BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

Ms. Cherrisse Wilks said she has wanted to relocate to Tampa for some time. She had been looking for employment in the area and thinks the city is “a great place for young professionals.”

Ms. Wilks was granted her wish through employment after Mayor Bob Buckhorn offered her a position as the Grants Specialist for the City of Tampa last month. She relocated to Tampa from Jacksonville, leaving the position of Grants Administrator. As the Grants Specialist, Ms. Wilks is assigned to the Revenue and Finance Department. Her position will require that she work across city departments to apply for and manage the implementation of various grants on the federal, state, and private levels.

“I’m looking forward to securing grants to complete some of Tampa’s well deserved projects,” she said.

Mayor Buckhorn said, “From housing programs to neighborhood improvement projects, there are federal and state dollars that can help us get the job done. Encore just won a $30 million grant from the Housing and Urban Development Department, and grant dollars will help us complete the Riverwalk in the next 14 months. Cherrise will help Tampa continue to leverage our power and relationships in Tallahassee and Washington, D. C.”

A native of Crestview, Florida, Ms. Wilks earned her B. S. Degree from Florida State University in Family, Child, and Consumer Finances. She continued her education at the University of North Florida, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Her hobbies include volunteering with children’s organizations and crossing things off of her Bucket List. This year, the 33-year-old plans to swim with dolphins. This is only one of 100 things on her Bucket List, Ms. Wilks said.