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WOMEN to WATCH
Jill Vaughan Loves Downtown Orlando AFTER DOWNTOWN ORLANDO WAS ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN IN MARCH 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, IT WOULD BE HARD TO IMAGINE ANYONE WANTING TO TACKLE THE ROLE OF SUPPORTING AND GROWING BUSINESSES IN THE CITY’S CENTER. YET, THAT’S EXACTLY THE CHALLENGE JILL VAUGHAN STEPPED INTO WHEN SHE ASSUMED THE TOP ROLE AT THE DOWNTOWN ORLANDO PARTNERSHIP (DOP) IN EARLY 2021. AND SHE FORGED TOWARD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THE CHAMBER ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1961 AND PROUDLY SAYS, “2021 WAS THE BEST YEAR WE’VE EVER HAD.”
A
natural cheerleader for
State of Downtown address, lunch and
Third Thursday Happy Hour, and 60th
the city core, Jill grew
learns, and the prestigious Golden Brick
anniversary golf tournament held last fall
up in Michigan but
Awards honoring impactful people and
at Dubsdread Golf Course.
moved here right out of
projects downtown. An immersive, educa-
Membership has continued to increase
college. Her first job
tional leadership class, Connect DTO, runs
as well. “We are at more than 225 members
for six months.
currently and we added 45 new members
was downtown, so she felt this was a fullcircle moment. “I’ve always loved downtown,” she says.
“Even though we had the pandemic we
last year. Our sponsorships have grown.
really tried to still offer safe, in-person
For this year’s Golden Brick Awards, we
She admits it was hard to leave a suc-
events last year. With some we limited
had 21 sponsors and we were sold out, set-
cessful career at AdventHealth, but “this
attendance and with others we required
ting another attendance record. So, we are
was a unique opportunity in the sense that
masks. As the guidelines changed, we
looking forward to continuing to elevate
I had medical sales experience, a ton of
were able to modify those,” she adds. She
our events for the betterment of downtown
fundraising experience, and board of
references the 2021 Golden Brick Awards
and serve downtown businesses and stake-
director experience, so this role encom-
held outdoors at the Dr. Phillips Center for
holders. We want everyone to come togeth-
passes all of those skills. It’s been fun to
the Performing Arts’ novel front yard
er to celebrate the people, projects and mis-
oversee the event planning and fundrais-
space. “We had the most applications we
sion,” she explains.
ing. But the bottom line is it’s about rela-
had ever had. We had the most attendees
As for what constitutes downtown, Jill
tionships. That’s my favorite part. It’s busi-
we had ever had. It was a banner year that
says, “the Downtown Development Board
ness to business.”
was also our 60th anniversary celebra-
and the Community Redevelopment Agency
tion,” Jill says.
have smaller boundaries. But ours were a
The DOP exists to enhance business and community relationships through col-
As DOP members were eager to connect
little unclear, so last year our board stated
laborative events and initiatives with an
in-person, more events were added to meet
that it would be hospital to hospital
emphasis on communications and market-
growing demand including a First Friday
[AdventHealth main campus to Orlando
ing. Signature events include the annual
Coffee at various downtown locations,
Regional Medical Center] and Camping
20
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