2024 Honorees
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Women of Distinction
Naima Brown: Supporting Changes in People and Colleges
It was a long journey for Naima Brown from being a child in inner city Philadelphia
to becoming Vice President of Student Affairs at Santa Fe College in Florida. That
journey was sometimes marked by tragedy.
Brown had just turned 17 when her father was shot and killed. "I definitely wanted to get away from the crime," she recalled. "My father was the 438th person murdered that year. College was a ticket out."
The first person in her family to attend college, Brown chose Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. A course in sociology set her on the path to an academic career. "That course gave me answers to the questions I was asking," she said. "I read the textbook like a novel."
After earning her B.A. degree from Florida A&M, Brown went on to earn an M.A. and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Florida. She specialized in marriage and family studies and in medical sociology. From 2000 to 2012, she taught as a Professor of Sociology at Santa Fe College (SF). In 2013, she was promoted to Vice President for Student Affairs, a position she still holds.
One theme that runs through Brown's work, both as a teacher and as an administrator, is the joy of seeing how people and organizations can make positive changes.
"I love teaching because of the 'Aha!' moments students have when they understand how what they're learning is relevant - how they can apply it to their lives and especially to their marriage and family relationships," Brown said.
In her role as a college administrator, Brown supports student success. She is the Principal Investigator for a $750,000 Mental Health Initiative grant that will result in development of a Mental Health Toolkit for Florida's state colleges.
Brown also explained that her role as an Achieving the Dream coach "is to be a critical friend and supporter of the people at the colleges who are making changes. I'm helping colleges to transform, because those institutions are the engines for student success and for community economic growth and development."
Asked to name her significant accomplishments, Brown mentioned the work she has done to internationalize the marriage and family course curriculum at SF. After visiting Senegal, Brazil, China, Sweden, and Ghana, she wrote handbooks for other faculty members to share what she learned. She also mentioned the creation of scholarships for students who have not previously had scholarship opportunities and the creation of the Mind Body Life SF web page that connects students to free mental health resources.
Brown named Florida's Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded the school that eventually became Bethune-Cookman College, as one of her greatest inspirations. "She left a legacy that lives on," Brown explained. "She knew black girls needed a place to go to school so she raised money by going door to door. She had the kind of passion that enabled others to buy in to her vision. I want to leave a legacy like that, because education is a life changer and I want to help people succeed."
The values that guide Brown's work are integrity and love. "Do the right thing, no matter who is looking," she said. "You have to love and care about people."
"Follow your passion," she advised. "You have a story, and often we do best when we work on what is relevant for us. Follow your heart, and use your experience to help make life better for other people."
Jeannine Hogue: A Lifetime of Helping Others Through Volunteering
Born in Oklahoma and raised by a single mother, Jeannine Hogue moved to Gainesville
in 1973 with her physician husband, Robert, and their son Jeffrey. Since then, she
has dedicated her time and energy to helping others through a series of volunteer
jobs in different community service organizations.
"I needed to do something after my son was in school," Hogue explained, "because I'm not one to just sit home. I like to be around people."
She first volunteered as a docent at the Florida Museum of Natural History in its old building on the University of Florida campus. Hogue then became one of the first volunteers in Gainesville's Guardian ad Litem program that provides independent legal representation for abused, neglected and abandoned children. She also served on the board of the American Cancer Society and worked with the Medical Alliance, a group of doctors' wives who visited schools to test children's eyesight and hearing.
When one of her friends opened Four Seasons boutique, a retail store that specialized in clothing for professional women, Hogue agreed to manage the shop. Managing the boutique was a springboard for Hogue's service as coordinator of Boutique Merchandise at Haven Hospice Attic.
"I liked what Hospice was doing from the beginning, so I got involved with fundraising in addition to working with the Attic," she explained. "I worked with a group of women who were involved with that organization for many years. It was rewarding to see how much money we could raise through style shows and other special events."
Hogue's philanthropy included her own donation of an entire patient room at Haven Hospice. She was named Haven Hospice Volunteer of the Year for her dedication to raising money for uninsured patients. Hogue has also created a scholarship for Santa Fe College students.
"My mother was my biggest inspiration," Hogue said. "Raising a child alone while working is difficult now and was difficult back then. I didn't want to disappoint her. We were very close, and many of my friends were close to her as well."
"I'm a firm believer in giving back," Hogue said when asked about the values that drove her community service work. "We need to give back in some way, even if just for an hour or two. I feel blessed that I've been able to do this."
