Julie Shematz Announced As A 2014 MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida

WGCU Public Media

Announces

2014 MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida

December 3, 2013….The MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida for 2014 were announced today by WGCU Public Media. Fourteen women were selected from 121 nominees. Nominations were received from the Southwest Florida community from Aug. 1 through Oct. 25. A community selection committee reviewed each of the nominees in the categories of arts, business, education, environment, health & wellness, politics and social justice activism.

             In its second year honoring women who are leaving a legacy and making a significant impact in our region, WGCU will produce video and audio portraits of the MAKERS that will air in April 2014 on WGCU TV and radio. The portraits will also be posted at wgcu.org to inspire generations to come.                        

            The 2014 MAKERS are listed below.  This year’s MAKERS are not listed by category.  The selection committee determined that several of the selected MAKERS are leaving a legacy in more than one category.

The 2014 MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida are:

Rita Bertler, President, Dollars for Mammograms

Sharon Bruckman, Owner/CEO, Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation

Myra Daniels, Founder, The Philharmonic Center for the Arts 

The Honorable Laura Safer Espinoza, Executive Director, Fair Food Standards Council 

Eve Haverfield, Founder, Turtle Time, Inc.

Martha Hill, Mailbag Editor, The News-Press

Theresa Ink, Founder, P.A.W.S. Lee County

Kimberly Leach Johnson, Firm Chair, Quarles & Brady, LLP

Nancy Lascheid, Co-Founder, Neighborhood Health Clinic

Darla Letourneau, Founding Steering Group Member, BikeWalkLee

Pam Oakes, Owner, Pam’s Motor City

Julie Shematz, Founder, Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries

Michele Valencourt, Executive Director, Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda

Gail Williams, Chief Diversity Officer, Hodges University

            MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida selection committee members are:  2013 MAKERS: Andrea Clark Brown, Ellin Goetz and Trudi Williams; Sarah Owen, Southwest Florida Community Foundation; Brenda Tate, Women's Fund of Southwest Florida; Walter Douglas, WGCU Diversity Advisory Group member; WGCU Public Media Advisory Board members: Debra McIntyre, Maria Palacio and Mimi Gregory; WGCU staff: Valerie Alker, Toby Cooke, Barbara Linstrom, Kim Woodle, Amy Tardif and Barbara Steinhoff.

Community partners for MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida are the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the Women's Fund of Southwest Florida. MAKERS: Women Who Make Southwest Florida is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Corporate sponsorships are available. For sponsorship information contact Terry Brennen, at (239)590-2366 or tbrennen@wgcu.org.