SHE ROARS PUBLISHED BY SRQ MAGAZINE 2021 EDITION
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WOMEN WHO ROAR MEET THE WOMEN WHO ARE TAKING THE LEAD IN OUR BUSINESS, EDUCATION, HEALTH AND PHILANTHROPY COMMUNITIES.
KATHY KRISTOF SIDEHUSL SUPERHERO + AWARD-WINNING FINANCIAL JOURNALIST
CYMA ZARGHAMI
FORMER PRESIDENT OF NICKELODEON AND HER NEW VENTURE, MIMO STUDIOS, A SLEEK CHILDREN’S STORYTELLING FACTORY
CELEBRATING WOMEN LEADERS POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE REGION
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contents she roars 2021
4 DRAWN TO COMIC ART Ten Ringling College of Art and Design illustration students narrate ten inspiring women artists’ stories to create a comic series for Smithsonian American Art Museum. Written by Brittany Mattie | Images Courtesy of Ringling College of Art and Design
14 SIDEHUSL SUPERHERO As Creator, CEO and Editor of SideHusl.com, a website that provides information on hundreds of ways to make money in the gig economy, Kristof is putting the power of online information in consumers’ hands by helping them to achieve financial freedom safely. Written by Ashley Grant, Photography by Jonathan Young
18 ROAR OF AN ENTREPRENEUR Cyma Zarghami, CEO of MIMO Studios, has made a name for herself as a multifaceted veteran in the world of children’s television and franchise development. As the president of Nickelodeon and Viacom Media Networks Kids & Family Group from 2006-2018, Zarghami steered the Nickelodeon ship to become the leader in children’s programming and the number one kids cable network. Written by Ashley Grant
women who roar 23
Dianna Manoogian
Diane Schaefer
SALT OF THE EARTH
DIANE’S DECORATING DEN DESIGN STUDIO
Elizabeth Fisher Good
Dr. Rachel Shelley
BOYD REALTY LLC
THE FOUNDATION UNITED, FORMERLY THE SELAH WAY FOUNDATION
Melissa Larkin-Skinner
Sara Hand
CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY
CENTERSTONE-FLORIDA
SPARK GROWTH
Anna Gonce
Jessica Rogers
Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld
CHILDREN FIRST
STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA, MANATEE-SARASOTA
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA COUNTY
Brenda Boyd May
Amanda Parrish FAWLEY BRYANT ARCHITECTURE (FBA)
Ping Faulhaber
Cassie L. D’Addeo
Erika Wise Borland Suzanne S. Wise Courtney Wise Snyder
GREEN COUCH COUNSELING
Kristina Eastmond MARINER WEALTH ADVISORS
Michelle Pennie Chelsea Duggan PARADISE DERMATOLOGY
SUNCOAST SCIENCE CENTER
TAKE CARE PRIVATE DUTY HOME HEALTH CARE
Nikki Taylor KIVITY, LLC
Lisa Moore BLAZE OF HOPE
BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL
Dolly Jacobs
Dr. Michelle Scala LAKEWOOD RANCH FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Marybeth Hansen PARADISE GRILL
Karen Medford SIRIUS DAY SPA, SALON AND MEDSPAS
Kristie Skoglund THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
This page left to right: Women Who Roar Cyma Zarghami, 2022 Trailblazer Award Recipient; Kathy Kristof, 2022 Keynote Speaker. This page right: Do You Think I’m Hiding; A Comic About Romaine Brooks, by Abigail Rajunov. Cover: Kathy Kristof at her home in Southern California, photo by Jonathan Young.
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Ten Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration students narrate ten inspiring women artists’ stories to create a comic series for Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Drawn to Comic Art BECAUSE OF HER STORY. The words are the name of a funded project spearhead-
ed by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. The initiative aims to create a more equitable America by researching, disseminating and amplifying the histories of American women. And after a series of conversations between the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD), an aligned creative collaboration sparked with board members from either side. “We thought, ‘how cool would it be using the fund that’s intended for female empowerment to actually put together a team of student artists to each tell and illustrate the story of a female artist within their special collections?’” says Kendall Brugger, Professor for Business of Art and Design and the INDEX Director for RCAD. The essence of the INDEX program at Ringling College, which stands for ‘Industry Experience,’ Brugger explains, is to provide students with an experiential opportunity in their field by connecting them with leading brands and clients—teaching them foundationally how to develop creative solutions to business challenges, speak with clients, gain familiarity with industry best practices, work against deadlines and produce deliverables. This year’s INDEX program saw 29 illustration students enter the Ringling College of Art and Design INDEX competition. A winning group of ten female illustration students were ultimately chosen. Their task? To create a series of biographical sketches based upon the lives of ten select women artists. “This INDEX project with the Smithsonian American Art Museum has been a phenomenal career-advancing opportunity for our students,” says Ringling College of Art and Design President Dr. Larry R. Thompson. “Working to tell the stories of these important women artists has drawn upon our students’ talent, creativity and ability to work collaboratively.” Unique to note, the commonality of these artists selected by SAAM is that they’ve all, for various reasons, been heedlessly overlooked—unfortunately not garnering the attention they deserved in their lifetime. “The similarity across all of their stories is that they didn’t actually have a ton of recognition for their work while they were actively producing artwork, or alive,” says Brugger. “It’s kind of sad, we see it in the creative field constantly—fame tends to happen after an artist passes on. So, this project was essentially a way of giving them a platform of recognition that should have been given, and deserved, while they were still alive or producing work.”
written by brittany mattie
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This spread, clockwise: Threads of History- A Comic About Anni Albers, by Emily Fromhage; In Awe of the Straight Line- A Comic About Carmen Herrera, by Ezra Gaeta; Do You Think I’m Hiding A Comic About Romaine Brooks, by Abigail Rajunov (excerpted to the upper left of the girl riding the bike); Picturing a City- A Comic About Berenice Abbott, by Maddie Kneubheul; Beneath the Holly Tree- A Comic About Alma Thomas, by Lauren Lamb; and The Weaver’s Weaver- A Comic About Kay Sekimachi, by Emily Ehlen. Images courtesy of the student illustrators, Ringling College of Art and Design and Smithsonian American Art Museum.
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This page, clockwise: A Life in Color- A Comic About Corita Kent, by Micaela Borovinsky Botta; Portrait- A Comic About Mickalene Thomas, by Shayna Cohen; A Garden-Thirsty Soul- A Comic about Maria Oakey Dewing, by Kippy Sage; and Breaking the Marble Ceiling- A Comic About Edmonia Lewis, by Rachel Bivens. Images courtesy of the student illustrators, Ringling College of Art and Design and Smithsonian American Art Museum. See more of each story at americanart.si.edu/art. Learn more about “Because of Her Story” at womenshistory.si.edu
The SAAM exhibition, titled “Drawn to Art: Ten Tales of Inspiring Women Artists,” is made up of a series of short comics comprised of 12 to 16 frames apiece. Each comic in its own right represents the artworks of the ten women artists from around the world while the RCAD student-illustrators were prompted to visually convey their telling stories. Their designs were inspired by graphic novels, utilizing illustration to share short takes on the artists’ lives—giving these ten young creatives the opportunity to identify with the struggles and triumphs of their paired female visionary, to see themselves reflected and to draw strength from that visibility. “Students read their biographies, studied their work, they each found a woman they personally connected to. And, we tried our best to pair them with the artist of their choice,” shares Brugger. “It was amazing to see their affinity grow for their artist’s story—whether it was because they were both from the same country or race, maybe shared similar backgrounds or could relate to similar life experiences. They all seemed to find a synergy that helped to conceptualize their comic’s narrative.” SHE ROARS 6 | srq magazine_ OCT21 | SHE ROARS MAGAZINE live local
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In
SHE ROARS 2021 EDITION
Conversation
MELISSA LARKIN-SKINNER, MA, MBA, LMHC REGIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CENTERSTONE
DR. CAROL F. PROBSTFELD PRESIDENT, STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA, MANATEESARASOTA
JESSICA ROGERS VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY, CHILDREN FIRST
IN CONVERSATION WITH SUCCESSFUL FEMALE LEADERS ON OVERCOMING CHALLENGES, MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES, TRENDS THEY SEE IN THE WORKPLACE AND ADVICE THEY WOULD GIVE THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF WOMEN LEADERS. INTERVIEW FACILITATED BY WES ROBERTS | COMPILED BY BARBIE HEIT
SHARE WITH OUR READERS A BIT ABOUT YOURSELVES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU REPRESENT. JESSICA ROGERS, VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY, CHILDREN FIRST I’m the Vice President of Philanthropy for Children First. We are the exclusive Head Start and early Head Start provider for Sarasota with 15 locations across the county, proudly celebrating our 60th anniversary this year. Our mission is strengthening children and families by improving the quality of their lives through a comprehensive approach to education, health, and wellbeing. Our core service population includes
those who are living just below the federal poverty level—those most at risk. We work with moms when they are pregnant and children through five years of age, ready to start kindergarten. MELISSA LARKIN- SKINNER, REGIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CENTERSTONE: I’m the Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone of Florida. At Centerstone, we provide mental health and addiction treatment and prevention services. We have 15 locations amongst six counties of Florida, serving about 19,000 individuals and countless families every year. Partly because of COVID, we provide a lot of
services, not in any kind of clinic or building location, but virtually. So our mission is to deliver care that changes people’s lives, and helps our communities thrive. DR. CAROL PROBSTFELD, PRESIDENT, STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA: I am the proud president of the State College of Florida. I’ve been in this position for about eight years. Our mission is to be that institution for people who aspire to get a higher education. We are open access, which means if you have a high school diploma or a GED, you can come to the State College of Florida to pursue baccalaureate degrees, certificates, two year degrees, and
personal enrichment programs. We started as a community college and evolved to the State College when we started offering baccalaureate degrees. We are still this community’s college.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED YOUR MODEL? LARKIN-SKINNER: It’s changed it in a positive way. The unfortunate thing is demand is higher than ever, but the fortunate thing is that because of COVID and the need to be distanced and protect each other, some barriers that were previously in place that kept us from doing services via televi-
ENGAGING READERS THROUGH BRANDED STORYTELLING.
