Name: Jennifer Flinn
Hometown: Ocala, Florida
Business Position: Retired- Child Safety professional, investigator and forensic interviewer.
Civilian Education: Saint Leo University, M.S. in Criminal Justice-Behavioral Studies (2018). Saint Leo University, B.A. Psychology (2005).
Name of Spouse and Children:
Army Reserve Ambassador Flinn was an Army spouse for 30 years and has been an active volunteer in the Army Reserve since 2002. Her and her spouse have 4 children. Her volunteer service began in 1995 and continues to this day. She volunteered within the Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG), helped build new SFRG’s in Florida and in Arizona. ARA Flinn has been an active volunteer at Yellow Ribbon events where she has served on the Family Panel, supporting family members and friends of soldiers who are in pre and post deployment phases. She has served as a Command Volunteer Advisor (CVA) since 2016 and has served multiple commanders within the United States Army Reserve.
Ambassador Flinn has worked in the field of child protection since 2006, and she has been declared an expert witness in child safety and risk assessment in multiple court hearings throughout Florida. She is a certified forensic Interviewer in Florida and Arizona, and she received the 8th Judicial Circuit Leadership Award and Families Up Front Award while working as an investigator for the State of Florida. ARA Flinn has also taught AP Psychology and Honors World History to high school students in Florida. ARA Flinn was elected to the Columbia County Commission in 2002 to 2006 and was the first woman elected to the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners. She was appointed to be Chairman of the Governor’s Workgroup on Guardianship and the Developmentally Disabled by Governor Jeb Bush in 2003, to help improve the care and safety of developmentally disabled adults in state-care. Additionally, ARA Flinn was appointed to be an ex-officio member of the Florida Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporation where she represented all 67 counties for the Florida Association of Counties in 2005. She was a member of the Florida Association of Counties Board of Directors and she served as Vice Chair of the Rural Caucus and Vice Chair of the public safety committees while serving as a commissioner. ARA Flinn also served on the National Association of Counties Education Committee to which she was appointed while serving as a County Commissioner. ARA Flinn also served on the Columbia County Disadvantaged Transportation Board.