Page 18 - April 2017 Life In Naplles Magazine

CELEBRATES WOMEN OF
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Dr. Aysegul Timur, Thelma Hodges and Adriana Buitrago I n recognition of Women’s History Month, Hodges University honored

six women in Southwest Florida, who are making a difference in the
community, at the first Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, Clarity
and Commitment event March 2.
THE 2017 HONOREES INCLUDED:

• Barbara Key-Ramos, program coordinator of Florida High School High Tech
with Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc.
• Brenda Tate, founder of The Women’s Foundation of Southwest Florida
• Stacy Lee Williams, former donor relations coordinator of Our Mother’s
Home and founder of Global Rising of Women (G.R.O.W)
• Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates, system director of diversity and patient care civil
rights at Lee Health
• Dr. Aysegul Timur, dean of the Johnson School of Business at Hodges
University
“Celebrating Women honorees from L to R: Barbara Key-Ramos, Yemisi
• Eliana Tardio, Latina activist and special needs advocate with Parent Education
Oloruntola-Coates, Stacey Lee-Williams, Brenda Tate, Dr. Aysegul Timur
and Eliana Tardio” Network with Family Network on Disabilities
Held on Hodges’ Naples campus, guests and honorees were welcomed by Gail
Brenda Tate and Barbara Hawkes Williams, chief diversity officer at Hodges University, before watching a video
message from Dr. Donald Wortham, Hodges’ president, who recognized honorary
guest and university namesake, Thelma Hodges, as well as the event honorees. “The
women we are honoring here today each exemplify these four virtues [character,
courage, clarity and commitment] perfectly,” he said.
Guests enjoyed a special video presentation highlighting each honoree, their
accomplishments and their advice to other women. A portion of the program was
dedicated to “When Women Circle, We Learn and Grow Together to Bring about
Change,” which invited the six women to gather on stage to participate in a women’s
circle to tell their stories and answer questions.
Discussing stories of struggle, sacrifice, determination and passion, each woman
provided a personal account of the hard work and vision she needed to not only be
successful but to make a difference in the lives of others. “It is important that we, as
women, do not let the constraints of circumstance dictate the capacity of our brain,”
said Barbara Key-Ramos.
Paying a special tribute to the honorees, Hodges alumna and founder of Darlene
and Friends, an organization whose vision is to “identify and mobilize the best of
Dr. Sheila Robinson our regions give resources for the betterment of the individual, the family and the
community-at-large,” Darlene Mitchell sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” with
Thomas Cimarusti accompanying her on the piano.
Guests also heard from keynote speaker Dr. Sheila A. Robinson, founder and
publisher of Diversity Woman Media, who stated, “Today is a great day to be a
woman.” Focusing her discussion on “Leading by Example,” she discussed her
journey from serving as a marketing director for DuPont to launching a professional
magazine for women seeking career advancement opportunities, which transitioned
from North Carolina Career Network to Diversity Woman Magazine in April 2008.