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ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS MELISSA LARKIN-SKINNER IS THE REGIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR CENTERSTONE, a not-for-profit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments. As Regional Chief Executive Officer, Larkin-Skinner is responsible for the leadership and oversight of Centerstone’s operations in Florida. Larkin-Skinner has 25 years of experience in all aspects of mental health and addiction care. As a licensed mental health counselor, she has worked with children and adults of all ages in diverse treatment programs including inpatient, outpatient, crisis intervention, intensive community-based care, and child welfare. She has designed and operated innovative programs to meet community needs such as the Children’s Community Action Treatment Team (CAT), which was adopted as a statewide model of care for Florida’s youth and their families. Larkin-Skinner serves as a persistent voice bringing a ention to the opioid epidemic, regularly providing state and federal policy feedback and engaging in legislative advocacy as a mental health and addiction subject-ma er expert in Tallahassee, Florida, and Washington, D.C. She also serves as the sole behavioral health provider on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. She is a recipient of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association Administrator of the Year Award for her efforts combating the opioid epidemic.Larkin-Skinner serves as Chair of the Florida Behavioral Health Association Board and is Immediate Past-
deo have been removed. I look at what we do as kind of a menu. We provide all kinds of services in different locations. The televideo portion is just another piece of that menu. It has a lot of benefits—convenience, preference, choice, not to mention being able to view a home because it tells you a lot about someone and their situation, that you might not otherwise know in an office setting.
JESSICA AND CAROL, IT APPEARS THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF YOUR SERVICES INCLUDE KIDS AND STUDENT IN-PERSON LEARNING. DID YOU GO REMOTE? HOW DID YOU OPERATE AND HOW ARE YOU OPERATING NOW? ROGERS: Yes, when the world and our schools shut down, we went to a virtual format. However, just over a third of our families don’t have any access to virtual supports, so we really had to pull things together for these families. Working by phone or remotely gave us the opportunity to be in touch on a very frequent basis. A huge portion of our work is family strengthening services. That includes providing access to opportunities to strengthen the family’s financial position. And we had about 175 of our parents either lose their job or work on reduced hours, so having this component as a part of our overall model was helpful to us in being responsive to their needs quickly. We were no longer relying on just one way to deliver our services, but really saying, we’ve got to expand that model to be the best that we can in support of our parents. We work so hard for parents to build a confidence in being their child’s first teacher. PROBSTFELD: I’m very proud of what we do as an institution, because whether by luck or genius, years ago we put our entire software system in the cloud for every
class to have a virtual component. So to transition from face-to-face to virtual in totality was a little bit easier for us, as we were partially there already. Our SCF Go Live format allows students to have that face-to-face interaction virtually with both the professor and students, as opposed to the old asynchronous online learning where you’re pretty autonomous. Students are using that modality to get to know their classmates and their professor from the comfort of their home.
OUR READERS WOULD LIKE TO GET KNOW YOU EACH PERSONALLY. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO THE ROLE YOU’RE IN NOW. I THINK IT HAS TO BE A BIT OF A CALLING TO WANT TO HELP PEOPLE. LARKIN-SKINNER: Twenty-seven years ago, I started as a volunteer at my organization. Back then it was called Manatee Glens. I was in college, a biology major originally, but then I had an intro psychology course with a professor who actually worked in the field. I was essentially mesmerized and changed my major halfway through my junior year and got my bachelor’s in psychology. While I was in school, I worked in my family’s construction company, managing the office work, including the accounting and payroll. So I had this parallel development early in my adulthood of management and clinical. I got a Master’s Degree in rehabilitation counseling and became a licensed mental health counselor. And since then, I’ve worked in every clinical area in my organization, going from being a volunteer to therapist. I went into management within my first two years and have progressed from there. I’ve been CEO now for over four and a half years and yes, I have a passion for it. That’s what keeps me going. We are a
nonprofit organization that’s been here for 66 years and I take my responsibility very seriously— to our communities and to the people who work here to make sure that this company continues, grows and is sustainable because we have a responsibility and accountability to our communities. ROGERS: I was born and raised in Mississippi. My mother died at age 39 from lupus, a devastating disease and it really impacted my life, as I saw firsthand the support that she was able to receive through her journey. This inspired me on my path through life to want to help people. I thought initially I was going to be a nurse but that changed. After college, I was working in the finance world. Hurricane Katrina hit and I made the move to Florida. I decided to pursue the nonprofit sector, which has been my passion through past volunteerism, working in service and learning in graduate school. I ended up in higher education for about 12 years, working on the private foundation side, helping students, many who are first generation in attaining education. For me, I believe that is one of the most important factors in equity in society, to have access to education. When this opportunity with Children First arose, it allowed me to step into a space where I could use my skill set and my purpose to help elevate the work that’s being done here. Being able to work for an organization that is truly focused on a mission, from the board to our donors and our staff is a fulfilling, once in a lifetime experience. PROBSTFELD: I was a firstgeneration college student. It was always understood that we were going to college because my parents were depression-era children who never had the opportunity. My mother was one of the first women Marines and my father was in the Navy during WWII. They were both very intelligent
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people who aspired to do more than the depression allowed and they definitely wanted their children to have more. So when I had the opportunity to come to the State College of Florida, which was open access—available to students and affordable, it really spoke to me personally as a mission. I came into this role in an atypical way. I was the chief business officer at the college and we were going through a tumultuous time, an acrimonious separation between the previous president and the board. I came in at the board’s request. They felt comfortable with a known entity, somebody who understood finance. I was able to create some calm, steady-hand leadership and build relationships. So I’m proud to say that eight years later, we’re in a very different place. We have a very strong foundation board and board of trustees and we have a college where people are proud to work.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES AS A FEMALE LEADER. LET’S START WITH MENTORS. ARE THERE PARTICULAR MENTORS WHO WERE VITAL TO YOU? LARKIN-SKINNER: I believe that I can learn from everyone who comes in and out of my life. Whether I like them or agree with them, I can learn something from them. So I have a lot of mentors, but I’ve had a number of them that were really integral to my career progression who challenged me. And one thing I never did was say no to an opportunity within my organization and I think that has made a big difference of why I am where I am today. It gave me the opportunity to grow and learn so that I could be prepared for whatever was coming my way next. And what does it mean? It means the world, but it’s never enough for me. My husband gives
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me a hard time and says, “Look, you’re so successful, but it’s never enough for you.” And that’s true. I always want to do more. I always want to make a bigger difference. And the last several years, one of the things I opened myself up to was legislative advocacy because I realized how important it is for experts in a particular field to lend their voice and their expertise to the decisions made by our lawmakers. And that is a lot of what I do today—locally, state and nationally—I try to make a difference and make sure that whatever policy or funding decisions are being made are good for Floridians and good for people who live in the United States and need access to our types of services. That I think is probably what means the most to me—being able to take what I’ve learned and experienced in my career to do even more with it. PROBSTFELD It was the greatest gift to me when I stepped into this role that Sarah Pappas was in this community and willing to be my mentor. She was and still is a great friend and sounding board. Oftentimes when you’re sitting in this role, you don’t have a lot of people you can talk to about the challenges you’re dealing with. So it was wonderful to have her there to be that close comrade. And for a time, I had Steve Korcheck, before he passed away. So I couldn’t ask for two better mentors and past presidents to help me when I found myself in this role.
IS THERE A PIECE OF WISDOM THAT YOU LEARNED HARDFOUGHT THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD HEARD AT THE EARLIER PART OF YOUR CAREER? PROBSTFELD: I would tell people to just the open to all alternatives, never say never. I had once said, “A college presidency isn’t for me” and here I am. But to say, “I’m happy doing what I’m doing right now and this is the pinnacle for
me” shuts down a lot of possibilities. One of the things I try to tell students is take advantage of every opportunity—be part of student government, join a club, become the president of that club. Just take advantage of the things that are put before you. You never know where they’re going to lead. You may not have a grand plan but you’d be surprised at what doors that might open for you. ROGERS: I think as we grow and mature and have experiences, obviously our thinking around this evolves. I think probably one of the things that I could go back to when I was starting out was really to have more confidence. I’m a very curious person and when I found my voice to ask more questions and let that curiosity flourish, I found that it’s helped the teams that I’ve worked on, whether professionally or as a volunteer. I believe there are always opportunities within everything that we face. And I have had many mentors in my professional and personal life. The title doesn’t matter, there are leaders in everything that we do every day and being able to connect and listen to those voices. has helped me. I also feel like from a mentorship standpoint, I learn from other people’s mistakes and apply that to my decision-making process. LARKIN-SKINNER: I don’t know if there’s something I wish I would’ve heard more than I wish there were things I would have accepted. My latest learning journey is truly the idea of accepting the things I cannot control. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I’ve always had my fingers in everything I was doing and moved it along. But as CEO, you can’t do that yourself. You have to be more outward focused than inward. That transition has been difficult for me in the last four and a half years until finally I just accepted it. And people said things, like, it’s lonely at the top. I didn’t know what that meant until I was there
and letting go of the things I couldn’t control and focusing on the things I could. I’ve also learned to be compassionate with myself, granting myself the same compassion and grace that I grant other people. That’s still difficult for me.
