WHO WE ARE

Man Up began in 2011 with the simple vision of inspiring men to do something about the number of fatherless children in the world. The movement continues today in Uganda, Ethiopia, Dominican Republic, and the United States, fueled by a team of dedicated staff, passionate Board members, volunteers, and donors, who are serious about ending fatherlessness.

OUR VISION

A FATHER FOR EVERY CHILD

OUR MISSION

TO MOBILIZE MEN TO FIGHT FOR THE FATHERLESS AS JESUS COMMANDS

OUR VISION

A FATHER FOR EVERY CHILD

OUR MISSION

TO MOBILIZE MEN TO FIGHT FOR THE FATHERLESS AS JESUS COMMANDS

OUR VALUES

EXCELLENCE

We believe followers of Jesus set the bar for excellence when we do our work as unto the Lord.

RELATIONSHIPS

We believe lives and eternities are changed through discipleship relationships.

GRIT

We believe it takes resolve to do the hard work and lead where others will not go.

OBEDIENCE

We believe knowledge of biblical truth and obedience to God’s commands form the foundation for the mission.

OUR VALUES

EXCELLENCE

We believe followers of Jesus set the bar for excellence when we do our work as unto the Lord.

RELATIONSHIPS

We believe lives and
eternities are changed through discipleship relationships.

GRIT

We believe it takes resolve
to do the hard work and lead where others will not go.

OBEDIENCE

We believe knowledge of biblical truth and obedience to God’s commands form the foundation for the mission.

OUR DISTINCTIVES

WE VALUE MEN

WE WORK UPSTREAM

WE SERVE THOSE HARDEST TO SERVE

WE’RE COMMITTED TO THE LONG GAME

OUR DISTINCTIVES

WE VALUE MEN

WE WORK UPSTREAM

WE SERVE THOSE HARDEST TO SERVE

WE’RE COMMITTED TO THE LONG GAME

OUR TEAM MEMBERS

  • Jeff Ford serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Man Up and Go, a global non-profit organization that mobilizes men to fight for the fatherless as Jesus commands. Knowing Jeff for many years and the powerful story of God’s redemptive work in his life, the Board of Directors made him Man Up and Go’s inaugural CEO in 2015, a position he considers a conduit for his life’s work.

    In addition to his role as CEO, Jeff serves as the Man Up Tampa Bay Cohort Chairman. He’s a 2017 Leadership Pasco graduate, former Eckerd Connects Advisory Council member and current Florida Support Services Advisory Council member, current Tampa Bay Foster Care and Adoption Alliance member, current Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council member, served as Guardian ad Litem and as a board member with the CS Lewis Society, and has summitted the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro, twice.

    Jeff graduated from Wheaton College (IL) and has lived in the Trinity (FL) area since 2003 with his wife Liza. They have two children, Asher (adopted from Ethiopia), and Jolie (adopted from China). Jeff loves Jesus, pizza, golf, traveling, working out, and most recently, cycling while wearing those ridiculously tight shorts.

  • Learn to do good.

    Seek justice.

    Help the oppressed.

    Defend the cause of orphans.

    Fight for the rights of widows.

    Isaiah 1:17

    For over 15 years, Stephanie has worked with churches and nonprofits with a goal to challenge followers of Jesus to embody Isaiah 1:17.

    After graduating from University of Miami, she spent time practicing law before moving to Haiti in 2010 to help with earthquake relief work. Her experience in Haiti would radically change the trajectory of her life leading to work in 13 countries.

    As a Pinellas native, she was excited to return to the Tampa Bay Area to continue serving those close to the heart of God — the poor, needy, oppressed, those suffering from injustice, the marginalized, foreigners, widows, and orphans. She has volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem and as a board member of several nonprofits in the area.

    “When followers of Jesus are committed to the Great Commission and Great Commandment families, communities, and eternities are transformed.”

