DISTRICT MANAGERS

Allyson Holland

Ms. Holland is a proud alumna of the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.  She began her career in Southwest Florida in 2004, working for a local engineering firm on the design and permitting of a project known as the Town of Ave Maria.  Ms. Holland refined her project management skills by overseeing a diverse portfolio of projects across Southwest Florida.  Transitioning to the public sector in 2015, Ms. Holland served as the Deputy Utilities Director for the City of Naples, successfully managing Capital Improvement Projects across seven divisions.  Her time in the public sector cultivated relationships with residents and business owners, strengthening her customer service skills.

Ms. Holland joined SDS in 2024 to serve as the District Manager for the Ave Maria Stewardship Community District.  She brings her expertise in management operations for both private and public sectors.  Ms. Holland is known to overcome challenges, and employ problem-solving skills, persistence, and teamwork to achieve successful outcomes.

Armando Silva

Mr. Silva’s career began with managing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit communities in South Florida, where he excelled in State and Federal housing compliance (Fair Housing Act and Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations), customer relations, community administrative management/maintenance, and advertisement. In 2015, he joined the team at Special District Services, Inc. at the age of 24, where he started working under the guidance of District Manager, Neil Kalin. Raised in Miami, Florida, Mr. Silva is an active member of the Miami-Dade County community where he takes time to assist in community outreach programs and coach team sports for local parks.

Armando is a graduate of Florida International University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance from Trident University International. He is fluent in both Spanish and English and is also a proud member of the American Society for Public Administration, South Florida Chapter.

Belhaim “Frank” Sakuma, Jr., CDM

Mr. Sakuma joined Special District Services in 2018 as a District Manager, bringing over two decades of government management and executive leadership experience. Prior to SDS, Frank served as the Chief Operating Officer of the IRL Council, a special district of Florida, where he oversaw day-to-day operations, budget development, human resources, and board support for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP). Before that, he served as a Projects Administrator with the St. Johns River Water Management District, providing project management and board support for the IRLNEP.

Frank spent over 17 years with the Brevard County Clerk of Courts, advancing from Records Clerk to Personnel Director, Branch Manager, and ultimately Manager of the Recording and Official Records Departments. Throughout his career, he has developed deep expertise in budgeting, project management, contract administration, human resources, regulatory compliance, and board governance.

Mr. Sakuma earned his MBA in Business from Saint Leo University and a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from the University of Central Florida. He is also a veteran of the United States Navy, having served on active duty aboard the USS Savannah, where he was recognized as Sailor of the Quarter in 1988.

Gloria Perez

Mrs. Perez joined the team at Special District Services, Inc. in 2014, opening an office located in West Kendall.

Mrs. Perez has extensive experience in Property Management, Construction Development and Business Development in South Florida. Her career started in Property Management where she acquired her Florida State Community Association Managers License in 1995 (currently active) and worked with several local Homeowner and Condominium Associations. She then merged into the Construction industry by way of Miller and Solomon were she was a Project Coordinator; ultimately owning her own construction company, Champ Construction Group, Inc., successfully for over 16 years as President. Later in her career she specialized in Business Development and also served as Regional Manager for a Fortune 500 Company, Kelly Services.

Mrs. Perez attended Florida National College for Intro to Law, Florida Atlantic University for Construction Management and Miami-Dade College for Certifications. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Mrs. Perez is a proud and active member of the Miami Community where she was raised. She continues to expand her networking relationships within South Florida through Special District Services, Inc. Mrs. Perez is honored and enthusiastic about being a part of the SDS team and is working toward establishing and expanding business in Miami-Dade.

James Candela

Mr. Candela joined Special District Services, Inc. in 2017 following his graduation from college and has built his career with the firm through progressive roles within the finance department. His experience includes budget preparation, monthly financial reporting, coordination with external auditors, assessment roll development, and bond-related financial analysis.

Currently serving as both an Assessment Methodology Consultant and District Manager, Mr. Candela manages multiple districts while authoring bond assessment methodologies and coordinating with district professionals to ensure proper funding structures.

Mr. Candela earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University and holds a Certified District Manager (CDM) designation. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida, with anticipated completion in July 2026. Born in New York and raised in South Florida, Mr. Candela maintains strong ties to the region and enjoys playing ice hockey in his free time.

Kathleen Dailey Meneely

Ms. Meneely joined our firm in 2015 to manage the expanding Southwest Florida District. With nearly 30-years experience in municipal operations, Ms. Meneely has held City Manager and Deputy City Manager positions with full-service communities throughout the State of Florida varying in demographics, size and budgets. Her background includes working with the southwest Florida cities of Venice and Punta Gorda, the southeast cities of Boca Raton, Ocean Ridge, Highland Beach and Oakland Park, and the central Florida city of Kissimmee. Of note, her tenure with the City of Punta Gorda was following the devastation of Hurricane Charley, where she was an integral part of a community having to rebuild – including planning, community outreach and building consensus with diverse groups and competing interests in recovery strategies. Specializing in Human Resources, Labor Negotiations, Citizen Collaboration, Public Relations and Communications, Ms. Meneely brings an approachable and trusted leadership style that is responsive to our growing districts and the Boards governing those districts.

