Fort Lauderdale's 2023 WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS: CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE - BROWARD COUNTY To Take Place On March 9

The countdown is on to History Fort Lauderdale and Galleria Fort Lauderdale's "Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change - Broward County" presented by UKG preview reception set for 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9.

This year's honorees - Lori Wheeler, vice president of Marine Industries Association of South Florida; Barbara Sharief, former Broward County commissioner and founder and CEO of South Florida Pediatric Homecare, Inc.; Heather Geronemus, senior director, social equity, opportunity and impact at UKG; Stephanie Toothaker, Esq., chairwoman and chief strategist of Toothaker.org; Joy Satterlee, executive director of Art and Culture Center/Hollywood; and Ramola Motwani, chairwoman, Merrimac Ventures - will be celebrated, along with their groundbreaking historical counterparts, at the ticketed reception to benefit History Fort Lauderdale.

The free photography exhibition celebrating these modern women's achievements alongside their historical pioneering predecessors will be on display through March 31, Women's History Month.

"History Fort Lauderdale is thrilled to celebrate Women's History Month by recognizing this year's new wave of leaders who embody strength, courage, enthusiasm and a passion for giving back to the community," said Patricia Zeiler, executive director of History Fort Lauderdale. "From growing our marine industry to creating opportunities for economic prosperity to developing land and even inspiring a new generation of artists, these fearless women are committed to making Broward County a premiere location to live, work and play."

Past pioneering women counterparts to be highlighted in the exhibit include Angeline Weir (1924 - 2007), Broward's first woman distaff solicitor and secretary to Broward State Attorney's office as well as the first woman to be appointed Municipal Court Judge in Hallandale; Sylvia Alridge (1884 -1962), creator of the first woman-owned employment agency in Fort Lauderdale plus a cab company and fundraiser/champion of desegregating healthcare; Elsie Bellamy Blackwell (1896 - 2001), business partner/owner of Blackwell pharmacy and restaurants Rockery Tea Room and Stranahan House's Pioneer House, which was one of only three restaurants in the area in 1940; Jane Wray (1882-1969), preservationist who established Floyd L. Wray Foundation in 1969 to preserve 60 acres of land which would later become Flamingo Gardens, secretary and treasurer of Board of Flamingo Groves, and Hollywood School of Fine Arts teacher in 1926; Sadye Katz (1902-1986), co-owner of the first women's dress shop with her husband (Mack's Lady Shop), fundraiser for the first area synagogue, Temple Emanu-El (founding member), Holy Cross Hospital and War Memorial and founder of Service Men's Center (1942); and Mary Brickell (1836 - 1922), regional pioneer and land owner who helped shape Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Colee Hammock and in 1917, was instrumental in developing Las Olas Boulevard and building a bridge over the New River Sound which connected the mainland to the beach.

"Galleria Fort Lauderdale is proud to support History Fort Lauderdale's Women Trailblazers ongoing effort to spotlight the industrious women who move our great city forward," said Melissa Milroy, senior marketing manager of Galleria Fort Lauderdale. "These passionate historical and modern leaders paved the way for progress and continue to inspire us all. We invite the community to join us in celebrating their significant achievements and learn more about their personal and professional journeys through this engaging photography exhibit."

As part of the special event, Dillard's will host a pop-up shop with 10% of its sales benefiting History Fort Lauderdale.

History Fort Lauderdale's "Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change - Broward County" presented by UKG is now in its third year. Past honorees that have become part of History Fort Lauderdale's permanent exhibition space devoted to telling our stories have included Sebrina María Alfonso, music director for South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, founder and owner of Total Marine Solutions, Kathleen Cannon, president and CEO of United Way Broward County, Melanie Dickinson, president and publisher of South Florida Business Journal, Bertha Henry, county administrator for Broward County, Carolyn Michaels, executive vice president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Kareen Boutros, executive director of Broward Workshop; Lori Chevy, market president of Bank of America; Heather Havericak, CEO of Broward Health Medical Center and Salah Foundation Children's Hospital; Jennifer O'Flannery Anderson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Broward Community Foundation; Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale and Burnadette Norris-Weeks, Esq. of Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell, PLLC and founder of the Women of Color Empowerment Institute.

History Fort Lauderdale and Galleria Fort Lauderdale's "Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change - Broward County" is presented by UKG and sponsored by Memorial Healthcare System, Total Marine Solutions, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), PNC Bank, Broward Health, Pier 66 Hotel & Marina, GPR | Goodman Public Relations, City & Shore PRIME magazine, Dillard's, The Capital Grille, and Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants.

Tickets for the special March 9 recognition ceremony preview honoring the six local women of today are $50 and are available at bit.ly/HFLWomenTrailblazers2023.

For more information about "Women Trailblazers: Champions of Change - Broward County 2023," call (954) 463-4431 or visit historyfortlauderdale.org. Additional information about Galleria Fort Lauderdale is available at www.galleriamall-fl.com.

Galleria Fort Lauderdale, recognized as one of South Florida's premier shopping destinations, features a collection of popular retail and dining options. Macy's, Dillard's and H&M anchor the center which also is home to Altar'd State, Apple, Banana Republic, Free People, Michael Kors and Pandora. Visitors can choose from a fine roster of dining establishments such as Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants and P.F. Chang's. Blue Martini and Powerhouse Gym can also be found at The Galleria. Just steps away from Fort Lauderdale's world-famous beach at 2414 East Sunrise Blvd., it is minutes from the airport, port and downtown with easy access from Sunrise Boulevard, U.S. Highway 1 (Federal Highway), Interstate 95, Interstate 595, and U.S. Highway A1A (Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard). More information is available by calling (954) 564-1036 or visiting www.galleriamall-fl.com.

History Fort Lauderdale, celebrating 60 years of being the proud steward of our community's past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, brings the stories of our diverse community to life through engaging educational experiences, innovative cultural exhibits, research and preservation of artifacts. Guests to Fort Lauderdale are invited to explore the city's rich past that is housed in historic buildings on a lushly landscaped campus - the History Museum of Fort Lauderdale situated in the 1905 New River Inn, the 1907 Pioneer House Museum, the 1899 Ivy Cromartie Schoolhouse Museum and the Hoch Research Library, South Florida's foremost history center housing print resources and newspapers from 1910 - present plus 400,000 archival photos, 2,500 maps and 5,000 architectural blueprints. History Fort Lauderdale is located at 231 SW Second Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are available online at http://bit.ly/HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets. History Fort Lauderdale is a nonprofit agency supported by memberships, grants and charitable contributions.

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