COULD YOU SHARE THE CHALLENGES YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED AS A WOMAN PROFESSIONAL? PROBSTFELD: I think we’ve come a long way. When I first started at higher education, women looked at each other as a competitor or an adversary. I don’t see that as much anymore. And I see women in higher education who are in atypical roles. I was a business officer and in the Florida college system 20 years ago, I was one of the only female business officers. Now probably about 40% of the business officers are women. A colleague that we have, Cammy Abernathy is the Dean of the department of engineering at UF—a very atypical role for a woman. We see more women who are presidents right now in our Florida college system, so I think we’ve started to crack that ceiling in some ways. But one of the things that really stands out in my mind is that across the nation, about 60% of students in college right now are women, but still more than 60% of those leadership roles are held by men. And so it’s kind of to me, very special that this month we will be installing our first female board chair in 50 years, Tracy Knight. We have a female chair of our foundation board, Dorothy Carson, and we have a female president. And that’s the first time that’s happened in the 65 years this college has been in existence. ROGERS: Early in my career, I would see male counterparts who were the same age as me, being promoted into higher leadership
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Chair of the Florida Council for Behavioral Health Board. She was recently appointed to the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse by House Speaker Chris Sprowls, and elected to the Board of NATCON (National Council for Wellbeing), representing Region IV nationally. Larkin-Skinner holds a master’s in healthcare administration from Saint Leo University and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of South Florida. DR. CAROL F. PROBSTFELD, PRESIDENT, STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA, MANATEESARASOTA. Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld is the sixth president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. Established in 1957, SCF is the area’s oldest and largest public college with more than 50,000 graduates. With campuses in Bradenton, Venice and Lakewood Ranch and an online presence, SCF serves 14,300 credit students annually and another 11,600 noncredit participants. Dr. Probstfeld was named SCF president in January 2013. Dr. Probstfeld came to SCF in 2003 as vice president of business and administrative services where she oversaw the budgets and administrative operations for SCF, a $100 million enterprise that makes a $432 million annual economic impact on the region. The College prepares students for university transfer with its Associate in Arts degree or for immediate employment with 30 workforce Associate in Science degrees, 5 Baccalaureate degrees and 36 certificate programs. As SCF president, Dr. Probstfeld is commi ed to building and nurturing relationships and focusing on enhancing the student experience. Her 25 years of higher education experience
roles and being told, “Okay, it’s not your time, but your time will come in a few years.” That has been one of the things that has stood out for me as a female. Obviously, that has shifted. I think that women are team oriented, so setting yourself apart as an individual, and having the confidence to share your achievements, and what you add as an individual to the larger collective, sometimes we have a hard time articulating that. When talking to women I mentor, I’m very clear to be supportive of how they articulate their individual contributions to the larger effort. As women, it’s our responsibility to help nurture that with other women in the workforce. LARKIN-SKINNER: I sometimes wonder if I’m just oblivious, but, I didn’t ever believe anyone could hold me back, and it may be somewhat related to the fact that my organization for most of my career, had a female CEO. My family business was in construction, and that was dominated by men. And, I just never believed anyone could hold me back. I had my path and I kept pushing forward, kept finding opportunities. And, thankful to the people who offered me those, both women and men. I found is that if somebody says something that bothers me and I find it condescending, related to my gender, or anything else, it’s because they’ve hit some nerve. I try to get control of it, because I’m a big believer in, and, this probably comes from being a therapist, I can’t control my emotional responses; however, I can control how I respond. The last thing I want is to be my own worst enemy, and we can really, as human beings fall into that trap. If there was ever someone that tried to hold me back, I clearly didn’t give them any second thought.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OUR REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY AS A PLACE FOR A YOUNG WOMAN WHO’S HARD CHARGING AND WANTS TO SUCCEED? LARKIN-SKINNER: I think it’s fantastic. There’s tremendous opportunity, and there are tremendous female leaders, and a lot of them in our community. From my perspective, what young women have as a definite advantage right now is examples, proof that you can achieve anything. I think we’re all exceptional in our own way, and having more examples of people we can identify with, helps us believe we’re exceptional like they are, and that we can achieve anything. PROBSTFELD: I think there’s a lot of opportunity here, partially because I see a lot of the young women on campus who are freer than I felt in my day to be entrepreneurial, to start their own businesses. They don’t see the kind of limitations I felt that we saw when I was a young person. I think there’s much more of an idea that the sky’s the limit and you’re very much in control of your own destiny—you can make it what you want it to be. Particularly with the growth that we have in our region, with the industry that we’re bringing to this area, the opportunities are whatever you can imagine them to be. ROGERS: Over the past 10 years, our community has really grown its opportunities for younger professional women. In Sarasota, we have a depth and breadth of women examples, women who are willing to give of themselves and to share time with other women who are eager to learn. We also have a growing sector of younger women who are being raised here and growing up in this community, or who are moving here because of all of the things that Sarasota offers. I think, it’s great for them, but it’s also really great for Sarasota.
IN YOUR RESPECTIVE FIELDS, YOU INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO FACE TREMENDOUS BURDENS AND CHALLENGES. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST DIRE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY STRUGGLE IN OVERCOMING? ROGERS: At Children First, we are focused on women, children, and families that are living in poverty. And so, that carries all sorts of challenges—socio economic, toxic stressors, and mental health. Just the fact that we’re able to provide education and support for working moms knowing that their children will be safe with us, that’s just one aspect of it. For women in our community who are facing these kinds of challenges, self care, access to resources, and our helping them connect through our partnerships in the community is really critical. With COVID, on top of everything that they may be dealing with on a daily basis, having ability to access support is important. LARKIN-SKINNER: There are a lot of challenges, all of which seem dire at the moment. Even though the focus isn’t COVID, you can’t really talk about the present and near future without mentioning it. It has overturned so many things, everything’s a bit topsy-turvy, there’s so much uncertainty, I think that’s what’s hardest for human beings. Along with COVID ,we’ve had an epidemic of suicide, addiction and overdoses, so people are dealing with a lot of trauma and grief. And then, there’s the trauma of losing loved ones, events, accidents that are unexpected, the hurricane that just hit Louisiana. The list kind of goes on and on, it’s almost like we don’t get a break anymore from constant bad news. I think we have a lot of people here who care, and who provide the resources to support. I’m an optimist and, I believe that
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at small private institutions and large public colleges includes a track record of fostering collaboration and community partnerships. JESSICA ROGERS, VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY, CHILDREN FIRST Jessica Rogers believes access to opportunity for all is the base for building a strong community. This belief has transformed her passion for helping women, children, and families into a professional career focused on the well-being of humankind. As a mother, she raises her daughter the way that her mother taught her, to strive to make a difference in the lives of those within her community. With 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, finance and education, Jessica Rogers serves as Vice President of Philanthropy at Children First, Sarasota County’s exclusive Head Start Program, which ranks in the top 1% of Head Starts nationwide. She represents the agency in advocating for the support of early childhood education and breaking barriers of poverty. During her tenure, she has transformed fundraising and outreach efforts allowing the agency to serve the greatest number of children and families in its 60-year history and being named WEDU PBS’s Nonprofit of the Year. Rogers’ volunteer and philanthropic engagement is wide ranging. She serves on the Sarasota County NAACP’s Freedom Fund Awards Gala commi ee and is a former board director for the Junior League of Sarasota, most recently receiving their 2020 Sustainer Community Service Award.
getting through times like what we’re working through now, we’re going to feel bad, we’re going to feel pain, we’re going to feel anxiety and depression, we’re going to be angry. But, I do believe we’ll get through it, and ultimately, we will be in a better place, I have to believe that. So, as a CEO of an organization like mine, that’s one of my goals is to help our communities survive this, and really develop our resilience and come out of it better somehow. I don’t know what that’ll be yet, I just believe that we’ll get there. PROBSTFELD: One of the things I’m most proud of is that many of the students that come here never even thought that college was for them. We try to be that place where people are safe and where they can access resources that they need. We once had a young girl, a high school dropout. She was a single mother and pregnant. She got her GED and came to an open house for our biotech program. The professor in the program told her, “You can do this.” He told her she was very smart. She took the class, excelled and went on to an internship. That professor was the first person who ever told her she was smart enough to do anything. And so I think it’s that ability that we have to make every interaction with a student a positive interaction, and to give them the belief in themselves and the support they need to realize their dreams. Our big challenge is getting them here, but we’re reaching out to the communities and helping potential students to overcome challenges, whether financial, transportation, childcare, domestic violence, mental health—we have strong connections across the community to help make students successful.
IS THERE A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER WHERE YOU WERE STRUCK BY HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF HELPING, HOW MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES YOU HAD CHANGED? LARKIN-SKINNER: I’ve had people over the years who’ve come up to me, and who I hadn’t thought about in years to say, “Thank you, you really made a difference. Your organization made a difference.” But I think that probably for me, what makes me realize that I must have done good things in my career, I must have helped people in our communities is that now, people seek me out—other professionals, our local politicians, the law enforcement—for information. So, what that tells me is that I am trusted, which is important to me, because integrity is number one to me. People recognize that the years I’ve been around, that I really am doing it because I care about people, because I want to help others thrive, I want to do what’s best for our community. Yeah, I’m the CEO of an organization, but I’m not all about this organization, and how much money we can make. It’s not about that for me, it’s about doing the right things that help make us all stronger, and happier. ROGERS: My mother and grandmother were big believers in making sure that their children and grandchildren were the same people when no one was looking as to when spotlight may shine on them. And that, attitude is something I really strive to carry through to my personal life and to my professional life. Recently, where it really hit me that my actions are directly contributing to positive change in the lives of others was when I received an email from the National Head Start Association, to say that I had been nominated
by a member of our staff for the NHSA Bold Leadership Award, for my contributions to the agency during COVID. The nomination came from an individual who works on the program side of our house. For me, that was kind of the aha moment that said, “You’re making this difference right now, and we can see that.” PROBSTFELD: There are so many stories. It’s hard to just pick one, but I think of a young lady who I met early on when I became president. She and her mother were victims of domestic abuse. They made the decision to to leave their home in the Northeast and they landed in Bradenton. She came to us on a whim and we helped her get her GED. She spoke at my inauguration and that day, she was notified that she had been selected to go to Columbia University. We were here when she landed to help her realize that dream. And every day, I hear the stories about students whose lives have gone from what it was to what it could be. And that’s what makes it worthwhile. Come and walk on my campus and stop any student. You’ll walk away saying, “The future is in good hands.” SRQ
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written by ashley grant | photos by jonathan young
Women Who Roar Keynote Speaker
SideHusl Superhero
KATHY KRISTOF HAS FOUND HER ROAR PROVIDING FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY AND ADVOCACY FOR GIGSTERS IN THE DIGITAL AGE.
join us for the srq annual women who roar leadership and awards luncheon on may 13, 2022 at the hyatt regency and meet kathy kristof in person.
If Kathy Kristof were a storybook character, she would be the crimson-caped, super sleuth reporter wearing turbo-powered spectacles and fearlessly wielding a lightning bolt-infused pen poised to strike against the misdeeds of corporate bad actors. Think Sherlock Holmes meets Superwoman with a bit of Hermione Granger thrown in for good measure and you’ve got the picture. GOOD FOR US SHE’S THE REAL DEAL. A regular su-
perhero in the digital information age where a bad Google review is mightier than the sword. The veteran award-winning financial journalist and author has used her uncanny talent and passion for sniffing out the truth and protecting consumers from deception for decades. Now as Creator, CEO and Editor of SideHusl.com, a website that provides information on hundreds of ways to make money in the gig economy, Kristof is putting the power of online information in consumers’ hands helping them to achieve financial freedom safely. Kristof spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times providing sage advice to her loyal fans through her syndicated financial column with a reach of roughly 40 million readers nationwide. After leaving The Times in 2008, she wrote for MSN, CBS News, Kiplinger, Forbes, Reuters and dozens of other publications. She’s the author of three books, including Kathy Kristof ’s Complete Book of Dollars and Sense; Taming the Tuition Tiger; and Investing 101. She is the recipient of numerous awards including Consumer Federation of America’s Betty Furness Media Service Award and the CACE Award for Excellence in Consumer Education. As the honored Keynote Presenter at SRQ Magazine’s Together We Roar Leadership Luncheon this coming May 2022, she is sharing her insights on opportunity, advocacy and the power of gratitude.
