Meet the Southwest Dream Team
The Southwest Dream Team was formed in 2008. We engage South and Southwest Louisville to create positive change that results in economic growth and development for the region.
Southwest Dream Team Board and Staff:
Neville Blakemore
Board Member
Consultant
Ashley|Rountree
With over 30 years of professional experience, Neville Blakemore has established a career with distinct areas of concentration and expertise in entrepreneurialism, nonprofits, and politics.
In the private sector, Neville has worked as a business owner and entrepreneur. He has served in executive management roles related to all aspects of high-growth companies with multiple divisions located across the country. Neville has served on the Boards of Directors and/or Ad Hoc Committees of more than 30 non-profits. These non-profits span a wide range of areas, from arts and culture to racial and economic justice.
Neville has also worked extensively with Democrat and Republican lawmakers, think tanks, grassroots organizations, and lobbyists on economic development, at-risk youth, and criminal justice reform issues. Neville lives in Louisville, Kentucky, his hometown, with his wife and their daughter. In high school and college, Neville’s father regularly went to the beer gardens in the South end, now the newly redeveloped Colonial Gardens. It’s wonderful to see the old building saved for the new memories of today.
Heather Blazis
Metro Council Liason
Legislative
Aide
Louisville Metro Council District 12
Heather is the Metro Council Legislative Assistant Liaison on the Southwest Dream Team Board. She supports communication and collaboration with the South and Southwest Louisville Council members and the Southwest Dream Team.
Heather has been with Metro Council since June of 2021. She has thoroughly enjoyed working with the District 12 constituents and local agencies to solve problems, make changes and keep the South end great! Prior to Metro Council, Heather worked for 16 years in the non-profit sector.
Heather is a member of the newly formed Council Women’s Caucus and holds a BS in Marketing from the University of Dayton. In her free time, she loves to run (working to accomplish the goal of running a half marathon in every state) and spend time with family and friends.
Vince Jarboe
President
Owner, Agent
Vince Jarboe Insurance Agency
Vince also founded the Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) High School Alumni Association in 2003 that has raised over $350,000 in scholarship funds for Senior students, and honors the PRP community with a Hall of Fame. Vince has been married for 32 years to a wonderful woman and has two children in post graduate studies. Most of his free time is spent, either playing golf or spending time on Dale Hollow Lake in Southern Kentucky. Vince is ready and willing to continue to make the South End and Southwest Louisville the best place to live, work and play.
Rebecca Katz
Executive Director
Southwest Dream Team
Rebecca is the Executive Director of the Southwest Dream Team, where she supports community and economic development initiatives in South and Southwest Louisville.
Rebecca began her career as an AmeriCorps service member and has worked with numerous organizations since to support opportunities for community members to build social capital and engage in public life.
Rebecca lives in South Louisville and is a Beechmont Neighborhood Association board member. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from Western Kentucky University and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Louisville. Outside of work, you might find Rebecca in rehearsal with Keen Dance Theatre, or hiking the Purple Heart Trail in Jefferson Memorial Forest.
Bennett Knox
South Points Scenic Area Co-Chair
Parks Administrator
Louisville Metro Government
Executive Director
Wilderness Louisville
Patti Linn
South Points Scenic Area Co-Chair
Historic Site Manager
Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing
Patti Linn has served as the Historic Site Manager of Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing since 1994. Riverside is a 300-acre historic park on the Ohio River in southwest Louisville. Its centerpiece is the restored 1837 Farnsley-Moremen House which functions as a historic house museum. Since its opening in 1993, Riverside has become an important cultural center, educational resource, and tourist destination in southwest Louisville.
Patti has been involved in the efforts of the Southwest Dream Team almost since its inception. She is a long-time SWDT Board member who co-chairs the Cultural and Natural Attractions Committee. As its name states, the committee’s goal is to promote southwest Louisville’s rich cultural and natural resources. A key initiative has been the creation of the South Points Scenic Area (SPSA). The committee’s efforts have resulted in a system of signage throughout southwest Louisville directing people to various attractions, a brochure, a digital map, and other marketing materials.
Patti is excited by the improvements and investments that have been taking place in southwest Louisville—and she is still eager to tell people she meets about its incredible parks and cultural attractions.
Rachel Roarx
Board Member
Legislative
Aide
Louisville Metro Council District 21
Rachel Roarx serves as the Louisville Metro Council District 21 Legislative Aide in the Office of Councilwoman Nicole George. She is a proud lifelong South end resident, and graduate of Holy Cross High School and UofL. Roarx is the Board President of The Little Loomhouse and the Louisville Girls Leadership (LGL). Roarx’s strives to incorporate her passions for supporting women, community building, and South Louisville pride in her daily work.
Roarx has worked on multiple local political campaigns, including her most recent position as Volunteer Coordinator for Nicole George during George’s campaign from June 2017- November 2018. Roarx previously worked at UPS Worldport as an Administrative Assistant in both Human Resources and Aircargo/Freight Operations until she accepted the D21 Legislative Aide position in January 2019.
Andrew Thomas
Treasurer
Wealth Management Advisor
US Bancorp Investments
Andrew was born and raised in Louisville, KY and he has lived in the Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) area his whole life. He attended St. Paul’s Catholic School and Butler Traditional High School, Andrew holds a Bachelors in Business from the University of Louisville, and an MBA from Xavier University.
Andrew has been in banking, finance, and investments for 19 years, and is currently a Wealth Management Advisor with US Bancorp Investments.
Andrew is happily married for 11 years and has a four-year-old son. When he is not working, spending time with his family, or volunteering, Andrew enjoys being in the outdoors fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking.
Sharon Toms
Secretary
Realtor
RE/MAX
Sharon lives in Southwest Louisville and has for the majority of her life. She was born in Louisville and attended southwest area Jefferson County Public Schools. Share has been married for 43 years and has three children and eight grandchildren. Her children and seven grandchildren have attended, graduated and some still attend southwest public schools. Sharon is with RE/MAX and has been a realtor for 34 years, serving all areas of Louisville and the surrounding counties but comes home to Southwest Louisville.
Sharon is committed to volunteering her time on different boards; Greater Louisville Board of Directors, board member of Friends of Farnsley-Kaufman House, and active membership at Beechland Baptist Church. She is a long-time board member of the Southwest Dream Team and continues to work with residents and business owners to invest in their community. Sharon makes time for outside activities participating at the Southwest YMCA and bicycling with friends. She is always excited to talk with others about how to invest in the future of Southwest Louisville – a great place to live, work, and play!