Commissioner Sheehan Recognized at the
Girl Scouts of Citrus Council's 12th Annual Women of Distinction Gala with the "Law & Government" Award

July 31, 2009

 

On July 31, 2009, nine outstanding women from Central Florida were honored at the 12th annual Women of Distinction Gala at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando.

Seventy-three incredible women were nominated in one of nine categories.  This year's honorees were: Arts - Chela Jacobo, dancer; Business - Kathleen Hawkins, Founder of WOAMTEC (Women on a Mission to Earn a Commission); Education - Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, President of Bethune-Cookman University; Government/Law - Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan; Health - Dr. Catherine Lamprecht, Chief Director of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease at Nemour's Children's Clinic; Technology - Andrea Wesser, Engineer and Co-Founder of the Office of Women in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at UCF; Young Woman of Distinction - Kaitlyn Chana, Founder of "Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness, Inc."; and Lifetime Achievement Award - Jerry Buchanan, Philanthropist.  A new category was added this year and the recipient of the Visionary Award was Dr. Deborah German, Founding Dean of the College of Medicine at UCF.

Joan Lunden, former co-host of ABC-TV's Good Morning America, was the keynote speaker.  Today, she hosts a weekly television show on Lifetime TV called, "Health Corner."  She is also starting a wellness retreat in Maine.