WOMEN
AWARDS SUPPLEMENT
RECOGNIZING WOMEN LEADERS IN SARASOTA AND BRADENTON 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
SRQ WOMEN WHO ROAR COMPETITON OVERVIEW
Meet Our 2024 Competition Judges
Jo Watson Hackl ATTORNEY, WYCHE, P.A.
Each year SRQ Magazine invites the community to nominate women they feel exemplify the personal integrity, expertise and community engagement qualities recognized by the Women Who Roar (WWR) platform in our regional change makers. Nominees are asked to share their insights with our judges in nine key areas via a written application. Judges from the national arena spend time with and score each nominee’s application to render the selection of the honorees who are then inducted into the WWR Leadership Circle at the Annual Togther We Roar Leadership and Awards Luncheon hosted each year at Michael’s On East.
Jo Watson Hackl is an attorney with Wyche, P.A., in Greenville, SC, where she concentrates her practice in corporate and securities law and has helped register over $1 billion in securities. Hackl is past President of the Greenville County Bar Association and was selected by the Best Lawyers in America listing as the 2015 Greenville Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year. She is a Liberty Fellow and Riley Fellow and has been recognized as a Woman of Achievement by the YWCA. She was the first woman to serve as Chair of the Greenville Area Development Corporation. She also serves on the Boards of the United Way of Greenville County, EMRYS and Camperdown Academy. She holds a BA from Millsaps College and a JD from Yale Law School. Hackl is also a writer and outdoors enthusiast. She is the founder of Outdoorosity.org, a website devoted to providing inspiration and information about the outdoors.
Kellee M. Johnson PRINCIPAL, THE BALLAST GROUP
In 2005, Kellee Johnson founded the Ballast Group, an integrated communications strategy firm, after serving as director of corporate marketing for Abbott Laboratories, where she managed 25 global teams. She then spent five years managing corporate communications for Tropicana, a multi-billion dollar division of PepsiCo, based in Bradenton at the time. Johnson has built and refined domestic brands of global companies and provided lead generation and growth for startup companies. She and her team build better relationships with stakeholders through storytelling that leverages qualified third parties in multiple integrated LISA App, communication channels. Johnson serves as a partner and advisor to the first open marketplace for on-demand beauty that connects artists and clients, based in Chicago. Focusing on all aspects of consumer products, healthcare and high-tech, Johnson has helped companies such as Hyatt, Kaiser Permanente, Stericycle, Safeway, Target, Cisco and Ultimate Software think differently about their relationships.
Ria Persad FOUNDER, STATWEATHER
Ria Persad was born on June 18, 1974, in Trinidad and Tobago, is of East Indian descent, and moved to the United States of America as a small child. She is both a mathematician and a classical musician and was a child prodigy. She currently mentors technology companies and is signed as a fashion model. Persad is the author of the book All Things are Possible: Unleashing the Superhuman Within, available on Amazon. She was the founding CEO of StatWeather, recognized as the 2015 Top Data Provider Globally through Energy Risk Awards, Top U.S. Weather Company in Energy Risk Software Rankings 2013, Best Newcomer of the Year 2013, a 2014 Platts Global Energy Awards "Rising Star", and in the Top 5 Most Innovative Companies in America in 2015 through MeetAdvisor.