A native of Ohio, Ms. Meneely received her B. A. in Communications and M. A. in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. She is also trained in the Dale Carnegie Leadership methods and in National Incident Emergency Management (NIMS). She has been an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the Florida City/County Management Association (FCCMA), a graduate of Leadership programs in Sarasota, Boca Raton and Charlotte County and former president of South Sarasota County United Way.

Kent Cichon

Mr. Cichon is a native Floridian and began his career in business management.  After several years in the private sector, he transitioned to Florida local government to serve the public, which has been his focus for more than 28 years.  This experience includes the position of City Manager for two municipalities.  His career has afforded him the opportunity to develop a wide variety of skills and knowledge in such areas as capital projects management, budget development, growth management, strategic planning, and grant writing and management.

Kent received his BA degree in Political Science from the University of Florida and his Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida.  He has been appointed to multiple local government boards and served in a number of volunteer civic organizations.  Kent joined Special District Services in 2022 to be the District Manager for the Barefoot Bay Recreation District.

Megan Bowden

Mrs. Bowden joined Special District Services in 2025 as the Avenir Community Development District Manager, serving the Avenir community in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She is committed to supporting the community through the District’s growth, infrastructure development, and ongoing operational excellence.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Supervision and Management, focused in Healthcare Management, Mrs. Bowden brings nearly ten years of experience in the healthcare industry, specializing in delivering high-quality, customer-focused services. This foundation has equipped her with strong skills in organizational oversight and operational efficiency—qualities she now applies to managing the District. Through collaboration with the Board, residents, and service providers, she works continually to support the District.

Michael McElligott

Mr. McElligott started out in the banking industry after receiving his BS degree in Finance from Florida State University. During his 7 year banking career, Michael was part of a joint venture whose focus was on new custom home construction and financing in central Florida. Michael joined SDS in 2007 after moving to South Florida. Initially Michael was hired into the finance department of SDS, where he worked as the Assistant CDD Finance Director for 10 years before becoming a District Manager. This gives Michael the added benefit of having intimate knowledge of both the management and finance sides of district operations.

In addition to his Finance degree, Mr. McElligott is also a certified District Manager, having completed the FASD Certified District Manager course. Michael also currently sits on the board of the FASD Education Foundation.

Michelle Krizen

Michelle Krizen joined SDS in 2022 to manage districts in the ever-growing Southwest Florida area.  With a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction and a Bachelor of Science, Michelle brought over 17 years of government work experience in the education field to our team – specializing in organizing meetings, working with budgets, and communicating with stakeholders who have changing needs.  With various leadership roles in the education sector, Michelle has seasoned problem-solving skills and knows how to efficiently handle the complex requirements of our districts.

As a Southwest Florida native, having attended the State College of Florida and the University of South Florida, and locally raising four boys with her husband, Michelle has a keen understanding of unique dynamics of the region.

Nancy Nguyen

Nancy Nguyen brings more than fourteen years of experience in property management and development accounting, with extensive knowledge of financial operations, internal controls, and compliance. She has worked closely with controllers and chief financial officers, gaining both technical expertise and strategic financial perspective.

In 2019, Ms. Nguyen joined Special District Services, Inc., where she manages Community Development Districts (CDDs) and oversees their financial and operational responsibilities. Her work includes budget preparation, financial reporting, procurement compliance, vendor coordination, contract administration, board meeting execution, and ensuring adherence to Florida’s public meeting and public records laws. She partners directly with Board Supervisors to promote transparency, fiscal responsibility, and efficient district governance.

Ms. Nguyen is known for her detail-oriented approach and commitment to responsive service. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two twin boys.

Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown joined SDS in 2023. Some of her past work includes legal administration and paralegal roles, operations for the University of Phoenix, and most recently the District Clerk for the Barefoot Bay Recreation District.

Ms. Brown attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis in her hometown of St. Louis, earning a B.S. in Criminology and received her master’s degree in public administration from Western International University in Phoenix Arizona.

Sylvia Bethel

Sylvia Bethel serves as a District Manager for Special District Services, where she oversees daily operations with a focus on long-term sustainability and growth. She joined SDS in 2018 as an Accounts Payable Specialist and was promoted to District Manager in 2021. This transition highlights her deep understanding of districts’ internal financial and operational frameworks, giving Ms. Bethel the added benefit of having intimate knowledge of both finance and the broader operational sides of district management.

Prior to joining SDS, Ms. Bethel built a distinguished 15-year career in the banking industry beginning in 2003, where she developed high-level expertise in financial management and customer service, notably serving as an Assistant Branch Manager. This background allows her to pair advanced financial acumen with a practical, detail-oriented management style.

Ms. Bethel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Palm Beach State College. Outside of her professional duties, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their twins.

William Crosley

Mr. Crosley Joined Special District Services as District Manager in 2019. His past work includes professional golf course consultation and landscape design with the John Deere Corporation and most recently Managed one of the largest maintenance free Homeowner Associations in Sarasota with almost 700 homes and extensive amenity and common areas. This work experience compliments the needs of Special Districts in regards to daily administration, customer service, and efficient communication.

William attended Pennsylvania State University and Delaware County Community College, and is also licensed Florida Community Association Manager. His assignment is District Manager of the West Villages Improvement District, one of the country’s fastest growing master planned communities and Central Parc, North Port’s Florida’s newest Community Development District.