On WCOA’s “Real News with Rick Outzen,” Ashton Hayward talked about Leadership Florida and its latest class, which includes Mayor D.C. Reeves, ECSO Chief Deputy Andy Hobbs, and Jessi Truett of the Andrews Research & Education Foundation.
“It was created in 1982 by the Florida Chamber of Commerce to have leaders come together from diverse backgrounds, different industries, and collectively work together for one year,” Hayward said. “The processe is you apply for Leadership Florida, and then your peers that are already members get in the room for the day and debate on who should be in the class. And I feel very fortunate this year we had three leaders from our community.”
2024-2025 New Class Members
Calusa Region
Erin Duggan, Visit Sarasota County
Erin Minor, Harvest House
Zayne Smith, AARP
East Central Region
Fernando Flores, Universal Orlando
Jose Juarez, Victory Solutions
Kenyatta Lee, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Ron Piccolo, University of Central Florida
Jason Searl, GrayRobinson
Kris Tietig, Duke Energy
Gold Coast Region
Audra Berg, Jewish Federation of Broward County
Lisa Davis, JM Family Enterprises
Dana Macdonald, Panza, Maurer & Maynard
Julie Price, Arc Broward
Lori Wheeler, Marine Industries Association of South Florida
Reggie Zachariah, Jr., Greenberg Traurig
Gulfstream Region
Eric Coleman, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Danita DeHaney, Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties
Bryan Garner, Florida Power & Light Company
Curtis Johnson, City of Fort Pierce
Lisa Johnson, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida
Dave Markarian, The Markarian Group
Northeast Region
Kristen Anderson, Florida Blue
Sang Cho, Rounded by Concealment Express
West Herford, On Ideas
David Johnson, Fidelity Investments
Trina Medarev, World Affairs Council of Jacksonville
Paris Owens, Nemours Children’s Health
Alicia Somers, First Horizon Bank
Northwest Region
Carol Dover, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
Andrew Hobbs, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
Casey Reed, AT&T
D.C. Reeves, City of Pensacola
Jessi Truett, Andrews Research & Education Foundation
Shairi Turner, Crisis Text Line
Frank Walker, Florida Chamber of Commerce
Southeast Region
Shari Bower, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Isabel Diaz, Holland & Knight
Jim Haj, The Children’s Trust
Ryan C. Holmes, University of Miami
Danny Morgalo, Miami Beach Police Department
Veronica Nur Valdes, Moss & Associates
Roshell R. Rinkins, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Southwest Region
Darla Bonk, Darla Bonk Consulting
Erika Donalds, OptimaEd
Jennifer Johnson, True Fashionistas
Shontra Powell, Hubbell
Shawn Smith, Boston Red Sox
West Central Region
Chip Fletcher, Moffitt Cancer Center
Ray Hawat, Accenture
Isaac Henderson, Jacobs
Tom Palermo, Hillsborough County 13th Judicial Circuit
Mindi Richter, Shumaker
Christine Turner, ChappellRoberts
Chip Whitworth, TECO Energy
Jason Woody, Lions World Vision Institute
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