Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy will honor four graduates for their professional achievements, contributions to society and support of the college and university.
The college will celebrate 2024 Distinguished Alumni – John E. Dailey, Renisha Gibbs, Vincent S. Long and Kathy Mears – at the College’s Distinguished Alumni Gala in spring 2025.
“This year’s cohort of Distinguished Alumni in the College highlights the immense impact of our graduates in the fields of public service and higher education,” said Dean Tim Chapin. “Each of these individuals are true leaders, bringing the skills and knowledge they learned as students to the work they do to make Tallahassee, Leon County, the State of Florida and Florida State University the best they can be.”
“Each of these individuals are true leaders, bringing the skills and knowledge they learned as students to the work they do to make Tallahassee, Leon County, the State of Florida and Florida State University the best they can be.”
— Tim Chapin, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
John E. Dailey serves as Tallahassee’s mayor and has dedicated his professional life to building strong and vibrant communities through public service. Throughout his career, he has served in the Florida League of Cities, the Leon County Commission, and is a proud graduate of both Leadership Tallahassee and Leadership Florida. He also founded JDA Strategies in 2005, a research and development consulting firm focused on local governance. Dailey received his bachelor’s degree in political science from FSU, where he served as president of the Student Government Association. He received his first master’s degree in public administration from FSU and received a second master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the London School of Economics while serving as an aide to Roger Casale (Labour – Wimbledon) in the British Parliament.
Renisha Gibbs serves as both the associate vice president for human resources and the finance and administration chief of staff at Florida State University. She has worked at FSU for 21 years and held several positions before her current one, including assistant director of employee and labor relations and director of equal opportunity and diversity. Gibbs received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Florida State and is actively involved in her community through her work with Tallahassee Urban League, Pace Center for Girls-Leon and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Vincent S. Long serves as the county administrator of Leon County. In his 30-year career, he served as a past president of the Florida Association of County Managers and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Florida Local Government Investment Trust and the Advisory Board for the Askew School. As an expert source on local government issues, Long has been featured on national news outlets. He received a Master of Public Administration from Florida State’s Reubin O’D. Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.
Kathy Mears serves as the assistant commissioner of agriculture for the State of Florida and has over 25 years of experience in state government. As the highest-ranked staff member for the Commissioner of Agriculture, her department oversees 20 divisions and offices and has a budget of over $2 billion. She is heavily involved in her community, as she is a board member for the Capital Health Plan and a member of the FSU Health/TMH Transition Committee. Mears is a two-degree graduate of Florida State, with a bachelor’s degree in social science and then a Master of Public Administration.
For a list of all COSSPP’s Distinguished Alumni, cosspp.fsu.edu.