Thresa Giles stands at the forefront of Business and Operation processes.  A finance and operations professional for over 17 years with many industry recognized certifications and degrees, she most recently successfully completed the Wharton School of Business –Strategic CFO Executive program.  As the Chief Business Officer (CBO) for PACE Center for Girls, Inc., a highly recognized state-wide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls since 2011, she consistently ensures the viability of a strong and healthy financial position with the highest auditable financial achievement. She leads and oversees Information Technology, Finance, Risk Management & Facilities and Business Intelligence.  Thresa ensures that limited resources are strategically used to support our mission – Believing the Empowerment of girls.  Thresa is a person that influences and champions systemic change and whose judgment is respected and trusted. Embracing her core values of integrity, innovation and growth, she has built a reputation of excellence and efficiency.

Before joining PACE, she was Sr. Vice President of Finance for Edison Learning, the nation’s largest charter school management for profit company where she lead and managed Regional Controllers, Business Analyst of expansion, New Business Relationships, Cash and Treasury, Federal and State grant team and 22 state Business Managers. She also served as a speaker/trainer for the annual Edison leadership conference.

Thresa’s professional career encompasses leading the nation’s 19th largest education system as the Chief Business Officer where she managed $2 billion yearly, Chief Financial Officer for the State of Delaware’s largest educational system and Sr. Analyst for trading and managing stocks, bonds and asset allocation. 

Thresa has received several distinguished awards including; Duke Executive Leadership certification, Certified Financial and Governmental Management certification and State of Delaware Outstanding Leader.  She has served on the WJCT Public Broadcasting Board of Directors of Jacksonville.

She chose public financing, asset allocation and mutual funds. She wanted to give back to youth. She became CFO in school districts, then worked with the nonprofit Pace. She was brought in as a cross between CFO and COO, dealing with finance, IT and business intelligence.

She received a bachelor's degree in finance, an MBA in Statistical Management and was certified through Duke University, Wharton Business School for CFOs and the American Management Association.

The biggest challenges she has overcome are change management and preparing staff for change. She says, "You have to get the right people to move forward."

Her greatest strengths are innovation, leadership, communication and strategic thinking.

Her greatest accomplishment was taking an organization with no infrastructure and technology, building a team, taking it through Florida, and now having data driving their decisions. She believes that keeping morale up is important, as well.

She has a lot more to give. If she stays in the nonprofit arena, she would like to work for a larger organization or become a chief executive officer.

Every girl that comes through the nonprofit inspires her. Every day she comes to work, she knows her work impacts thousands of lives of girls.

She wants to be remembered for her passion for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people.

Duke Leadership Award (2006); Wharton Business School Award, Wharton Fellow (2015)

Bike Rides for Cancer; Leadership Jacksonville; Local Public Broadcasting Station; Big Sister Mentor, Local Church

Zumba; Cycling; Traveling