  • Vicki’s introduction to the Man Up and Go organization was through her first mission trip to Africa in 2013. The experiences of that trip are what inspired Vicki to become more involved in fighting for the fatherless. She has been to Africa every year since and has led multiple trips there. She believes God has specifically called her to love and encourage the women and children in Africa. Man Up and Go has given her the opportunity to LOVE BIG on the people of Uganda and Ethiopia.

    Vicki has been married over 30 years to her high school sweetheart (Tom) and is the mother of 2 boys (Zachary & Logan). She was born and raised in beautiful Clearwater, Florida. She attends and serves at Calvary Church and served Man Up as a board member for 6 years. Vicki Joined the Man Up staff in 2021 as the Executive Administrator.

    The Lord is using Man Up and Go to make a significant impact in the areas where we are partnering with the local church to engage, empower & equip the men, women and children we are serving. Change only happens when people do something.

  • Corey Henderson is a Husband and Father of four beautiful girls. He began his ministry with Man Up and Go in September 2022. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

    Early in his career he worked with children through the YMCA and Hillsborough County schools. Corey was then led by The Lord to begin serving children who needed the most love, encouragement, and guidance through Pinellas County Job Corps. Corey wanted to be more involved in making a difference in children’s lives and begin a career in child welfare in 2018. He has been working with children with different types of backgrounds for over 10 years.

    God has shown him his purpose as it reads in Psalms 82:3 “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” Stepping into the role as the Program Manager over the mentoring program has given him the opportunity to honor God by using the gifts and talents that has been given to him!

  • Gabby began her role as Tampa Bay Coordinator with Man Up and Go in April of 2022. She first heard of the ministry from board member, Raul Serrano, while working for his family during Man Up’s 2019 Kilimanjaro climb. While climbing an 18,000’ mountain isn’t necessarily her forte, she personally knows the importance of having an active father and strongly believes in Man Up & Go’s mission of ‘To mobilize men to fight for the fatherless as Jesus commanded’.

    After graduating from the University of Central Florida with her bachelors degree in Event Management, Gabby spent a few years in Texas as an event planner for a master planned community. The Lord called her back home to Florida, right at the time Man Up & Go was in search of someone with her passion for serving others and coordination skills in the Tampa area.

    She was introduced to Jeff and the Man Up Tampa Bay team, and it was quickly made clear that God had aligned Gabby’s move and their need for a Coordinator. She’s honored to be apart of their team and looks forward to giving her best to the Man Up mission.

  • David Green is a native of St. Petersburg, FL. He’s a husband and father of five children. David’s passion for ministry drives him to always want to lead by example, empower, educate and encourage young men, leading as God has instructed. David enjoys writing, speaking, and mentoring as hobbies.

    After a short career in the CFL (Canadian Football League), David returned back home to Florida where he became active in his church as a youth minister and in his community. He has coached youth league and high school football and worked with young men through various programs such as Pinellas County Job Corps, as well as YAP (Youth Advocate Program). Now with Man Up and Go, God has extended his journey in the fight for the fatherless and making an impact in the lives of young men.

    Deuteronomy 10:18 says our God gives justice for the fatherless. Therefore, we will go out into the mission field and do what thus says the Lord!

  • Vijay was born in the slums of India and became an orphan almost immediately after birth. At 8 months old, he was adopted by a family in Tampa, FL, and by the age of 2, he was living in a single mother home for the duration of his childhood. Growing up without a father, Vijay experienced spiritual battles with affirmation, acceptance, and abandonment, but with the efforts of a hard working mother and key men who became spiritual pillars and mentors to him, Vijay’s trajectory in life shifted dramatically after college.

    Vijay graduated from Florida Southern College in 2009 with a bachelors degree in business management. His first job was straight out of college working in insurance. On weeknights and on the weekends, he was involved in discipleship with small groups and mentoring youth at Crossover Church in Tampa. He was married in 2014 to his wife Jennifer and they have two boys, Arlo Azariah & Atlas Agape.

