Phil Scarpelli

Chief Executive Officer

Phil Scarpelli is the Chief Executive Officer of the Brevard Family Partnership Family of Agencies. Phil joined Brevard Family Partnership in November 2018. He has been proudly involved in Florida’s child welfare system since the inception of privatization, as early as the late 1990’s. Previously, Phil worked as part of the Department of Children and Families Central Region’s Leadership on the professional development and talent management of its middle and senior managers. Prior to that he was the State Director with Key Assets Florida, Inc., part of the International Core Assets Group, a leading children’s services provider.

Phil has 30 years of experience working in behavioral healthcare and child welfare in both clinical and administrative capacities. Throughout his career, he has been committed to children and families at risk, and to the development of a perpetual learning environment willing to challenge the status quo, embrace innovation, inclusion, transparency, and trust.

Phil has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Gerontology from Iona College and a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Yeshiva University.

Dr. Patricia Nellius

Consultant/Trainer

Patricia Nellius was the founding CEO of Brevard Family Partnership (BFP) where she has served since its inception in 2004 through September 2017. She is the longest standing CBC CEO in the state. Patricia holds a Masters and Doctorate in Counseling and recently completed the Multisystem Integration Certificate program at Georgetown University. Under Patricia’s leadership Brevard successfully transformed its local child welfare system into a national model recognized for its innovations, excellence and positive outcomes. In addition to her role at Brevard Family Partnership, Patricia now serves as the CEO of the National Center for Innovation and Excellence.

Out of a deep desire to impact change and improve the quality of life for vulnerable children and families, Patricia worked her way from the field up to administration. She has served in the human service sector with specific focus on system reform for over 25 years. Patricia is a passionate, civic minded advocate who has served on a numerous local, state, and national Boards. Her service includes but is not limited to: The Center for the Study of Social Policy’s National Youth Thrive Steering Committee; the Central Florida Cares Health System Board of Directors, the National Wraparound Initiative: Core Advisory Council at the University of Portland, Oregon; the Florida Coalition for Children Board of Directors; Promise in Brevard Board of Directors; Governor Crist’s Child Abuse Prevention and Permanency Advisory Council; and as co-chair of Governor Crist’s Faith Based Initiative.

Patricia’s commitment to protect the vulnerable has resulted in many accolades for her efforts. Some of which include receipt of Eckerd’s “Children’s Hero” award in 2012; the “Distinguished Service” award from the Florida Coalition for Children for her local, state, and national System of Care efforts; the “Administrator of the Year”; and “Child Abuse Prevention Leadership” awards.  Patricia received commendation from Governor Bush for assisting the state of Florida in obtaining the nation’s 1st statewide Child Welfare IV-E Waiver leveraging over 70 million dollars in additional funding for the Florida Child Welfare System, and for authoring the “Title IV-E Waiver Service Array and Practice Guide” and conducting statewide implementation training. Early in her tenure in Florida Patricia was appointed the CBC Chairperson of the Resource Allocation and Efficiency Committee by DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi resulting in the establishment of Florida’s Center for Child Welfare at USF.

Patricia has also contributed to advancement of the field of child and family services having authored/coauthored several articles, peer reviews, presentations, and publications including but not limited to:

• ”Reducing the Threshold for Risk by Strengthening Families: Impact and Outcomes of Innovations in the Wraparound Process as Early Intervention”, 2013
• C.A.R.E.S. Child Abuse Prevention Replication Toolkit, 2011
• “Transforming and Localizing Child Welfare Systems of Care:”, Department of Health & Human Services Division of Children Youth and Families: National Child Abuse & Neglect Conference
• “Sustaining Systems of Care” The Children’s Bureau: Administration for Children and Families Annual Grantees Convening, Georgetown University
• Wraparound Training Curriculum, Systems of Care Consulting
• Florida’s IVE Waiver Principles of Practice and Service Array Guide
• Hope & Healing: A Higher Place, An Individual and Group Treatment Model for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse
• Counseling the Victim, The Learned Society of Canadian Anthropologists and Sociologists
• Creating a Compassionate Response, New Brunswick Teacher’s Association Convention
• Understanding the Dynamics of Family Violence: A Ministry Handbook: Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches

Patricia is happily married, the mother of four, and a grandmother.

Valerie Holmes

Sr. Executive of Programs, Master Trainer and Consultant

Valerie Holmes is the Senior Executive of Programs at Brevard Family Partnership. In this role, she provides oversight of the continuum of service delivery from entry to exit, including Brevard C.A.R.E.S., Child and Family Services, Clinical Services, Case Management contract and Care Center management. In addition to her role at Brevard Family Partnership, Valerie serves as a Master Trainer and Consultant at the National Center for Innovation and Excellence.

Valerie spent the last five years serving as the Executive Director of Brevard C.A.R.E.S. where she was responsible for the oversight of all administrative, fiscal, and programmatic activities of the organization. During this time, she led the agency through its initial accreditation in COA and secured several state and federal grants. Prior to her role at Brevard C.A.R.E.S. and since BFP’s inception, Valerie served as the Director of Operations, Child and Family Services at Brevard Family Partnership where she provided leadership of Intake, Placement, Adoption, the Child Welfare Pre-Paid Mental Health Plan, Out of Home Care, Licensing and Child Placing Agencies.

Valerie continues to work in concert with the C.A.R.E.S. national replication team, trains social service professionals in System of Care and Wraparound, and serves as the principal point-of-contact and project lead on any research and data analysis of Brevard C.A.R.E.S.

Valerie received a Master’s in Counseling and Psychology from Troy University in 2005, a Masters in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida in 2001, and a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Central Florida in 1993. She has worked in the social services field in a variety of community-based, non-profit settings for the last 21 years, including child welfare, child abuse prevention, mental health and domestic violence. Valerie enjoys spending time with her husband and son.

Tracy Little, MBA

Wraparound Fidelity Liaison, Master Trainer and Consultant

As a former foster parent and legal guardian to children with mental health needs, Tracy is both a consumer and a seasoned Wraparound Practitioner. As Wraparound Fidelity Liaison for Brevard Family Partnership and Brevard C.A.R.E.S., he provides classroom training of Wraparound 101, Wraparound 201 and Advanced Facilitation Trainings, technical assistance, coaching and mentoring. Tracy is a master practitioner who serves the system of care as he ensures continuous quality improvement of Wraparound and Family Team Conferencing and collects and uses data from the WOF to coach, mentor and supervise Wraparound trainees and practitioners. In addition, Tracy serves as a Master Trainer and Consultant at the National Center for Innovation and Excellence.

Tracy has been involved in human services for many years and truly exemplifies family-centered, youth-driven care values. Tracy will stop at nothing to impart hope to those he encounters. His motto is to do whatever it takes, and that he does. No matter where he goes or who he works with Tracy is a role model and agent of change.

Tracy was instrumental in launching Brevard County’s signature child abuse prevention program, Brevard C.A.R.E.S. as the first Prevention and Diversion Care Coordinator hired in August of 2005. Since then, he has led the program as the Program Manager, and now leads our System of Care’s Wraparound efforts as the Wraparound Fidelity Liaison and member of the National Replication Team, most recently, being named the 2015 Child Abuse Prevention Task Force CAP Leader.

Recognized nationally for his work in the area of youth advocacy, Tracy has provided training for the National Wraparound Initiative in the area of Initial Family Engagement, and the role of the Family Partner. He holds a Master of Business Administration and has 20 years’ experience in the fields of child welfare and mental health. He also serves as a National Consultant and Trainer in family strengthening models.