Celebrating Dr. Pam Whitaker’s 25 Years of Ministry
For 120 years, One More Child has served vulnerable children and families. Since starting as a small orphanage in 1904, One More Child has broadened our services, grown our presence, and extended our impact.
For the last 25 years, Dr. Pam Whitaker, an innovative leader and compassionate advocate, has spearheaded a substantial part of our growth.
Dr. Whitaker joined One More Child in 1999 as Director of Campus Ministries and later held the positions of Central Florida Area Administrator and Vice President of Programs, before holding her current title of Senior Vice President of Program Development. Dr. Whitaker brings a wealth of expertise and credibility to our ministry, with a bachelor’s degree in social work, a master’s in counselor education, a doctorate in education in organizational leadership, and many licensures and certifications, including mental health counseling, clinical trauma, human trafficking prevention and intervention, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention®.
Dr. Whitaker helped develop and design four of our five main program areas as they exist today. Her leadership, creativity, insight, and experience helped establish the Anti-Trafficking program, including the former safe home and the current Mobile Team model, the Family Support program with its prevention services, Child Hunger initiatives such as the initial meal-packing plan and the international feeding program, and the Single Moms program model and curriculum.
Over her time with One More Child, Dr. Whitaker supervised many programs, including previous residential services and adoption programs, hired many highly trained staff, and guided our reaccreditation process as a nonprofit that works with children and families. With her outstanding education and experience, and trauma-informed approach, she has counseled innumerable children and families throughout her career.
During the early days of her work at One More Child, Dr. Whitaker also provided community support by implementing and writing in-depth, comprehensive behavioral health assessments for children and youth sheltered in foster care.
Dr. Whitaker’s 25 years of service through One More Child has transformed countless lives, delivered healing, inspired hope, and charted a course for our ministry that allows us to reach exponentially more with Christ-centered, trauma-informed services. Dr. Whitaker’s leadership has enhanced the quality, reach, and efficacy of our programs.
One More Child recently recognized Dr. Whitaker’s 25 years of ministry during a celebration at our headquarters in Lakeland. This celebration highlighted her accomplishments and abundant contributions—we largely owe the success and impact of our programs to Dr. Whitaker’s leadership.
We praise God for bringing Dr. Whitaker to our ministry and for all the ways her expertise has brought—and will continue to bring—hope and healing to one more child.