Kristof says she has always been passionate about writing and originally wanted to be a novelist. A journalism class in college and subsequent internship in the business section at the Los Angeles Times forged her path as a super sleuth who helps people to understand the information she uncovers in an easy to digest way. “Everything clicked. I knew business writing was what I wanted to do because I could use both my verbal skills and the analytical side of my brain to explain things that other people found complicated,” she says. “When you’re doing financial reporting, normally you’re either a verbal person or you’re a math person. And if you’re a little bit of both, it’s a great opportunity to help the verbal people understand the math side and vice versa. If you understand the rules well enough to know how supply, demand and economic forces can push things in a particular direction you can dive into the details of how something works and predict what will happen. I graduated from college in the middle of a recession and so understanding what was going on economically was fascinating.” More than just understanding the rules of the money game, Kristof has a larger mission when it comes to her chosen subject—financial freedom. “I write about money because freedom is incredibly important to me,” she says. And until you get a handle on your money, you are a slave to others, be they bosses, creditors or the people who pay your
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bills. When you are a slave to money, you lose all perspective about what is important in life, which, of course, is not money. I write about money because money is a tool. If you know how to use it, it can make you free.” While researching and reporting on the burgeoning gig economy for numerous publications, Kristof became aware of the risks and rewards of the various online platforms. An ‘aha’ moment inspired by her children’s online experiences during college made her realize people were being taken advantage of. “I started researching different sites that pay you to take college notes and upload them,” she says. “The first site I reviewed paid $25 per upload. Another site looked identical to the first one, but “When you are a you got 25 points for uploads. You would slave to money, you think points are the same as dollars but lose all perspective it turns out the points on this other site about what is important are worth less than a penny each. So if you sold your notes to the first site you in life, which, of course, would get $25. If you sold to the othis not money. I write er site, you get about 20 cents. ‘Wow, I about money because thought, that is so exploitative’.” money as a tool. If you Kristof was getting pitched daily with know how to use it, it a plethora of online money making opportunities and to keep track of them can make you free. ” she created her own directory and real— Kathy Kristof ized she had to make it public. “There was no comprehensive directory of all the things you can do but more importantly, there were no consumer reports,” she says. “There was nobody warning people about abusive online platforms that would steal their earnings and put their assets at risk. I ended up dropping everything else and going after this market, spending a lot of time researching, reviewing, and rating all the online platforms to tell people where the good opportunities were and wave them away from the really abusive platforms.” From that inspiration, SideHusl.com was born. SideHusl.com researches, reviews and rates more than 400 online gig platforms and provides standard disclosures for pay, commissions, fees, risks, rewards and requirements. Kristof ’s passion project is now the ultimate source for people looking to make extra cash or explore a side interest and has been featured in publications ranging from U.S. News and Inc. to NerdWallet and NextAvenue. In keeping with Kristof’s consumer advocacy focus, SideHusl is successfully providing real opportunity for its users while mitigating the inherent risk. “I’m really proud of the work we’re doing,” she says. “I started Sidehusl because I felt that freelancers were being put in an untenable situation and at risk of being exploited by giant multi-billion dollar companies. In the early days people were taken advantage of because the whole business model was based on churn and I felt that was insanely unfair.”
Rather than just put the spotlight on bad actors in the business, Kristof is advocating for change and the transparency she believes is necessary in this industry. “My big goal in the world is to make the companies play fair and the only way I can do that is through disclosure,” she says. “Instead of implementing dumb freelance laws, I wish the government would just demand clear and unequivocal disclosure like they do with other financial contractual transactions like credit cards, mortgages and mutual funds. By creating standard disclosure people will avoid the abusive platforms and go to the good ones. As a result, the abusive platforms will either improve or go under because that’s how a good market works. Disclosure actually levels the playing field. The good companies survive and the bad ones do not. Great information gives people the ability to go where they’re treated fairly. That’s what I’m hoping to do.” Impressively, some abusive platforms have already changed their behavior as a result of her efforts. She says, “A company was upset that I wrote a critical review about them and it was tracking really highly on Google. So they called me and said they were going to sue me to take their review down. I said, ‘Great, go for it, but first tell me if I’ve written something that’s inaccurate, I’m happy to correct it.’ But it wasn’t inaccuracy they were upset about. So I just told them again, ‘Sue me. You’ll just make me famous. And more people will find that review’. After they talked to their attorneys they came back and said, ‘What is it going to take for you to change your review?’ And I said, ‘That’s easy. You have to change your policies so that you treat people fairly.” Kristof has seen increasing interest in side gigs during the pandemic with people trying to make money through alternate work options and selling household items for extra cash. The online platforms have been a huge resource for those whose income has suffered and she wants to make sure that everyone knows no matter what their situation, there’s a SideHusl for them. “There are some people for whom the traditional economy works really well but there are a lot of people for whom it doesn’t—whether it’s because of a disability or family obligations or people who are not retirement-ready,” she says. “For whatever reason, if that traditional nine to five work doesn’t fit you, the best thing about the burgeoning freelance economy is that you’ve got a zillion different options and right now, today you can take action that can put you in a better spot.” To make the whole process easier, Kristof has compiled all of her research and data into an online quiz that will narrow a person’s interests, skills, resources and goals into the perfect opportunity for them. “My goal is within five minutes of starting our quiz, you will have suggestions of things that you can do and in 24 hours, turn around and start making money.”
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Previous spread and this page: Kathy
Kristof photographed at her home in Southern California. Photo by Jonathan Young.
Kristof is a huge proponent of the flexibility gig work provides and in larger context believes the recent workfrom-home culture we experienced during the pandemic is the wave of the future and can be hugely beneficial to employers and staff alike. “I think that if we’re thoughtful about how we approach that post-pandemic era, we could actually really make working conditions better for everybody and make businesses more productive at the same time,” she says. “A big benefit companies have realized is that remote work saves them a fortune and gives their workers a lot more flexibility. When you have the flexibility to work in the structure that suits you then you’re most productive. It’s a classic win-win. I started working from home when my daughter was born and it changed my life. It allowed me to do what I loved career-wise and still have time to pick up my kids from school and volunteer in their classrooms. Remote working allows you to save that time for the people who are most important to you, and I think that’s a wonderful thing for society.” Kristof believes that success comes down to the basics. She says, “Regardless of the economy, follow your passions but along the way work hard, be honest, kind
and responsible because those actions have a way of coming back to benefit you and will pay off no matter what. If you don’t do those things because that’s your character then do them because it’s practical.” Her mission is to make a difference in the world in whatever way she can and she believes small actions are incredibly powerful. “I have this theory that nobody actually has to be the giant superhero,” she says. “If we all just did little things to make the world a better place like helping somebody with their groceries or just smiling at someone who’s having a bad day, all those little tiny things make up the fabric of our world. And so, my philosophy is just do what you can. If everybody picks up their one little grain of sand, you’ve got a beach, so it’s worthwhile.” As for her superpower, Kristof says its gratitude, and notes being thankful has been her key to navigating life’s challenging times. “I am immensely grateful so whenever I get down about something I start thinking of all the things that are right in my life and that list is so long that I never actually get to the end of it. I recommend instead of looking at what you don’t have, look at what you do have. You’re going to find amazing gifts.” SHE ROARS srq magazine_ OCT21 | SHE ROARS MAGAZINE live local | 17
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written by ashley grant | photo courtesy of cyma zarghami
Women Who Roar Trailblazer Recipient
Blazing Television
join us for the srq annual women who roar leadership and awards luncheon on may 13, 2022 at the hyatt regency and meet cyma zarghami in person.
Cyma Zarghami, CEO of MIMO Studios, has made a name for herself as a multifaceted veteran in the world of children’s television and franchise development. As the president of Nickelodeon and Viacom Media Networks Kids & Family Group from 2006-2018, Zarghami steered the Nickelodeon ship to become the leader in children’s programming and the number one kids cable network with high-ranking programs like SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora the Explorer and PAW Patrol.
NOW SHE IS TAKING ALL SHE HAS LEARNED TO BLAZE A TRAIL AT THE HELM OF HER OWN COMPANY, MIMO
Studios, a sleek children’s storytelling factory for the streaming age. The recipient of the SRQ Magazine’s Women Who Roar Trailblazer Award, presented to women who are passionate and undaunted in pursuing their dreams, Zarghami was born in Iran to a Scottish mother and Iranian father. Her family immigrated to the United States when she was a child and she spent her formative years in New Jersey. She explored teaching and writing as possible career options before heading to New York where she found her place at fledgling startup, Nickelodeon. She says, “I loved the people. I loved the product, I loved the idea of it. And it seemed like a great company. So I stayed for 33 years.” Zarghami learned the business from the ground up starting as a programmer and quickly moving up the corporate ladder. “With each new business that we did I like to say, I got an MBA because I learned as we grew
and I helped build a lot of it,” she says. “Eventually, I got the seat at the head of the table and we enjoyed incredible success for many years”. She notes that amidst many career highlights, the pinnacle of her time at Nickelodeon was taking SpongeBob SquarePants to the bright lights of Broadway. “That was really a great moment for me. We had done movies, consumer products, games, theme park rides, and we’d gone around the globe. Taking SpongeBob to Broadway was a fantastic crowning achievement.” In 2018, Zarghami left Nickelodeon and took some time to plot her next course. She realized with all of her experience there was one facet of the business she had yet to conquer. “Putting projects together and bringing them to the marketplace was the one thing that I never actually did at Nickelodeon. I oversaw all of it. I never actually did it.” So she decided to start her own company and do just that.
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CYMA ZARGHAMI IS FORGING A NEW PATH PRODUCING GREAT KIDS’ PROGRAMMING IN THE STREAMING AGE.