The accomplishments Hogue claims to be most proud of include her family-her son, a financial advisor in Gainesville, and his wife and children. She's also proud of the strong friendships she has maintained over the years with her women friends.
"I tell young women that you need to cherish your girl friends when you're young, not compete with them," she said, "because they will be your strongest supporters as you age."
"Do something you love" is Hogue's advice for women who want to make positive differences in their lives and in their communities. "If you do something you love, it's not work. Always tell the truth and you don't have to remember what you said! That gives you peace of mind to help others, and remember that helping others helps you-it's like therapy."
"I'm honored beyond words and so impressed with the other women who are receiving the Women of Distinction award," Hogue concluded. "That glass ceiling has been broken and these women have done it!"
Chrissy Thompson: Caring for the Health of People and Her Community
Chrissy Thompson has lived in Bradford County since she was eight years old. A former
city commissioner in Starke, Thompson is married to the former city manager. She had
a career in health care before launching a second career as owner and manager of a
restaurant. Thompson is also active as a volunteer for several community service and
fundraising organizations.
The common theme that runs through all of Thompson's activities is a concern for health-the health of people and the health of her community. "From the minute I volunteered at the hospital as a Candy Striper, I knew that I was headed for a career in health care," she explained.
Thompson attended nursing school at Santa Fe College and has a background in x-ray technology. She worked in health care from 1991 to 2007 and credits the first physician she worked for, Dr. Berry, with being one of her biggest inspirations. "He is a lifetime friend, community leader and mentor," she explained. "Dr. Berry was the first person who told me I could make a difference. He encouraged me to run for city commissioner." Thompson also names her parents and grandparents as major inspirations.
"I spent a lot of time with my grandparents who came of age in the Depression, and they really influenced me," Thompson said. "They had old-school Southern values that still guide me."
When her son suffered a brain injury and needed extra time for rehabilitation, Thompson and her husband bought a restaurant-the Downtown Grill in Starke - to give themselves the scheduling flexibility they needed to help their son. Their son is now fully recovered and manages another restaurant in the area.
"All the while I was in school and working in health care, I had been catering and having parties, so food was a central part of my life," Thompson remembered. "There is absolutely a link between working in health care and feeding people in a restaurant-you're helping people. In a way, customers are like patients. You get to know them, know what they like, know what you can do to make life better for them."
Running a business with dedicated employees enables Thompson to volunteer for such organizations as the Starke Downtown Merchants, Bradford County Education Foundation, Communities in Schools and more.
For the Downtown Merchants, Thompson works on special events-the Great Pumpkin Escape, Christmas on Call Street and Veterans Day. For the Bradford County Education Foundation, she helps to raise money for projects such as the New World Reading Initiative that helps boost students' reading skills. Communities in Schools provides scholarships and encouragement for at-risk youth so they may continue their educations.
One of Thompson's favorite sayings - "If you help one person you may not change the world, but for that person you have changed their world" - reflects the Southern values she inherited from her grandparents. "Even if you can spend only a few minutes a day just listening to see what people really need, that attention-and being kind and positive-can help," she said. "And you can always pray and bring food."
"Live your life to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised," she advised. "Tell people what you feel, work out problems right away. Find the things you want to do. If you follow your passion and follow your heart, things will come together so you can do what you want to help others."
Teri McClellan: Advancing Growth for People and Santa Fe College
When she retires this year after almost 30 years at Santa Fe College (SF), Teri McClellan
will have had a career that she never envisioned. She will also retire as a recipient
of SF's Women of Distinction Award, which she received in a surprise announcement
at that event's annual ceremony on March 26, 2024.
From her initial job as an accountant in what was then SF's Development (now Advancement) office, McClellan was promoted-first to Administrative Assistant, then to Executive Assistant/Office Manager, Associate Director and finally to Assistant Vice President for Advancement. Her work has included organizing special events such as the college's annual Convocation, President's Gala, and Women of Distinction Award ceremony, as well as creating new scholarships for students and leading the marketing and communications team for the last 10 years. McClellan also worked to support the groundbreakings and construction of all of SF's satellite centers that have been built since 1995.
"I love special events because they bring students, faculty and donors together in one place-they are highlights of my year," McClellan said. "I've really enjoyed the groundbreakings and openings of SF's new centers, knowing I've been a part of the efforts that advance the work of the college."