    In 2020, Vijay graduated with a masters degree in Ministry Leadership. After well over a decade of working in corporate world, he knew God was calling him to so much more. Vijay and his family moved across the nation to Lansing, MI where he entered a pastoral residency in which he was on staff and over discipleship at their local church, City Life Lansing. In March of 2023, Vijay accepted the new position of Fatherhood Engagement Specialist at Man Up and Go and has since relocated back to Tampa with his family. He is looking forward to being a part of a team that brings hope and solutions to both fathers and the fatherless, much like his own story.

  • Allan grew up in Miami, FL with his sister and their mother. At a young age he quickly realized the impact of not having a father in the home. The lack of a father in his home created many challenges during his upbringing. God providentially used each and every one of those circumstances to bring him to a place where he would hear the Gospel and come to saving faith at 17. One of the main things that stuck with him often was that God is a father to the fatherless.

    Allan learned of Man Up through one of the board members, Luke Sawyer, in 2018. Given that he comes from a home absent of a father, he loves that Man Up is an organization that is passionate about caring for the widows and orphans by getting to the root cause, the men.

    Allan is the Digital Storyteller. He is a young man who is ready to do whatever is necessary to help Man Up grow and impact the Kingdom by discipling men. Allan and his wife Alexis have been married for 2 years now and are currently living out the fight for the fatherless not only in vocation but at home. They are fostering baby twins!

  • Tim grew up in a single parent home with his brother and sister with their dad living several states away. He never had a good relationship with his dad growing up and relied mostly on incredible mentors and Godly male role models to help shape his view on what a man of God looked like. His mom made sure they were in church any time the doors were open therefore helping create a passion to serve the Lord.

    Tim has been married to his wife, Dayna, for 19 years and they have a 14 year old daughter, McKenzie and 10 year old son, Parker. Life stays busy watching McKenzie cheer for basketball and football games as well as Parker playing basketball and baseball.

    Man Up and Go was introduced to Tim through a former board member, Jim Barber, at a fundraising dinner in 2018. In 2019, the Man Up 100 cohort was formed. Shortly after launching Tim joined the leadership team as the Chamberlin and for the past two years served as Chairman. He is excited to be on the Man Up and Go staff so he can now devote full time his efforts for this great mission.

  • Husband and father of 5 children, was born and raised in Texas as the oldest of 6. His early childhood was thrown into chaos when his parents divorced at age 4. Split between 2 homes he bounced back and forth until he made the choice to live with his mother at age 11. There was not a fatherly or Christian example in his life until his early 20’s when the LORD saw fit to bring him to a knowledge of Himself. Taylor began serving in a local church in kids and youth ministries understanding the necessary role of mentor and father in every child’s life serving as a mentor and youth volunteer.

    The Lord providentially brought Taylor and his family to Florida in 2017. They began to look for opportunities to serve and be in the community of foster care. In the following years Taylor found Man Up and Go and began serving in a Man Up 100 cohort in his area. Through this he was connected to the organization and the mission to bring a Father to every child.

    He is now acting as the After-School Program Coordinator for kids in St. Pete seeking to provide a place of safety and gospel driven community and mentorship to the most overlooked in the foster care community.

  • Yvonne Nixon, the KC area program coordinator since September 2022, heard about ManUp from Michelle Schweitzer, the previous KC program coordinator. Yvonne was immediately captured by the ManUp vision and knew that their work of encouraging and investing in foster families was something she wanted to be a part of.

    She is a retired middle school teacher and desires to continue positively impacting the children and families in her community in the name of Christ.

    Yvonne had the privilege of being married to Tim for nearly 30 years until he went to be with the Lord in 2017. Yvonne is a mom to three wonderful adult children who are all married now — and has the joy of being ‘Mimi’ to her 6 grandchildren. She attends Liberty Christian Fellowship and is one of the GriefShare facilitators at her church.

    She loves being outdoors, having tea and tea parties, baking, and trying out new recipes. Yvonne raises chickens and lives near a dog park. She can often be seen frantically fighting off predators when her hens are free ranging.