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MIMO Studios, named for the mini movies that are the company’s signature, launched with a vision to create a pipeline of animated and live action content in a TV-length movie format for kids 11-years-old and younger. The studio is producing its family-focused offerings from original content in the categories of preschool, animation, live action and podcast and will be available through traditional and digital outlets. MIMO is focused on developing long lasting hits in children’s entertainment and the studio has an impressive pipeline. MIMO’s first project out of the gate is the live-action feature, The Kid Who Only Hit Homers, based on author Matt Christopher’s children’s book and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. MIMO has also partnered with Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges of Bend It Like Beckham fame to write a live action film adaptation of the book, Maggie & Abby’s Neverending Pillow Fort. MIMO Preschool has acquired the rights to develop NY Times best-selling preschool book franchise, The Pout-Pout Fish into a series of CGI animated, TV-length original movies. Meanwhile, MIMO Animation is developing an animated, TV-length film adaptation of the award-winning, serialized kids podcast, The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian from Gen-Z Media and MIMO Sports announced its first podcast miniseries, Heroes of the Game in partnership with Baron Davis and UWish. The studio has plans to develop Heroes of the Game into a TV movie which Davis will executive produce. Zarghami believes that MIMO Studios is poised to be a forerunner in the industry because of the experienced team she has put together and the innovative approach they are employing to address the changing nature of the industry. “I have surrounded myself with a group of people who know kids better than anybody else and can say that, having been at Nickelodeon for 33 years, we understand the audience quite well. I think the model has changed completely and the streaming services have disrupted the way that kids are using content,” she says. “There hasn’t been a big hit in the kids business for seven years, eight maybe. There are a few reasons for that, but I do think it’s because the streaming services have come online and subscribers, who are the most important thing, are primarily adults. It’s going to take a few years before people realize how important the kid audience is to this sort of media business.” Zarghami notes that MIMO will employ a new take on franchise development. She says, “The toolkit for making great franchises is different now. Publishing is having a moment as a source of great IP. Podcasts have come online and the toy business is in a completely different state than it’s been,” she says. “The way we’re going at it is to deeply understand the emotional state
of kids today. We’re trying to make a contribution, if we can, to their overall happiness by bringing them something they’re going to love and get it to market faster and more efficiently. At the end of the day the content is what drives the larger business. So we’re making the content and hopefully if we make good enough content, kids will gravitate to it and emotionally respond to it so that everything else can fall into place. If you think about the Dora the Explorers or the SpongeBob’s of the world, there hasn’t been anything that has resonated like that in a long time. So I feel like we have a good shot in finding the next one,” MIMO’s larger mission is providing a happy refuge for kids in an uncertain world and Zarghami believes that great stories and characters are the way to do that. “I think that the best thing that we can do for kids today is create a level of escapism for them. Because of social media, COVID and the last four years politically, kids are exposed to way too much of the real world,” she says. “I think that they’re fiercely aware of their parents’ economic position, they’re exposed to the news in real-time in a way that they never were in the past and they’re under incredible pressure and stress. So the most value that kids businesses can offer right now is really high quality, really low stress, really good escapism.” Having embraced the leap into entrepreneurship, Zarghami says that having her own company is much more fulfilling compared with her corporate experience. “It is more gratifying in every way at the moment. I was an executive and now I’m a producer and an entrepreneur. I am at the core fiercely competitive and I don’t like to fail, so I would like to be successful and I’m fairly ambitious about what I think we’re going to be able to do. Everything is just so much more efficient and I think that’s a combination of having my own business being in charge of my own schedule. Nobody wants to waste time. Most meet-
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Left: Cuddly soft toys from the kids TV shop Paw Patrol for sale in a gift shop, Gary Perkin / Shutterstock.com. Salma Hayek at the Dora The Explorer 10th Anniversary Celebration with Launch of Beyond The Backpack Campaign, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Burbank, CA, s.bukley / Shutterstock.com,
ings are 30 minutes now. I haven’t been in an hour-long meeting in two years,” she says. Another benefit she notes upon reflection is that at the helm of her own company she now has the opportunity to create and implement her visions in her own way and on her own terms—something she thinks can be a challenge in the business world. “ I put the brand, the organization, the people and the company first for my entire career,” she says. “And I would say — Cyma Zarghami at the end of the day, the one thing I probably didn’t do well enough was advocate for myself. I think I was naive and believed that if the company was successful, that I would be successful. I saw this sort of ‘rose-colored glasses’ idea in all the women I was working with. I missed an opportunity to advocate for myself better. I wouldn’t say I regret it, but I would say it was a lesson that I learned.” As MIMO embarks upon a fresh approach to producing children’s programming, Zarghami notes that she is committed to making female leadership, diversity and family-centric values a huge part of MIMO’s culture. She says the support she received from female executives at Nickelodeon was integral to her success. “I think that being a female executive in any corporation is an ongoing hurdle. But Nickelodeon was a female-led organization. It was sort of a unicorn in Viacom,” she says. “And the great thing about it was, while there were a lot of men there, we were surrounded by strong women in leadership positions. When I worked for Judy McGrath, who was the head of MTV networks, everywhere I looked I saw women. It was a really unique and special environment. So as I build my new company, one of the things that I am determined to do is have a female owned, female-run company and support the cause for female leaders, every chance I can.”
“I saw this sort of ‘rose-colored glasses’ idea in all of the women I was working with. I missed an opportunity to advocate for myself better.
Likewise, citing her husband and three sons as her life’s greatest accomplishment she recognizes the positive impact of working for a company that recognizes the importance of family. “One of the reasons I appreciated my career at Nickelodeon so much is because I really do think that being in the kids business and in a leadership position has allowed me to create a place where family could remain super important,” she says. “I would put my kids and my husband above all else, because that is what’s important and always has been.” Since leaving the corporate world, Zarghami notes that the unprecedented events of the past few years have changed people’s approach to work and will have a lasting impact on business. “I think that the worklife balance has shifted now, at least for the near longterm,” she says. “People got a taste of what life could be like without feeling like they had to be working around the clock and they are leaving the workforce in droves at the moment so I would imagine that the entrepreneurs are going to come out of the woodwork.” A side benefit of being an entrepreneur in this new world according to Zarghami ,is the opportunity to create a more balanced and successful life. To do that she says everyone just needs to slow down. “I was in a hurry for probably 35 years. I think one of the huge benefits to this new world that we’re living in is everything takes a little bit more time and it’s great,” she says. “You spend a little bit more time having conversations, a little bit more time thinking. It’s really nice not to be in a hurry at the moment. And I feel like I’m better for it. I’m a better friend. I’m a better mother. I’m a better executive. I’m a better thinker. I think going slower is really important. And I think people forget to take care of themselves. That’s part of the slow down. Make sure you’re exercising, make sure you’re getting some alone time. You have to figure out how to make yourself feel good. Because if you feel good, everybody around you feels good.” For Zarghami, feeling good means thriving in her business, spending quality time with family, a decadent novel and chocolate chip cookies. She says, “I love to bake. I’ve been making fabulous chocolate chip cookies for about 30 years now. And it’s one of my little secrets” With MIMO, Zarghami has found a perfect outlet for her experience, passion and talents. Happy at the helm of MIMO, she’s excited for the possibilities on the horizon and says, “Now that I’m on the other side of the table,” she says. “I’m having a really good time and I’m excited to have a company that brings to life the quality of content that I think the next generation really needs. I’m having a ton of fun.” SHE ROARS
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RECOGNIZING WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS ON THE GULF COAST
RECOGNIZING WOMEN LEADERS IN THE SARASOTA, BRADENTON AND LAKEWOOD RANCH REGION WHO HAVE MADE MEANINGFUL AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE AREAS OF BUSINESS, HEALTH, EDUCATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SCIENCE, SPORTS, PHILANTHROPY AND THE ARTS.
PROGRAM PRODUCED BY SRQ MEDIA | LISL LIANG, ASHLEY GRANT PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN SAVE THE DATE FOR THE WOMEN WHO ROAR LEADERSHIP AND AWARDS LUNCHEON | FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2022
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NOMINEE | 2021
BRENDA BOYD MAY BROKER/OWNER, BOYD REALTY LLC
"We are the oldest same-family, same-owner company in Manatee County, Est. 1952."
I WAS REARED IN A FAMILY THAT HAS "ROARED" FOR GENERATIONS. My mother, Fay Boyd was well known in Manatee and Sarasota counties for her philanthropy. My father, Wilbur Boyd and my grandfather, H.E. Boyd served in the Florida Legislature for many years. My cousin, Senator Jim Boyd is serving today, so I grew up in the Florida Senate. My children grew up in Major League Baseball. I met my husband, Milt May at Manatee Community college, when he was a rookie with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Milt has spent the last 8 years as hitting instructor for the Orioles in Sarasota. He is a 30 year veteran player and coach in the major leagues. It’s great for him to be home and work with young players. Today, my personal focus is on Christ centered philanthropy. I am proud to support The Paul and Toni Azinger Compassion Center. I am the owner of Boyd Realty, LLC., the oldest samefamily real estate company in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. It was established by my father in 1952. We aren’t the biggest fish in the sea but we swim with the sharks everyday. I’m proud to be the leader of bright young professionals who use their energy to better our community. To percolate in this competitive business, I have chosen to put my whimsical personality in the Boyd logo. Our “Fun Fish For Sale” signs stick out in the sea of Navy blue! An old attorney friend once told me “Brenda, you are like a good old boy in a skirt!“ Yes, that’s exactly who I am!
RIVER DISTRICT OFFICE 2200 Manatee Ave W., Bradenton, FL HISTORICAL ANNA MARIA OFFICE 409 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, FL 941-750-8844 | Broker@boydrealty.com boydrealty.com
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"I often find myself thinking and saying
'this too shall pass'. My next thought or
statement is always about moving forward and finding solutions."
NOMINEE | 2021
MELISSA LARKIN-SKINNER, MA, MBA, LMHC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CENTERSTONE-FLORIDA
I BELIEVE I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN HAPPINESS. Things happen in life that are beyond my control (like COVID) and as much as I want to be in control of them, I know I cannot. However, I know that I can control the actions I take in response. I may temporarily experience uncomfortable emotions; I may be confused, upset, or in shock. No matter how deep the pain, I force myself to focus on my belief that although I am uncomfortable right now, I know it is temporary. I know I will eventually feel less uncomfortable. I think about what I can learn from my experience and how I can use that knowledge in the future. In a way, I share this philosophy with others through my work–our work in behavioral health is centered around helping people see and respond to the world and their experiences; we offer people support and solutions for thriving.
391 Sixth Avenue W. Bradenton, FL 941-782-4299 | Centerstone.org
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9/14/21 7:05 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
JESSICA ROGERS
VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY, CHILDREN FIRST PERSONAL “What you do makes a difference,
and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."—Jane Goodall. DAILY LIFE “Never
underestimate yourself. Who is going to stop
you?” PROFESSIONAL “Looking ahead is important. It
helps you determine your steps now to get there."