Samantha Bond Richman PRESIDENT/FOUNDER, SAM BOND BENEFIT GROUP
Samantha has provided guidance to business owners seeking solutions for employee benefits, payroll administration, workers’ compensation, liability reduction, and multiple employer 401(k) plans for over thirty years. Initially hired as an hourly employee, Samantha developed her career into a commission only sales representative position, company shareholder, and with the sale of her former employer, into an independent broker of PEO services in 2006. Her company holds Life, Health & Annuity (2-15) licenses in Florida and Virginia. She is a member of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) and the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO). Sam Bond Benefit Group is a certified Disadvantaged Woman Owned Business Enterprise (DWBE) and certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE). A resident of the Tampa Bay area since 1986, Samantha graduated in 1988 with a B.A. in Mass Communications from University of South Florida
Meet the Trailblazer and Illuminator Award Honorees
Kate Wight TRAILBLAZER AWARD HONOREE
Kate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels of suspense: ten standalone psychological thrillers, including The Last Time She Saw Him (2024), and eight Bailey Weggins mysteries. A former Glamour magazine cover girl, Kate spent the first part of her career in the magazine business, eventually running several different magazines. For fourteen years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave ten years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction. Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller. She is also the author of several bestselling career books, including I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This and the ground-breaking Wall Street Journal bestseller, Why Good Girls Don’t Get Ahead but Gutsy Girls Do. Kate is an avid traveler and enjoys spending each winter with her husband at their home in Uruguay. She holds an honorary doctorate of letters from her alma mater, Union College, where she gave the 2022 commencement address.
Elyse Delucci ILLUMINATOR AWARD HONOREE
Elyse Delucci is a New York-based standup comedian and writer. Her comedy material focuses on growing up in a middle class, Italian-American family, her former Wall Street career, intercultural marriage, divorce, food, exhaustion, co-parenting, motherhood and being a fish out of water on Manahattan’s Upper East Side. Elyse is a social media influencer with over 330,000 followers and over 60 million views on TikTok and Instagram. She’s the creator of the fan-favorite podcast New York Tawk, where she speaks off-the-cuff about recent experiences, current events and her life. The podcast has over 20,000 monthly listeners, 5 star reviews and is available on Apple an Spotify. In 2021, she was named one of New York’s Funniest in the New York Comedy Festival. Elyse is a graudate of St. John’s University with graduate programs from Harvard Business School in digital strategy and University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in managerial economics and leadership. She’s refreshing, smart, relatable and the best friend you always wanted. She lives in Manhattan, New York with her two daughters.
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Meet Our 2024 Women Who Roar Honorees
Amanda Ballard
Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard grew up in upstate South Carolina and moved to Manatee County just after graduating law school in 2014. Amanda has spent her career as an attorney in the local child welfare system and has a passion for helping children and underserved communities. She is on the Board of Directors with Feeding Empty Little Tummies (F.E.L.T.) in Palmetto and volunteers with Junior League of Manatee County.
Jill Bowen , Esq
Attorney, Berlin Patten Ebling Jill Bowen primarily practices in the areas of residential real property and commercial transactions. Jill grew up in Englewood, Florida, and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida in 2015 and her Juris Doctor, with honors, from Florida State University College of Law in 2019. In law school, she received multiple Book Awards for academic performance in Evidence, Land Use Regulation, Coastal & Ocean Law and Legal Writing.
Barbara Ford-Coates
Former Sarasota County Tax Collector Ford-Coates has been honored numerous times for her dedication and accomplishments. Governor Lawton Chiles appointed her to the 1998 Constitution Revision Commission. In 2008, she was named the Outstanding Tax Collector in the United States. When the Girl Scouts celebrated their centennial, Ford-Coates was named one of 100 Girl Scout Greats, and in 2016, she was named by Thomson Reuters as a Public Sector Champion for Excellence in Office Leadership.
Robyn Faucy
CEO/Co-Owner, Result 1st Robyn Faucy is a speaker, change agent and the CEO and Co-owner of Results 1st where she is an expert at guiding individuals and organizations to achieve aggressive and transformative results. Robyn has a successful track record in non-profit and for-profit organizations where her leadership resulted in significant financial growth and increased community engagement and client achievement.
Kelly M. Harb, CMP
Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Visit Sarasota County Kelly Harb’s career began at Visit Sarasota County 16 years ago as the Meeting Sales Manager. Shortly after earning her CMP certification, she moved into the Director of Sales role and began working with the International market. Harb is now the Vice President of Marketing & Communications. In this role, she tries each day to lead with passion, leveraging her expertise to enhance Visit Sarasota’s brand’s reach and impact.