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  • Shelleena (Shelly) began her role as St Petersburg Coach Mentor with Man Up and Go on January 2, 2023. She is originally from one of the beautiful islands in Jamaica, where she migrates for over ten years now. Shelleena has one handsome son by the name of Ethan. She graduated from St Petersburg College with a General Associate Arts Degree and now pursuing her Phlebotomist and Coding Certificates. I grew up with both parents and am grateful for the person they have raised me to be.

    Shelleena is a member of the Christ Gospel Church where she part takes in the choir and the usher board. Shelleena was then led by The Lord to begin serving children who needed the most love, encouragement, and guidance through Healthcare and Job Corps Pinellas Center. She has been working with teenagers for over six years and God has been giving her knowledge and understanding while doing this ministry.

    Philippians 4:11–13

    13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.

  • Marc, the oldest of three boys, was born to Puerto Rican parents from New York. Throughout his teenage years, he struggled with the challenge of navigating two cultures, feeling torn between his Puerto Rican heritage and his American background. Growing up in a fractured home, he embarked on a journey of self-discovery, questioning his place in the world and his purpose in life.

    During his senior year of high school, Marc was profoundly impacted when he encountered the gospel through hip hop. This sparked a lifelong commitment to following Jesus. Since the age of eighteen, Marc has been dedicated to empowering young people, drawing upon the rich tapestry of his roots and the vibrant culture of hip hop to inspire hope and resilience.

    Whether discipling youth in Central America or working with inner-city youth, Marc is driven by a deep desire to see individuals from similar backgrounds flourish in all aspects of life. Equipped with a bachelor's degree in Biblical and General Studies from Trinity College of Florida, he currently resides in Tampa, where he actively serves his community through involvement with nonprofit works and his church Living Faith Bible Fellowship. Marc and his wife, Nicole, have been married for twelve years and have been blessed with two children.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

  • Originally from Venezuela, Gonzalo grew up with strong Catholic roots. Over time, his relationship with God faded through life experiences difficult to understand. Through the Grace of God, he met Jason Clement and was introduced to Man Up and Go in 2018. The mission hit home for him as his parents separated when he was three years old. Fortunately, at the age of seven, a new father figure came into his life and showed him the role of a man in the household. Man Up and Go has helped him find a relationship with God again, be a better father, and work on being a better man overall. In 2019, he traveled to Uganda with Man Up and saw first hand how the mission impacts those that need help the most and how God works through them to shine love for all. Family is very important to him, he is focused on building unity and compassion that extends past self and immediate family to follow the example of the Lord.

    Gonzalo lives in Dunedin, FL with his wife, Daniela, and their two boys, Nicolas and Jordan. He enjoys working out, being on the water, watching the kids play soccer, and recently golf. He is a commercial banker with Encore Bank and also is involved with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast.

  • Joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2006, Andrew's team focuses on helping employers design and implement 403b and 401(k) plans. They also provide additional support around fiduciary best practices, plan design items, and providing participant education. Andrew has earned the designation as a Retirement Benefits Consultant for Merrill. This designation is only awarded to a limited number of firm-wide advisors who have completed a rigorous assessment process and training program. He also works with individuals to help develop wealth management strategies, including investment advice and guidance, as well as wealth transfer strategies for multigenerational families. In total the Cliborne, Winkler & Associates team oversees approximately $750 million in assets and over 150 employer sponsored retirement plan clients. He is registered to practice in 26 states and appointed with all major security exchanges.

    On a continuous endeavor to learn, Andrew holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC®, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™, CRPS®, Certified 401(k) Professional C(k)P® from the Retirement Advisor University at UCLA, and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor® CPFA™ designations. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Leadership Management and Human Resource Management with a minor in Finance from Florida State University.

