The Junior League of Boca Raton’s37th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon: Terry Fedele Named Woman Volunteer of the YearAmbassador Nancy G. Brinker Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

BOCA RATON, FL, November 25, 2024– The Junior League of Boca Raton’s (JLBR) 37th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon sold out with more than 900 attendees at The Boca Raton on November 1st. Terry Fedele, the nominee for Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, was named Woman Volunteer of the Year; and Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, the nominee for Promise Fund, won the Lifetime Achievement Award. The luncheon raised the most money in the history of the event with the leadership of Event Co-Chairs, Meryll Bangsil & Khris Kellerman and Honorary Chair, Kelly Woods Fleming. The luncheon featured a lavish runway fashion show with looks from The Boca Raton boutiques.

Terry Fedele’s healthcare background and passion for service have propelled her from a board member to a dynamic leader, serving as Chair of the College of Nursing and President of the Caring Hearts Auxiliary Board. Her leadership has significantly increased community engagement among leaders, faculty, students, and advisory board members. Her efforts have been crucial to addressing Boca’s nursing shortage, as many students stay local after graduation. Over the last 13 years, Terry’s dedication has directly improved countless lives in our community.

Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen Foundation which has raised several billion dollars for breast cancer research, and she founded Promise Fund which provides access to mammograms and cervical cancer screenings for underserved women in Palm Beach County and beyond.

There were 43 local women who were nominated for the 37th Annual Woman Volunteer of the Year Award. Nonprofits from across Palm Beach and Northern Broward counties nominated one of their valued volunteers to be considered for Woman Volunteer of the Year Award.

The nominees were Amiee Hawkins, Alzheimer’s Association; Althea Largie Ceasor, American Association of Caregiving Youth ; Elaine Tobita, Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary; Sue MacDonald, Best Foot Forward Foundation; Loretta Parker, Boca Ballet Theatre; Zoe Lanham, Boca Helping Hands, Inc.; Eileen Travasos, Boca Raton Christian School; Olivia Hollaus, Boca Raton Historical Society; Nicole Flier, Boca Raton Police Foundation; Marcia Mithun, Boca West Children’s Foundation; Mandy Bohlman, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County; Jan Savarick, Brain Bowl Events, Inc.; Janet Diaz-Martinez, Caridad Center; Andrea Cannon, Congregation B’nai Israel; Cheryl Crowley, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County; Amanda Perna, Delray Beach Public Library; Tammera Atkins, Dress for Success Palm Beaches; Randee Wechsler, Eda and Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation; Teresa Fedele, Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing; Ashley Cacicedo-Surdovel, Friends of Foster Children of Palm Beach County, Inc.; Danielle Rosse, George Snow Scholarship Fund; Shawn Sherlock, Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation Inc.; Mindy Shikiar, HabCenter of Boca Raton; Robyn Raphael Dynan, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County; Michelle Makris, Hanley Foundation; Iris Urbina, Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative; Carrie Rubin, Impact 100 Palm Beach County; Elizabeth Rivera, In The Pines; Nancy Dockerty, Junior League of Boca Raton; Arlene Herson, National Society of Arts and Letters; Jennifer Nawrocki, Palm Beach Symphony; Judy Noren, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League; Haley Winstead, Place of Hope at the Leighan and David Rinker Campus; Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, Promise Fund; Tabitha Stambaugh, Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton; Sudane Ricketts, Scholar Career Coaching; Gabby Teran, Student ACES; Abby Bernstein-Henderson, Sweet Dream Makers; Reilly Glasser, The Diaper Bank, Covering South Florida; Robyn Perlman, Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program; Caroline Johnson, Women’s Executive Club; Nicole Grimes, YMCA of South Palm Beach County; and Daniela Levenson, YWCA Palm Beach County.

“We were thrilled to recognize 43 outstanding volunteers and were so impressed with the award winners and all that they have accomplished,” said Nikki Stelzer, President of the Junior League of Boca Raton. The event was the most successful ever as a result of the generosity of our Honorary Chair, sponsors, and guests and the dedication of our Co-Chairs Meryll and Khris and their Event Committee.

The Woman Volunteer of the Year Luncheon celebrates outstanding women in the community, nominated by nonprofit organizations for their dedication and expertise as volunteers, as well as the work they do to further the missions of the organizations they serve. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton.

The Presenting Sponsor was the Junior League of Boca Raton’s 1971 Society. The Award Presentation Sponsors were The Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation. The Boca Raton was the Fashion Show Sponsor. The Honorary Chair was Kelly Woods Fleming. The Diamond Sponsor was The Fun Fund. The Media Sponsor was Boca Magazine. The Program Sponsor was Brittany Wright, CFP of Pence Financial Group. The Ruby Sponsors were Amy and Mike Kazma, Carrie Rubin, Christine E. Lynn, E.M. Lynn Foundation, Kathy and Paul Adkins, Nikki and Craig Stelzer, The GEO Group Foundation and Warren and Claudia Orlando. The Welcome Sponsor was Sharon DiPietro. The Beverage Sponsor was the James and Marta Batmasian Family Foundation. The Champagne Toast Sponsor was Ronnie’s Strike Cigar Lounge. The Opal Sponsor was Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center. The Graphic Design Sponsor was Marissa Tiongson. The Emerald Sponsors were Boca Raton Wealth Consulting Group—UBS Financial Services Inc., Original Fat Cats, Plastridge Insurance, Robin Deyo, the Schmidt Family Foundation and Ted and Mulligan Conroy. Pearl Sponsors were Beaulieu-Fawcett/Newell Law Group, P.A., David G. Schwartz & Family, Glass House Boca Raton, Jo Ann Procacci, Nancy Kyle, Paradise Bank, Royal Palm Polo – Friends of Nikki Stelzer and Vella Art & Interiors. Amethyst Sponsors were Cindy Krebsbach, Jill Viner and Peggy Van Dorp. Community Partners were BRIC/CP Group, The Buzz Agency, KSDT CPA and The Addison.

In In-Kind sponsors were E-Sharp Entertainment, Infinito Booth, J. Ortman Diamonds & Jewelry, Oceans 234, Palm Beach Symphony, Rosenberg Diamonds & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, SandyJames Fine Food & Production, Sarah Doyle, Sixty Vines, Sklar Furnishings and Vina & Co Hair and Makeup Artistry.

The luncheon was organized by volunteers of the Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR).
Committee members included Hanna Bradley, Tara Currier, Brittanny Ferguson, Clarissa Gleichenhaus, Camila Harasic, Daphney Hoover, Namrata Israni, Dila Kaya, Victoria Matthews, Marina McCleneghen, Jocelyn Mijares, Rhonda Morris, Monique Oerth, Michele Ribovich, Susan Rutherford, Renata Sans de Negri, Kim Sapashe, Neha Sharan, Karen Wadowicz, Sonia Wegweiser and Kali Williams. The Assistant Chairs were Veronica Kraft, Kristen McElwee, Racheal Petullo and Brittany Wright.