Born in West Palm Beach, McClellan was raised in Crescent City and lived in Palatka before her husband was transferred to Gainesville. In Putnam County, she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader, was a member of the Jaycees, was the accountant for the Azalea Festival for two years, was a member of the local Board of Realtors and was a Sunday School teacher.
"I followed my husband to Gainesville and that's when I started working for Santa Fe College," McClellan recalled. "I've been extremely happy here and my experience allowed me to grow personally and professionally in many areas, including being a fundraiser which is something I never imagined."
Santa Fe College Foundation President Carrie Lee explained that one of the main reasons McClellan was nominated for this year's Women of Distinction Award was because of her work in creating the scholarships that past winners of that award have helped to establish.
"Teri was involved with that effort from the beginning, about 10 years ago when we wanted to make the Women of Distinction awards even more meaningful than they had been," Lee explained. "We've now established six scholarships that go to women who might not otherwise be able to get more education and training. The Women of Distinction scholarships are changing lives because of Teri's dedication and hard work."
One of the things McClellan is most proud of is "when a scholarship student comes back to visit and I see that they have grown and met goals that we helped them to achieve. It's all about the students."
McClellan has worked with three Santa Fe College presidents-Larry Tyree, Jackson Sasser, and Paul Broadie and both of the vice presidents for the Development and Advancement departments, Harvey Sharron and Chuck Clemons. "They all challenged and encouraged me to reach beyond what I thought I could do," she said.
"People at the college are so incredibly talented, resourceful and mission driven-it's an honor to represent them," McClellan added.
Like many Women of Distinction award winners, McClellan names her mother as her greatest inspiration. "She taught me to care about other people, to do what makes me happy, and to give back to the community," she said.
Asked for her advice to other women who want to make positive contributions to their communities, McClellan did not hesitate. "Don't be afraid! Get out and do it. Start small, be enthusiastic, and do something that you love. Get involved with something that means something to you."
Woman of Promise
Honesty Huston: A Promising Future
Asked if she feels pressure to live up to her name, Honesty Huston laughed. "Honestly?
Your name is Honesty? I get that all the time, the jokes," she said. "I do feel some
pressure, but being honest is easy for me because that's the kind of person I am."
Huston recently graduated from Newberry High School after attending Santa Fe College's Dual Enrollment program that enables students to take high school and college classes at the same time. "I loved Dual Enrollment," she said, "because it gave me the freedom to enjoy college and stay involved in high school activities."
Cheerleading was one of Huston's favorite high school activities. "We did competitive cheering at Newberry High and traveled to events a few hours away in Florida," she explained. "I loved going to practice every day and it brought me confidence and happiness to be a member of the team."
Huston's other high school activities included Science Club and 4H. She raised a hog for 4H. "I learned a lot about agriculture and everything that goes into it that you don't think about," she said.
It was volunteering at a dentist's office while still in high school that pointed Huston toward a career in health care. "I did office work, answering calls and making appointments," she described. "I also shadowed the hygienist and the dentist and got really interested in dentistry."
"I really want to make people feel better in any way-even something simple like making eye contact and smile, helping people feel better and recover," Huston continued. "It feels so good to bring someone else comfort or happiness."
Huston's other volunteer work includes helping clean up from Hurricane Idalia in Cedar Key and helping with kids' days and gardening at Dudley Farm Historic State Park. She is currently volunteering at Axis Training Studio, where people recover from injuries and reclaim their health by participating in individually designed exercise programs.
Looking ahead, Huston is committed to completing her Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree at SF this year. She is enthusiastic about entering a health-related career, but still deciding what educational program to pursue after the A.A.
"It's stressful but also fun to think about what I want to do next," Huston said. "I have a world of options I can consider in the medical field. Becoming a nursing midwife would be great because pregnancy is so cool. I'm also thinking about physical therapy, dentistry and dental hygiene. I want to help people, and I know that health caretakers can be overworked and drained. Ideally, I'd like to help make a positive shift in that situation."
Asked about her greatest inspiration, Huston said, "My mom, because she has overcome many challenging things in life. I've watched her take care of me and be there for me when she's not always been there for herself. She has worked hard and I've watched her grow. She just had a baby-we're 18 years apart! He really brings light into the room."
Huston's advice to other young women of her age is to "focus on your blessings and the good things that happen. It's really easy to get caught up in negativity and pessimism, to think 'I can't do this.' Those messages come from social media and our environment, but you always have something or someone to be thankful for. Negative thoughts disappear when you aren't dwelling on them so much."