Following a legal career of some twenty five years, Joe Clark served as president of the Eckerd Family Foundation working to promote systemic change in juvenile justice, foster care and educational initiatives throughout the United States. From its inception in 1998 until its closing in 2013, he led the foundation’s grant making activities that focused on transformational interventions yielding measurable, sustainable outcomes for youth at risk.
Joe holds a B.S. in economics from Union College and a Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law. He practiced civil trial law for 25 years in Tampa, Florida with the law firm of Shackleford, Farrior, Stallings & Evans, (now Gray, Robinson) serving on the board of directors and as president. He was designated a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. He has served as a consultant to the Juvenile Justice Task Force of Hillsborough County and on the national steering committee of the Youth Transition Funders Group, and the board of directors of the Connected By 25™ Initiative.
Other past community service includes Berkeley Preparatory School (board member and chair); Champions for Children (board member and chair); Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay (board of directors); Junior League of Tampa Advisory Board; Social Venture Partners (board of directors and president). He currently serves as a board member of the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative. He is a member of Hillsborough County Bar Association and Sacred Heart Church in Tampa.