GETTING TO KNOW
DAWN KRAUS
PRESIDENT of LEADERSHIP SEMINOLE B Y P E R L A B. C R O S B Y
Q: Regarding your previous experience at the Florida Hospital Foundation, what do you hope to bring to Leadership Seminole? A: While at the Florida Hospital Foundation, I had the privilege to work with a board of directors and learn about community leadership and the value of volunteerism. I was also able to support incredible projects like Eden Spa, which helps begin the healing process for cancer patients after diagnosis. Leadership Seminole strives to bring together emerging and established leaders and give back to the community in the same way. Over the last 25 22 M Y S A N F O R D M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0
“We have several alumni who live and work in the Sanford community who have continued to stay involved and have helped bridge our organization to the area.” years, the organization has been making a difference in Seminole County through its legacy projects, which have contributed 17,000 volunteer hours and more than 1.2 million dollars to benefit the local community. Q: What future long-term plans do you have for Leadership Seminole? A: Leadership Seminole is working on expanding awareness of our program and increasing our presence in Central Florida. We want to become a model of excellence for leadership development and programming by providing an exceptional 10-month leadership program to community members. Another area we are
working on is reaching out and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Q: Who or what inspires you in life? A: I’m inspired by many of our local leaders who span different areas in the community from healthcare to education to law enforcement. My mentor, Linda Sacha, is also an inspiration. She has helped me find my passion and define what makes and brings joy and excitement to my life. Servant leadership also inspires me. This quote by Ravindranath Tagore is something I refer to often for inspiration: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
KELLY CLORE WITH KABIKI PHOTOGRAPHY
Q: Would you please tell our readers about yourself, your family, your background, and where you grew up? A: I’m originally from Buffalo, New York. Go Bills! I attended Michigan State University where I studied criminal justice and forensic psychology, which allowed me the opportunity to gain experience working with children in the criminal justice system. I’ve worked at a halfway house for girls, a residential treatment center, juvenile detention facilities, and youth centers. I also volunteered a lot in my community, which transitioned into a career as an event planner for organizations and companies. This position allowed me the flexibility to be at home and raise my children while still being able to work. In 1991, my family moved to Florida to get away from the cold weather, and we love it here. After a few years, I was fortunate enough to be recruited by Florida Hospital (now AdventHealth) to work as a major gift fundraiser for the hospital’s foundation. I’m a graduate of the Leadership Seminole program and was an active volunteer prior to serving as president of the organization over the last three years. Family is my number one priority. I am married to my husband, Dave, and together, we have seven children.
