INAUGURATION SPEAKERS

Jordan Ackerman ‘23 received his associate degree from Lake-Sumter State College in 2022 and will receive his advanced certificate in business management from the BAS in Strategic Leadership program in 2023. Ackerman is originally from Daytona Beach, and was a pitcher on the Lakehawks baseball team. He is part of the LSSC Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Ackerman plans to pursue a personal training certification to train athletes and has a goal to work in marketing operations for a major sports franchise.

Virginia DeFlaviis ‘25 is an international student from the Abruzzo region of Italy. She is pursuing her associate of arts degree and plans to transfer to Stetson University to study linguistics. DeFlaviis speaks five languages: English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. She also plans to pursue her passion in musical theater. She is actively involved in Student Government Association and the Latino Club.

April Figueroa ‘24 is pursuing her Associate of Science in Nursing at Lake-Sumter State College. She is originally from Mascotte and is a graduate of South Lake High School. She currently works as a full-time Certified Medical Assistant and has found her passion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her career goal is to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Kathy Hebda is the Chancellor of the Florida College System. Hebda has committed more than 30 years to improving education for students in Florida across all educational sectors. As Chancellor of the Florida College System’s 28 institutions, she continues to advocate for open access for all Floridians to a high-quality, affordable postsecondary education. Hebda came to the Florida Department of Education in 1992 and served in a number of roles before she was named Deputy Public Schools Chancellor for Educator Quality in 2008, providing leadership and support for school districts and higher education institutions to increase student success through continuous improvement in teaching and learning. Before being named Chancellor of the Florida College System, Hebda also served as Chief of Staff for the Department of Education for Florida’s previous Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart.

Amber Karlins is an Assistant Professor of English and Coordinator of the Honors Program at Lake-Sumter State College. She was the 2017 Florida Colleges Professor of the Year. In the Honors Program, Karlins oversees multiple cohorts of students, who engage in academically rigorous and stimulating courses of study. Karlins actively publishes work in academic publications on an array of subjects and is an award-winning screenwriter.

Heather Long joined the UF Health family in 2021 and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Central Florida division. Long is a dynamic leader with a passion for driving organizational performance while fostering a culture of excellence. She has cultivated quality