Diane Meiller and Associates Presents

™

An opportunity for young women to collaborate with Central Florida’s most influential female executives and create solutions for Central Florida’s biggest problems.

DM&A hosted its fourth annual, Me and My Community event on March 19, 2011. This initiative is to teach high school women the importance of leadership, teamwork, collaboration, professional communication, compromise, and passion in building first class solutions which have the greatest benefit for the holistic success of the community. DM&A’s continual work in tandem with the local Junior Achievement organization on hosting this all day event for high school women that have been selected by their school administrators based upon academic and leadership potential. The project based format provides participants the opportunity to work with their peers throughout Orange County, while being “mentored” by outstanding female community leaders in Orange County. This year’s mentors included: Maureen Brockman, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission; Glenda Hood, former Florida Mayor and Security of State; Thomasina Kennedy, Director of Human Resources Operations at CHEP; Yolanda Londono, Vice President of Global Social Responsibility at Tupperware; Ann Sonntag, Publisher at Orlando Business Journal; Leslie O’Meara-Malfitano, Director of Human Resources Operations at Diane Meiller and Associates, Incorporated; Florrie Yee, Director of Information Technology Services at Orange County Clerk of Courts. With the help of these professionals, the young women tackled important community issues ranging from unemployment to increasing tax revenue to higher education.  A panel of judges comprised of professional executive women evaluated each team on scorecard criteria such as demonstrated leadership, knowledge and delivery of content, creativity, and collaboration skills to select the winning team. The winning team, a group that created a solution to the specific topic question: ” What should the mission of our public schools be, based on a multi-cultural, and diverse socio-economic base in a region like Central Florida”, was then given reward money to distribute as they saw fit between the member of the team and/or a local charitable cause.

At the beginning of the day, the young females were able to hear an inspirational story of 2009 Me and My Community’s graduate, Nickelle Smith. Nickelle Smith is currently a student attending her dream school, University of Florida. Ms. Smith’s words moved everyone in the room as she described her mission to motivate young females “to stick together and fulfill their dreams”.

This year’s Me and My Community has been featured in 8 different publications; ranging from Orange Appeal to Orlando Times.

2009 Me and My CommUnity Photo Gallery (click link to view)

2010 Me and My CommUnity Photo Gallery (click link to view)

2011 Me and My CommUnity Photo Gallery (click link to view)