Tanna Horner
CEO/Executive Director, Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens After being an educator for more than 20 years, Tanna Horner decided to share her profound passion for nature and art at the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens where the mission is to provide a natural setting along the Peace River showcasing world class sculpture and unique botanicals to inspire creativity throughout the community and the opportunity for education and research.
Lienna May, MS, CNS, LND
Owner, Lucky Avocado Nutrition Lienna May is a Certified Nutrition Specialist who is board certified by the American Nutrition Association and licensed by the State of Florida as a Dietician/Nutritionist. Along with a master’s degree in nutrition from one of the most advanced scientific and evidence-based nutrition programs in the country, she is certified in the Science of Well Being by Yale University.
Mercedes Soler-Martinez
President, Solmart Media LLC Mercedes Soler-Martinez currently works with her husband, Tom Martínez, at Solmart Media, LLC. Solmart Media, LLC is their radio and digital media company. As President of the company, she oversees editorial content, community outreach, advocacy and marketing. Mercedes has been awarded 5 Emmys from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, as well as 1 Peabody and 1 GLAAD award, for her contributions to Spanish television in the U.S.
Angie Stringer
President and CEO, Girls Inc. Angie Stringer has been president & CEO of Girls Inc. of Sarasota County since August 2015. Prior to joining Girls Inc., she was director of major gifts at Children First. Stringer has more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including direct program supervision, program development, strategic planning, staff management, fiscal planning, fundraising, and marketing.
Victoria Stultz
License Partner/Broker Owner, Engel & Völkers Originally from Boston, Victoria has been working in the real estate industry for over 22 years. She began her career in Cincinnati, where she worked in sales for a Fortune 500 company for several years before transitioning into real estate with a prominent brokerage. After selling her business in 2001, Victoria and her family relocated to Sarasota, where she continued her real estate career. Her negotiating skills, business experience and vibrant personality have resulted in a proven track record.
Michael Tollerton
Corporate Risk Control, FCCI Insurance Group Michael Tollerton is a Sarasota native and graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. She currently works with FCCI Insurance Group Corporate Underwriting as Corporate Risk Control. Michael resides in Parrish, FL with her husband, Elvis Downs and daughter, Evelyn.
Cheyenne Williams
Owner, Shiney Day Specialized Pet Care From the time she was just five years old, Cheyenne has been passionate about animals. While she had an early interest in becoming a marine biologist, she chose instead to pursue training as a veterinary technician. She earned her certification in veterinary assisting while she was still in high school from the program at SCTI (now Suncoast Technical College). She has been working in veterinary practices and veterinary emergency hospitals in Sarasota county since she was just 16 years of age.
CHEYENNE WILLIAMS , OWNER | SHINEY DAY SPECIALIZED PET CARE
“Just as every life is worth saving, Every soul—human or animal— deserves care, compassion, and unconditional love.”
HOW HAVE YOU DRAWN FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF YOUR PERSONAL LIFE TO TRANSFORM THE WORK YOU DO IN YOUR CAREER?
Losing my mom to suicide was a pivotal moment that changed everything for me. It taught me the fragility of life, the importance of connection, and the power of showing up for others, even in small ways. I’ve brought those lessons into both my professional and personal life. In my business, I strive to create a sense of trust and care with my clients, treating every animal and owner as if they’re family. In my work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, I channel my grief into action, building programs and fostering conversations that save lives. My personal experiences have given me a depth of understanding and empathy that I carry into every aspect of my work.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SURPRISE ABOUT SUCCESS THAT YOU’VE REALIZED? The biggest surprise about success has been realizing that it’s not about accolades, numbers or external recognition. Success, for me, is about the lives I’ve touched, the relationships I’ve built, and the positive impact I’ve been able to make. It’s the small moments—seeing a pet thrive under my care, hearing someone share their story of hope after a conversation we had, or witnessing the ripple effect of a community coming together for a cause. Those are the moments that truly define success.