JESSICA ROGERS BELIEVES ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL IS THE BASE FOR BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY. This belief has transformed her passion for helping women, children, and families into a professional career focused on the well-being of humankind. As a mother, she raises her daughter the way that her mother taught her, to strive to make a difference in the lives of those within her community. With nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, finance and education, Jessica Rogers serves as Vice President of Philanthropy at Children First, Sarasota County’s exclusive Head Start Program, which ranks in the top 1% of Head Starts nationwide. She represents the agency in advocating for the support of early childhood education and breaking barriers of poverty. During her tenure, she has transformed fundraising and outreach efforts allowing the agency to serve the greatest number of children and families in its 60-year history and being named WEDU PBS’s Nonprofit of the Year. Rogers’ volunteer and philanthropic engagement is wide ranging. She serves on the Sarasota County NAACP’s Freedom Fund Awards Gala committee and is a former board director for the Junior League of Sarasota, most recently receiving their 2020 Sustainer Community Service Award. Jessica is a member of the National Council of Jewish Women Sarasota-Manatee chapter, the USF Tampa Digital Marketing Certificate Program Steering Committee, and past Troop Co-Leader for the Girl Scouts of Southwest Florida. She is a proud graduate of both the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Executive Academy, and the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership program where she currently serves on their Leadership Alumni Committee.
1723 North Orange Ave. Sarasota, FL | 941-953-3877 Childrenfirst.net
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9/14/21 7:06 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
AMANDA PARRISH
PRINCIPAL/COO, FAWLEY BRYANT ARCHITECTURE (FBA) AMANDA CAN'T SPELL. Her right brain is far stronger than her left, and her inability to catch a movie reference has turned into an office-wide joke. She is comfortable with all of that. Amanda Parrish is authentic, and as a Principal and COO at Fawley Bryant Architecture (FBA), her positive, transparent approach has helped the company effectively navigate significant organizational changes. With a marketing background and a master's degree in Organizational Leadership, she oversees the human resources, marketing/businessdevelopment, and administration departments at the 27-year-old architecture and interior design firm. With an unwavering belief in teamwork, Amanda harmoniously integrates the major functions of the business to keep FBA moving forward. Since being hired in 2016, Amanda has helped FBA successfully transition to new ownership, create and update firm policies and procedures, intentionally recruit and hire new team members, and roll out the company’s seven core values. Integral in the development of company culture, she leads teambuilding activities such as a book club, a monthly core value conversation, quarterly volunteer activities, and a weekly “It’s Fine Lounge” where the team toasts the week’s accomplishments. This internal success has spilled over to allow her to confidently engage with clients, broker new strategic partnerships, launch an advisory board, and focus on FBA’s business plan. She may not be a movie buff, but Amanda most certainly understands how to cultivate a community. In addition to her role at FBA, Amanda currently serves as Chair of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and, most importantly, is a wife and mother to two young daughters. 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. N. Suite 300, Sarasota, FL 941-343-4070 | FawleyBryant.com “Teamwork makes the dream work. I look for ways to
cultivate the unique skills and talents of those around me. One of our core values at FBA indicates that we rise by lifting others, and I wholeheartedly believe that.”
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9/14/21 7:07 PM
"I dedicated my career to helping children and adults through their most vulnerable
moments. My goal is to help clients realize the struggles they are experiencing today are developing the inner strengths they need for tomorrow."
NOMINEE | 2021
CASSIE L. D'ADDEO OWNER, GREEN COUCH COUNSELING, LLC CASSIE L. D’ADDEO, HAS BEEN A LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST for over ten years and Certified School Counselor in Manatee County, Florida. Cassie is the owner of Green Couch Counseling, LLC, a private counseling practice serving children, adolescents, and adults. Cassie has a passion for helping people and dedicated her life work to assisting people through life’s most difficult challenges. At Green Couch Counseling, Cassie strives to create a warm, non-judgmental environment in which clients feel understood and comfortable exploring issues, while cultivating self-awareness and coping skills as they embark upon the journey to create positive change. In April 2021, Cassie published her first children’s book, Riley & Milo: A Puppy’s Story of Coping with Grief and Loss, after tragically losing her canine companion and co-therapist, Riley. The book Riley and Milo leads young readers through the stages of grief such as: denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance. Cassie wrote this publication to help normalize the emotions and experiences of young readers who are coping with grief and loss. When not busy at the Green Couch Counseling, Cassie is an advocate for mental health awareness in our community, a Youth Mental Health First Aide instructor and a strong believer that all young learners should have access to social emotional learning opportunities in our schools. Cassie is an avid reader, a beach lover, and a dog mom to a golden retriever named Kai.
6400 Manatee Ave West, Suite L 101, Bradenton, FL 941-500-3600 | greencouchcounseling.org
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9/14/21 7:08 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
KRISTINA EASTMOND
DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES, MARINER WEALTH ADVISORS “MY MISSION IN LIFE IS NOT MERELY TO SURVIVE, BUT TO THRIVE; AND TO DO SO WITH SOME PASSION, SOME COMPASSION, SOME HUMOR, AND SOME STYLE.” —Maya Angelou. This quote is so empowering to me and has all the reminders I need to strive to live my best life each day. It compels me to take steps to pursue my passions in a meaningful way and allows that energy to naturally flow to those I interact with and serve. Kristina Eastmond made a promise to herself that to achieve great things, she must live in the moment with gratitude, laugh a lot, make deep and meaningful connections and let go out of outcomes not in her control. This philosophy has given her the motivation and grit needed to honor her past and rebuild a new life with hope and intention. Her success story exists because of resilience, as her “why” was reborn out of personal tragedy: the loss of her husband at a young age. When one visualizes their future and it changes overnight, fear can certainly be paralyzing, but pure love and determination helped her move forward. She started a new life in Sarasota in 2004, raising two wonderful children on her own, building a fulfilling career and giving back to the community. Kristina’s level of passion is shared by the comprehensive team at Mariner Wealth Advisors. She feels it’s a privilege to be a part of a company with a mission of putting clients first. She enjoys supporting individuals and families as they discover their own “why” while the firm advocates for them to make the most of their own lives and navigate life events, both the expected and the unexpected.
Allegiant Private Advisors is now Mariner Wealth Advisors 240 S. Pineapple Ave., Suite 200, Sarasota, FL 941-365-3745 | marinerwealthadvisors.com
“Past results are not indicative of future
returns” applies to so much more than just your portfolio. There are no guarantees in life but
when you lean into it with clear and attainable
goals and surround yourself with individuals who care about your well-being, you can certainly worry less and start enjoying your journey.”
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9/14/21 7:09 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
MICHELLE PENNIE, MD CHELSEA DUGGAN, DO BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGISTS, PARADISE DERMATOLOGY
IN 2012, DR. MICHELLE PENNIE TOOK OVER A SOLO PRACTICE IN ENGLEWOOD FROM A RETIRING PHYSICIAN. This acquisition al-
“We aim to make all our patients feel better about their skin and about themselves. We
understand that sun, stress and time all take
lowed her to build a business based on her values–patient centered, compassionate, caring and family-friendly. Since this early beginning in a small five exam room clinic, Paradise Dermatology has expanded to two modern offices in Sarasota and Englewood. The team includes Dr. Chelsea Duggan, four midlevel providers, and over 30 staff members–several who have been with Dr. Pennie since the beginning. “We aim to make all our patients feel better about their skin and about themselves,” said Dr. Pennie. “We understand that sun, stress and time--all takes its toll on our skin. We help our patients undo this damage, so that their skin reflects the youthfulness they feel inside.” Additionally, Dr. Pennie is a founding member of Premier Dermatology, a Florida-based, physician-owned dermatology group formed to protect medical practices from corporate competition. Physician-owned practices can place patient care and staff well-being above financial returns and productivity metrics. Premier Dermatology has thrived under this model and has added multiple practice locations on the west coast of Florida. Dr. Chelsea Duggan joined the Paradise team in 2018 and was a natural fit–empathetic, kind, friendly and passionate about dermatology. Dr. Duggan enjoys international medicine and was able to spend time in a dermatology clinic in Malawi. Along with her international travels, Dr. Duggan has been published in dermatology journals and values research that helps expand knowledge in the field of dermatology.
SARASOTA 3355 Clark Road, #101, Sarasota, FL | 941-921-4131
a toll on our skin. We help our patients undo
ENGLEWOOD 699 S. Indiana Ave., Englewood, FL | 941-474-8811
youthfulness they feel inside.”— Dr. Michelle Pennie
ParadiseDerm.com
this damage, so that their skin reflects the
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9/15/21 5:05 PM
"Everything is a lesson and if you can stand there you will begin to see your path unfold right before you.”
NOMINEE | 2021
DIANNA MANOOGIAN SALT MAVEN, SALT OF THE EARTH
THIS LAST YEAR HAS TAUGHT ME MANY LESSONS, none more important than answering the question, “What is really important in life?” For me, it’s about serving others. As we were all forced to put our lives on hold, this offered up a huge opportunity to take an in-depth look at what was working and what wasn’t working in my life. With so many isolated over the last year and half, Salt of the Earth became a lifeline for many. I was already serving the wellness community via Salt of the Earth Sarasota, but what I didn’t realize until we reopened, was that I was also serving their souls. Many clients had become my friends— eagerly sharing their lives as friends do. But during the past 14 months things changed. People were sharing on an even deeper level. Salt of the Earth became a safe sounding board for all the upheaval that was happening around us. Clients could express their fears, sadness and more knowing they were supported. Many clients became friends to each other as well, sharing similar experiences over the past year. Finding strength in each other, knowing they weren’t alone. Salt of the Earth became much more than a wellness center, it became a beacon for those needing a place to talk openly, safely and be reassured. Wellness means many things to many people. We not only provide healing for the body but also heart, mind and soul. I’m honored that these trying times have clarified my life’s work for me."
"Breathe Better - Feel Better - Live Better” 4037 Clark Rd., Sarasota, FL 941-702-8300 | www.sotesarasota.com
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9/15/21 10:56 AM
PERSONAL MANTRA “Every trial we endure is the
perfect preparation for our true calling and purpose. My prayer
isn't, 'Lord steady my plaform,' but rather 'teach me how to stand!”
