Give 'em some love: Emerald Award honorees (left to right) Patty Jeffrey, Malena Mendez, Angelica Santibanez and Jessica Rodriguez.
Credit: Little's Photography
A nurse turned global healthcare executive. A champion of youth mentorship. A nonprofit entrepreneur. An Amazon leader opening doors for girls. Broward’s latest Emerald Awards honorees brought plenty of accomplishments to the table... and the luncheon delivered a substantial boost for the next generation.
Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida honored four women yesterday, October 6, at the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, raising nearly $145,000 to help bring the Girl Scout experience to girls in under-resourced communities. The program currently supports 835 girls across 55 troops that meet weekly, providing extracurricular activities and a sisterhood.
The luncheon also became the organization’s first event to surpass $100,000 in sponsorships. WPLG Local 10 reporter Linnie Supall, also a former Girl Scout, served as Mistress of Ceremonies. Here’s who earned the emerald spotlight:
Patty Jeffrey: The Sunrise resident and executive vice president of international operations at MedPro Healthcare Staffing began as a bedside nurse. Today, she helps address healthcare workforce shortages through ethical international recruitment and serves as president of the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment.
Malena Mendez: The Wilton Manors resident has led Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County since 2021. Her accomplishments include a scholarship initiative with Ana G. Méndez University and a campaign that raised over $1.1 million while reducing the number of children waiting for mentors.
Jessica Rodriguez: The Fort Lauderdale resident co-founded Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors in 2021. During her previous tenure at Arc Broward, she helped launch the Miss Arc Broward Pageant, celebrating girls with disabilities and building confidence.
Angelica “Angie” Santibáñez: The Miami resident leads Amazon’s community engagement across Florida and Latin America. Her work has helped expand access to Girl Scout leadership development, STEM education, entrepreneurship and community service.
Honorary chair Rita Case added another announcement: a hands-on Career Spark experience introducing middle and high school girls to automotive careers, from vehicle safety and maintenance to engineering and design.
