HEATH W. BEACH, MPA
Co-Founder
&
Chief Executive Officer
DENNIS W. BEACH, MPA
Co-Founder
&
Strategic Advisor
VALERIE WICKBOLDT
President
of
Communications & Strategy
HEATH W. BEACH
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Before founding Avail Strategies, Heath most recently served as the State of Florida Deputy State Chief Information Officer/Acting State Chief Information Officer, overseeing the state data center, the states private network, Public Safety Communications, telephone services, and more. In this capacity he served as Chair of the State E911 Board, Florida's Single Point of Contact for the national public safety broadband network known as FirstNet, and Chair of the FloridaNet Board.
From the beginning of his 20+ year career, he had a passion for making government better by identifying and executing on solutions, technology, and outsourcing to the private sector. In his various positions, he was responsible for a variety of functions including finance, procurement, strategic planning, project management, system implementations, and much more.
Heath launched his career as Director of Information Services for a nonprofit for local government providing research and training assistance to more than 400 cities and counties across the United States.
Heath then went to work for Hillsborough County and his lifelong mentor Daniel Kleman, who is known as "The Dean" of local government. He would further deepen his knowledge in finance, procurement, and technology with his first enterprise system implementation.
Kleman would later bring Heath to Jacksonville, where he served Mayor John Peyton, a prominent businessman, during his two terms in office. Heath assisted in implementing Mayor Peyton’s key priority of running government like a business in several areas including chairing the General Government Awards Committee. The committee was responsible for reviewing, awarding, renewing, and initiating municipal contracts. He also redesigned the billion-dollar capital improvement plan which was recognized as a best practice for large governments.
At the City of Tallahassee, Heath guided the finances for all services and function of government including technology, utilities, public safety, and transit. He also spearheaded and broadened budgetary engagement efforts.
Heath earned his bachelor's in International Studies and Masters of Public Administration from the University of South Florida.
DENNIS W. BEACH
Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor
Dennis has over 40 years (25 years in Florida) of local government expertise, holding the top position of City Manager/CEO. As City Manager, his responsibilities included all government operations and municipal services. Dennis was a “hands on” CEO, directly involved in designing and implementing strategies for a wide array of projects including technology expansion and innovation and he managed the procurement of hundreds of millions of dollars in services and products. His experience includes extensive background in public safety, land use, zoning, law enforcement, economic development, human services, government finance, and more.
In his most recent role as City Manager of Pompano Beach, FL in Broward County, Dennis worked closely with Broward County elected officials and leadership, law enforcement, and the balance of 31 cities within the county on a number of topics of mutual concern including the transformation and consolidation of 22 public safety answering points (PSAPS) into 3 PSAPS.
During his tenure as City Manager/CEO of Ft. Pierce, FL the City received the City of Excellence Award, the top award from the Florida League of Cities. This award is given for overall excellence in city governance/management, leadership, technology, innovative programs and services, and fiscal management.
Dennis maintains memberships in the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) and the Florida City County Managers Association (FCCMA). ICMA has over 11,000 members that includes managers of cities, counties, towns, and their staffs throughout the world. FCCMA has over 500 members from across Florida’s cities and counties, focused on County Managers, City Managers, and high-ranking staff. These memberships provide him continuous contacts and relationships with current city and county leaders. He is a recipient of the ICMA distinguished service award and served on the Board of Directors of FCCMA, giving him a reputation among professional city and county managers of a valued and trusted colleague.
He proudly served our Country in the US Navy and is a Vietnam veteran. Dennis is the recipient of the Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze stars, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Dennis received his Master’s degree in Human Services and Public Finance from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Southeastern University in Oklahoma. He understood early in his career, and continues to promote the idea, that relationships are everything. Building a trusting and open relationship with customers, clients, staff, and agencies delivers results.
VALERIE WICKBOLDT
President of Communications & Strategy
Valerie Wickboldt has nearly 20 years of expertise in the management of internal and external matters for both public and private organizations. She has worked extensively at the intersection of public relations and public policy, advising top-level executives and navigating complex environments to promote reputation management strategies in support of nonprofits, government agencies, small-to-mid-sized companies and global corporations.
Prior to joining Avail Strategies, Valerie was assistant vice president of strategic communications at one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services, Tennessee-based HCA Healthcare. At this Fortune 100 company, she led the North Florida Division in the development and implementation of public relations and communications strategies throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic. Her cross-functional team also played an integral role in the launch of HCA Florida Healthcare, the state’s largest healthcare network caring for more than 7.4 million patients each year.
Valerie has also collaborated with the majority of Florida’s state agencies on a diverse set of issues including education, public health, the support of Florida’s children and families, emergency management, business and environmental regulation, consumer services, juvenile justice, and transportation.
Before joining HCA Healthcare, she was an executive at the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR), one of the largest state agencies responsible for administering Florida's general tax, child support and property tax oversight programs.
At DOR, she helped set the strategic direction for internal and external communications initiatives for the agency, as well as strengthened the Department’s emergency response functions in coordination with key senior leaders. Prior to DOR, Valerie served as vice president of communications at The James Madison Institute where she garnered issue awareness in top state and national media outlets, and as communications director at CoreMessage where she developed public education and issue advocacy campaigns, as well as organized high-profile events including past presidential debates held in Florida.
Valerie’s experience in the public and private sector at the local, regional and national level facilitated a multidimensional approach that anticipates continuous changes in technology, market conditions, and organizational priorities, as well as strengthened her proficiency at strategy and planning, writing and research, brand and message development, crisis communications, executive and stakeholder communications, and media relations.
Valerie has had the privilege of helping organizations focus on their strategic purpose, create operational efficiencies, and communicate effectively to their valued internal and external audiences. There is great synergy amid her personal values, professional career journey, and the vision of Avail Strategies — to make government better today than it was yesterday and even better tomorrow.
Valerie is a Florida native and holds a bachelor’s in communication and public relations from Florida State University. She is a board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend and also serves as a mentor through her role at the agency. She also is a member of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Economic Club of Florida. In 2014, she was named a “30 Under 30” rising star by Florida Politics for her involvement in high-stakes issues at the local, state and national level, and in 2017, she was named one of Florida’s “Great Communicators” by INFLUENCE Magazine.