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | 2015 WINNER
ELIZABETH FISHER GOOD COFOUNDER/CEO, THE FOUNDATION UNITED, FORMERLY THE SELAH WAY FOUNDATION
WHAT INSPIRES ME AND DRIVES ME EVERY DAY is my passion for protecting and sparing children from horrific trauma and secrets. I often think about my own life and what took me off track and stole my confidence as a child. If I had one advocate, one adult, or one system that knew how to unpack the textbook issues I was experiencing, I would have avoided years of pain, hiding, and covering up. Instead, I would have lived in freedom, not shame and secrets. My greatest desire today is to give children that freedom from the very beginning. From the moment we are conceived, there is a fight for our destiny. Unfortunately, most children are not equipped with prepared adults to protect and defend their destiny. So, I am excited about making a difference in the lives of countless children and adults on a global level because children desperately need true advocates to rise up on their behalf.
P.O.Box 5576, Sarasota, FL | info@theselahway.org | TheSelahWay.org
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9/14/21 7:18 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
SARA HAND
FOUNDER/CEO, SPARK GROWTH I GREW UP SURROUNDED BY THE MOST INCREDIBLE, INTELLIGENT, GRACIOUS, AND COMPETENT WOMEN. Yet, while I was told that I could do anything, it was clearly evident that I could not. I love the question, "What would I say to my younger self?” You are smarter than you think. You are stronger than you know. You are more capable than you can imagine. Live with grace and compassion; always forgive, appreciate your contributions, and treasure your time. Practice authenticity, yet be careful with your heart: not everyone recognizes how valuable you are. Know that you are more than enough to fulfill your calling, yet you are entirely incapable of doing this alone. Every day choose life. Choose to be thankful. Choose to live boldly in the present, respecting the past and anticipating the future. Speak words of life to those around you, and look for the gifts that reside in each person. Don't expect everything to be easy because life rarely is. While people are troubled, at the same time, they are still wonderful. Life is beautiful in all its messy details. So I imagine and work daily towards a world where young people have access to resources that cultivate mindsets of lifetime learning, that encourage potential, and that connect and support regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other labels. Therefore one day, one girl at a time, we may move towards a future where all girls take pride in being strong, bright, bold, and maybe even funny. If I don't know who I am, someone will tell me who I should be. Therefore, I live by a few simple truths:
• My life changes when I do • If I don't apply structure to my time someone or something else will • The only things I have control over are my own choices
912 7th Ave E. Bradenton, FL | 941-877-1599 | sparkgrowth.net
“Every day choose life. Choose to be thankful.
Choose to live boldly in the present, respecting the
past and anticipating the future. Speak words of life to those around you, and look for the gifts that reside in each person.”
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9/14/21 7:21 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
DR. CAROL F. PROBSTFELD
PRESIDENT, STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA, MANATEE-SARASOTA “Well-behaved women seldom
make history.”— Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
KNOWN TO MANY SIMPLY AS DR. P., CAROL PROBSTFELD IS A VISIONARY who leads our local state college with strategic business planning while wearing her heart on her sleeve. She joined SCF in 2003 as the vice president of business and administrative services and was inaugurated as its sixth president in 2013. Under her leadership, the college is boldly leading its students, community, faculty and staff, and donors to create a future that allows the college to grow, adapt and achieve. The college has updated its infrastructure; expanded workforce degrees and certificates; launched its first-ever capital campaign and built a new Library & Learning Center; added three flagship academic programs at SCF Venice; purchased a Parrish campus; and created a Leadership Academy to foster future campus leaders. She is and always will be the students’ and institution’s biggest fan! She has traveled thousands of miles and logged hundreds of hours to sit discreetly on the sidelines to cheer on SCF students at their games, concerts, plays, competitions and upper-level graduation ceremonies. A first-generation graduate herself; Dr. P. believes in leading by example, lifelong learning and investing in our children’s future. As a local philanthropist, she has donated more than $200,000 to the State College of Florida Foundation for student initiatives, capital projects and the Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld Commitment to Academic Excellence Fund.
5840 26th St. W. Bradenton, FL | 941-752-5201 | SCF.edu
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9/14/21 7:24 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
PING FAULHABER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, SUNCOAST SCIENCE CENTER THE LEGACY LEFT BY MY LATE HUSBAND, DR. FRITZ FAULHABER, continues to inspire me and the difference I aim to make in our community. Fritz’s passion for making Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) education hands-on, accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages was unmatched. My desire to make an impact is continually fueled by the special moments when I get to see that legacy live on through the unique community we’ve built at the Faulhaber Fab Lab. There is nothing quite like watching a child’s eyes widen as they experience science in a way they never have before, or hearing a student volunteer express genuine gratitude for creating a safe space for them to flourish. I believe we can create a brighter tomorrow locally and globally by supporting and empowering our youth to tackle anything that
comes their way. Instilling the technical skills students need to be competitive in future pursuits is a crucial part of what we do at the lab, but even more significant are the real-world opportunities we provide for them to build life skills, confidence and grow as individuals. Equipped with these tools and with a supportive community behind them, there is no limit to the difference they can make in our world. I try to live by the belief that failure is nothing to be feared. It is through our failures that we discover ourselves and strive to do and be better the next time around. We weave this idea throughout the entire fabric of the Fab Lab, with the hope that our youth, in particular, will learn to take a moment to pause and be gentle with themselves in moments of stress. From that pause, growth blossoms.
“I try to live by the belief that
failure is nothing to be feared. It is through our failures that we discover
ourselves and strive to do
and be better the next time around."
4452 S Beneva Rd. Sarasota, FL 941-840-4394 | suncoastscience.org
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9/14/21 7:24 PM
“Our family wants to care for your family.
Because everyone deserves the best in care.”
NOMINEES | 2021
ERIKA WISE BORLAND, MA VICE PRESIDENT SUSANNE S. WISE, RN, MBA FOUNDER/OWNER/CEO COURTNEY WISE SNYDER, MSG, CMC PRESIDENT TAKE CARE PRIVATE DUTY HOME HEALTH CARE | TAKE CARE ADVISOR, LLC
THE WOMEN-LED TEAM AT TAKE CARE “ROARS” IN THEIR OWN WAY: with purpose, polish, professionalism, kindness, composure, expertise and—above all—immense care. Originally motivated by her mother who was also a registered nurse, Susanne Wise discovered her passion for nursing decades ago. She founded Take Care Private Duty Home Health Care in 1995 and has continued to blaze the path for home care in our community. Her business acumen, compassion as a nurse herself, and commitment to providing the best care possible have led to the company’s success and positive impact in the lives of Take Care’s clients and their family members. Susanne never expected Take Care to become a family business. However, as the company grew to meet the community’s needs, her daughters Courtney and Erika earned their respective, specialized degrees to contribute to the company’s leadership and future. Courtney helped launch the RN geriatric care management and advocacy program with the creation of Take Care Advisor. There was a need to educate the community about how the agency’s services could help their families, and Erika was prepared to share Take Care’s story. Together, they support local causes, uphold the highest standards, provide leadership and constant encouragement to Take Care’s team of 500 caregivers and staff throughout Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties. Susanne, Courtney and Erika are a dynamic trio with unique qualifications: a nurse with her MBA, a masters in gerontology, and a masters in publishing and writing. United by their devotion to their clients and desire to give back, their individual strengths as business leaders are matched by their big hearts.
3982 Bee Ridge Road Building H, Suite A, Sarasota, FL 941-927-2292 | takecarehomehealth.com HHA License:#299991405 | #21657096 takecareadvisor.com
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9/14/21 7:27 PM
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | 2017 WINNER
NIKKI TAYLOR
CO-FOUNDER/CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, KIVITY, LLC NOTHING IS A GIVEN. Each day is a gift. Nikki Taylor intends to make it count. Whether with family, volunteering, or in the board room Nikki likes to fully engage and be of service. If history is any indication, she is pretty serious about it. Although Nikki is still an avid volunteer in the health and human-services areas, her days are quite different as she and cofounder Skye Fischer have been busy launching their new business, Kivity. Nikki says “It feels amazing to be a woman in tech empowering parents to take back that resource in such short supply, their own time." For those not in the know, Kivity is a free resource for parents and businesses. Similar to a ‘Google for Kids Activities’, Kivity brings all the extracurricular activities that Sarasota has to offer to parents’ fingertips where they can search, discover and enroll. For local businesses it’s used as a free class- management software tool that powers their programs while also helping grow their business. Continuing on the path of staying engaged and aligned with core values Nikki continues to mentor in the community and serves on several boards such as: Glasser/Schoenbaum-Board, National Charity League-Board, Southside Elementary PTOBoard, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation, & Donors of Distinction Advisory.
MANTRA Start Today & Live Your Dreams
DAILY LIFE ““Strength does not come from the
physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will” —Mahatma Ghandi PERSONAL “A woman is like a
tea bag. You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."—Eleanor Roosevelt BIZ “I
would like to be remembered as someone who
used whatever talent she had to do her work to the best of her ability”—RBG 1680 Fruitville Rd. Ste 310 Sarasota, FL 941-587-9060 | Kivity.com
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9/14/21 7:35 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
DIANE SCHAEFER LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | 2019 WINNER
LISA MOORE
CEO/FOUNDER, BLAZE OF HOPE “Together we can
spread hope like fire!”
OWNER/LEAD DECORATOR, DIANE'S DECORATING DEN DESIGN STUDIO
“We treat each
home as its own special canvas bringing our
client’s lifestyle
and color palette
to life. When we step
away, the painting
LISA MOORE, FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR AND COMMUNITY HOPE DEALER. Tragedy turned to HOPE. I was beautifully blessed with a little boy named Blaze and while his time on Earth with me was short, his life has so much meaning! Blaze inspires me every day to reach out and spread hope to our community, to love others, and to help parents in their most desperate hour. I want families to be able to spend more time with their sick child and less time worrying about their bills. My motto is simple: Bless and be blessed. And don't forget: Chin Up, Chest Out, and Smile. It's what Blaze would do! MISSION STATEMENT To provide financial assistance to families of children with a life-threatening medical condition while hospitalized, to enrich lives with HOPE, to build community, and raise awareness.
BLAZE OF HOPE 501c3 | 941-232-4568 blazeofhope.org Childhood Cancer Awareness
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is complete and yours to enjoy.”
