets her outdoors, especially surfing, kayaking, and backpacking.