    Andrew is also an active member in his community by serving in areas he is passionate about. He is a board member for Man Up and Go which helps with the fatherless in our communities, Amplify Clearwater, Leadership Pinellas, and St. Petersburg College Foundation. In addition, he is part of the Planned Giving Committee of the Pinellas County Education Foundation and past Vice Chairman of Success for Kids & Families in Tampa, FL

  • Jim is a 50 something father of 4 kids, husband to Nancy for 29 years (yes, she’s a strong woman), avid runner, and lover of the Lord – striving to do more than just exist in the time God has given. His Christian journey has taught Jim God desires for him to love and serve others unselfishly. If he is not serving, he’s just existing. That’s why Jim loves mission trips to Africa – he gets to do more than just exist! He has an opportunity to show the children and people of Africa the same unselfish love the Lord has shown to him.

  • At his core Raul believes that every child suffers when the father is absent from their lives. Whether that is their earthly father or his/her heavenly Father. After Raul’s first trip to Uganda with Man Up and Go he saw first hand the amazing work this organization was doing to restore families through the Father. That trip sparked a passion for the MUG’s mission domestically and abroad that has fueled him to continue to spread the message and increase the impact the organization is having.

    Raul is married to Jessica and has four kids, Adriana, Aria, Atlas and Asa. He is also the owner and operator of Ignite Chiropractic and Wellness and Co-founder of Re Nutritional Supplements.

  • Laney became involved with Man Up and Go when she traveled to Ethiopia and Uganda in 2018 with a Man Up team. The mission and vision of MUG resonates with her personal values and passions to see men lead their families, empower women, and care for orphans. She is driven by seeing the Gospel changes people, break cycles of trauma, and redeem broken lives.

    Laney is a clinical social worker with experience working in Florida’s foster care system. She and her husband Matt are currently foster parents because of their passion for helping restore biological families and protect vulnerable children. She believes God has placed her in her local community to make Kingdom impacts and show her neighbors the restoring love of Christ. Laney is passionate about teaching others how to care for vulnerable and dis-empowered people, while challenging societal norms and stigmas surrounding poverty and orphan care.

  • First introduced to Man Up and Go in 2014, Matt later participated in his first trip to Uganda in 2015. That trip opened his eyes to the plight of the fatherless and the meaning behind James 1:27. He believes Man Up is making a difference around the world as we support our ministry partners and LOVE BIG on the orphans, widows, and men that we serve.

    Matt lives in Clearwater, Florida with his wife Amy and their three children. He works in Regulatory Compliance at ClearCaptions and serves in his local church at Lakeside Community Chapel.

  • Wanda Jones is a native Floridian, currently residing in St. Petersburg.  She is a graduate of the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) and City Bible College (Lakeland, FL).  

    Wanda is a licensed  and Ordained  Pastor.  She is the Visionary and Overseer of Love Life Fellowship, which is an international ministry supporting an active congregation and orphanage in Kenya, Africa.

    Wanda has a plethora of work experiences in Child Welfare, which span over 35 years!  Including being foster parent with her late husband (Chicago, IL), High School Liaison (Arlington Heights, IL),  Florida DCF Licensing Counselor, Protective Service Counselor,  Child Protection Investigator and Supervisor. She was the Child Protection Investigation Division Program Manager with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office; retiring in 2013.  

    Presently, Wanda  is the Pinellas and Pasco Counties Foster Home Recruiter for Family Support Services Inc.

    Wanda maintains a very strong commitment and involvement in her community.  She is an active board member of ManUp and Go Tampa Bay,  and  a current member/past President  of The St. Petersburg  Midtown Rotary Club.

    Wanda is widowed. A proud mother of two adult sons and three amazing  grandchildren.

  • Aaron Hubbard is a Judge in the 6th Judicial Circuit and was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in April 2022. Judge Hubbard is assigned to the Community Violence Division, which handles petitions for, among others, dating, domestic, stalking and sexual violence injunctions. His experience with injunction proceedings often overlaps with child custody issues involving mothers and fathers. Before his appointment, Judge Hubbard was a prosecutor with the State Atorney’s office in Tampa beginning in 2007.