DIANE’S PASSION FOR ART & DESIGN BEGAN AS A CHILD. Her elementary teachers quickly realized her gifts in the arts, and encouraged her attendance at the Carnegie Melon University Gifted Arts Program. She finished her Interior Design Education at Art Institute of Chicago, and her career in design has been thriving ever since. Diane’s ultimate dream of owning her own Interior Design firm finally came to life in 2015, and she has been elated to bring life to our community through her business. Diane’s passion for design and care for her clients touches every project she picks up. As a one-stop-shop interior decorating service, Diane’s business helps clients bring their home decor visions to life. She strives to create unique, cohesive and harmonious spaces that make clients truly feel at “home”.
DECORATING DEN 614 Cypress Ave. Venice, FL 941-484-3596 decdenvenice@gmail.com
9/14/21 7:40 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
ANNA GONCE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA COUNTY “Transparency, honesty, kindness, commitment, teamwork— these are the values of a great humane organization.”
TWENTY YEARS AGO, I DROVE FROM ALABAMA TO COLORADO to interview for a job with a national animal welfare organization—in person. On that journey, I dedicated my life to working with animals. Over time, I have realized that this work is just as much about helping people as it is caring for animals. Animals are our teachers, our friends, and for many, our family. Animals provide unwavering support and unconditional love. Through laughter and tears, they are always there, and they are always overjoyed to see us. My mission in life is to help people connect with a dog or cat that desperately wants a home and a family. At HSSC, we have been making love matches for nearly 70 years. Now, with our state-of-the-art facility, we are ushering in a beautiful new era of lifesaving and innovation for our community, our state, and our country. HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA COUNTY 2331 15th St. Sarasota, FL | 941-955-4131 | hssc.org
NOMINEE | 2021
MICHELLE SCALA, DMD, PA
“Smiles emulate the beauty of one’s
OWNER, LAKEWOOD RANCH FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY
soul. Our passion is to define the natural beauty of the smile.”
DR. MICHELLE SCALA IS A NATIVE FLORIDIAN inspired by the natural beauty of the Florida beaches, warm sun and tropical environment. She became an honors graduate earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Biochemistry in 1995 and graduated from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 1999. She has perfected the “Art of Smile Design” by combining her passion for natural beauty and dentistry. As a result of joining the American Academy of Facial Esthetics and the Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry she uses a non-surgical approach to create and bring out the very best in your facial features. Dr. Scala has practiced in the Lakewood Ranch area with her custom designed, state of the art Smile Studio for 8 years. She shares her passion for cosmetic dentistry with Dr. Brandy Rubinski and Dr. Jensen Bouton. Together, their combined techniques, continuing education and state of the art equipment have made them the ultimate dental trio in Cosmetic Dentistry. LAKEWOOD RANCH FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY 8430 Enterprise Cir., Ste #100 Lakewood Ranch, FL | 941-907-4777 lakewoodranchsmiles.com Left to right: Dr. Jensen Bouton, Dr. Michelle Scala and Dr. Brandy Rubinski.
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9/14/21 7:47 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
DR. RACHEL SHELLEY PRINCIPAL, BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL
“Every day I am thankful for the opportunity:
the opportunity
to inspire; the opportunity to encourage; and the opportunity to motivate our students, our staff and our community.”
I AM DR. RACHEL SHELLEY, THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL and the co-founder of Booker Promise Foundation, a program providing college scholarships to economically deprived Booker High School students. Booker Promise is my promise to our students to help them navigate their futures successfully. Their journey doesn’t end upon crossing the stage while clutching a diploma. It continues until they have the skills necessary to live the life of their dreams. My story is one of someone who came from low-income housing to become a community leader, a popular and successful principal, and a woman on a mission. I want all my students to know they can do it too—whatever their passion or goals—they can overcome life’s obstacles. I look forward to the day when the Booker Promise becomes the “Sarasota Promise” and our entire community steps up and replicates our efforts at Booker Promise.
BOOKER PROMISE FOUNDATION 3201 North Orange Ave. Sarasota, FL | 941-928-0567 | BookerPromise.org
NOMINEE | 2021
DOLLY JACOBS
CO-FOUNDER, CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY "Sometimes people help you and they don't even realize how
they're planting seeds in you that will last forever. I want to honor this incredible world of the circus and to honor all those great
artists that came before us and laid the foundation for the rest of us, it's upon their shoulders we stand.”
CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY CO-FOUNDER AND 2015 NEA NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOW, DOLLY JACOBS is a world-renowned circus aerialist as well as a dedicated coach, sharing the tradition of circus arts through teaching and performance. She was born into a family of circus royalty and became known as “Queen of the Air” for performing on the Roman Rings and Aerial Straps, showcasing acts of grace, strength and daring. Dolly holds her circus legacy close to her heart and believes in passing her knowledge of the circus arts onto the next generation by coaching at The Sailor Circus Academy, a training program that she participated in as a child. Dolly worked incredibly hard to accomplish all that she has. She’s never felt that she got there on her own; it's through the help of others.
THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY 2075 Bahia Vista St. Sarasota, FL | 941.355.9335 | CircusArts.org
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9/15/21 1:30 PM
NOMINEE | 2021
MARYBETH HANSEN OWNER, PARADISE GRILL
“How can I help?” — I am MaryBeth Hansen and that is my Mantra
MY WHOLE LIFE, I HAVE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING OTHERS and bringing people together with food. Growing up, I watched my mother feed nine children and my hardworking father every night. Her compassion and generosity inspired me to open my first restaurant in Lansing Michigan at the age of 23. From then on, I have always been a restaurant owner and entrepreneur, all while being a single mother and raising my two wonderful children. I owned 10 Peach’s Restaurants from Ellenton to Venice and all points in between but wanted to be settled in Nokomis. In 2016 I opened the Paradise Grill in my community of Nokomis and have not looked back. I believe women need to have strong mentors and provide leadership roles. I hope I have been able to do that and that is why I support the Women's Resource Center, as well as the South County Food Pantry. Over the course of the pandemic, Paradise Grill has donated over 15,000 meals those in need through our Free Food Friday program. I have built Paradise Grill into a community destination and am very proud of my Paradise Family.
PARADISE GRILL 1097 N. Tamiami Trail Nokomis, FL | 941-786-1524 | marybeth@paradisegrillfl.com
NOMINEE | 2021
KAREN MEDFORD
OWNER, SIRIUS DAY SPA, SALON AND MEDSPAS “Everyday our mantra is to make someone’s day better
through healing, confidence and/or beauty-it’s all connected. Going above and beyond to help others lifts everyone upand that’s what the world needs”
OUR MISSION AT SIRIUS DAY SPA, SALON AND MEDSPAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN “TO BUILD CONFIDENCE THROUGH WELLNESS AND BEAUTY. Truly, nothing is more heartwarming than seeing our guests and members with an extra pep in their step and beaming glow on their face after receiving a treatment. Whether it be a pain relieving neuromuscular massage, acupuncture treatment, B12 shot, teeth whitening or a new hair color/style, the smile on their faces is why we love what we do. The incredible team at Sirius (42 of them!) live here with their families and community engagement is key. We love seeing our guests and members at the grocery, in the mall, schools, church or temples, and we love to give back. Through our many fundraisers or even or annual spa day for the Sunshine Kids (local children affected by cancer), our goal is to make a positive difference.
SIRIUS DAY SPA SALON & MED SPAS LAKEWOOD RANCH 11585 E State Road 70 Lakewood Ranch, FL THE SHOPPES AT UTC 8512 Cooper Creek Blvd #107 University Park, FL 941-357-4611 | SiriusDaySpas.com
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NOMINEE | 2021
KRISTIE SKOGLUND, ED.D., LMHC, IMH-E
®
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD “You cannot please all people all the time. Just be your authentic self and make the best decision you can for that moment or situation. If you make a mistake, 'oh well’. Fix it and move on. No well-intended mistake cannot be repaired. ”
I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS. It is no wonder that my entire career has focused on the overwhelming importance of our earliest relationships, those between parents and children. As someone whose early childhood was filled with change and uncertainty, there was always someone in my life I could count on. These “first relationships” in my life were critical in building strength and resiliency, allowing me to thrive as a young child, then into my teen years, and into adulthood. I believe my life’s journey has prepared me to be the leader I am today. I believe we must embrace our past, continue to learn from it, and find ways to alter our course when necessary. My hope is that we can all take time to understand one another, be genuinely curious, value authenticity and make the world a better place because of how we are with one another.
THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD 4620 17th Street | Sarasota, FL | 941-371-8820 Fax: 941-377-3194 | info@thefloridacenter.org | TheFloridaCenter.org
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SAVE THE DATE WOMEN WHO ROAR LUNCHON FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 | 10:30AM-2PM HYATT REGENCY, SARASOTA TICKETS ON SALE NOW SRQMAG.COM/WWR
WOMEN WHO ROAR 2021-22 NOMINEES AND PAST YEAR'S LEADERSHIP CIRCLE WINNERS We recognize all the women doing incredible work in our hometown!
INDIVIDUALS FEATURED IN THIS SPECIAL SECTION: Brenda Boyd May BOYD REALTY LLC
Melissa Larkin-Skinner CENTERSTONE-FLORIDA
TAKE CARE PRIVATE DUTY HOME HEALTH CARE
Jessica Rogers
Nikki Taylor
CHILDREN FIRST
KIVITY, LLC
Amanda Parrish
Lisa Moore
FAWLEY BRYANT ARCHITECTURE (FBA)
BLAZE OF HOPE
Cassie L. D’Addeo GREEN COUCH COUNSELING
DIANE’S DECORATING DEN DESIGN STUDIO
Kristina Eastmond
Dr. Rachel Shelley
MARINER WEALTH ADVISORS
BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL
Dr. Michelle Pennie Dr. Chelsea Duggan
Dolly Jacobs
PARADISE DERMATOLOGY
Dianna Manoogian
Diane Schaefer
CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY
Anna Gonce
SALT OF THE EARTH
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SARASOTA COUNTY
Elizabeth Fisher Good
Dr. Michelle Scala
THE FOUNDATION UNITED, FORMERLY THE SELAH WAY FOUNDATION
LAKEWOOD RANCH FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Sara Hand
PARADISE GRILL
SPARK GROWTH
Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA, MANATEE-SARASOTA
Ping Faulhaber SUNCOAST SCIENCE CENTER
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Erika Wise Borland Suzanne S. Wise Courtney Wise Snyder
Marybeth Hansen Karen Medford SIRIUS DAY SPA, SALON AND MEDSPAS
Kristie Skoglund THE FLORIDA CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
9/15/21 5:07 PM
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