Kerry Szymanski: Director, comedian and entrepreneur

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Tay area entrepreneurs: Whether you’re struggling to navigate a marketplace affected by COVID-19 or need help making a business dream profitable, the Tampa Bay Women’s Business Centre is here for you. Webinars, training, business coaching, networking opportunities, financial assistance … it’s all available, and it’s all free. And a side benefit? The director just might … Read more

Q&A With Miss Tampa: Leah Roddenberry

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Steady is the head that wears the crown: Meet Leah Roddenberry, the longest-reigning Miss Tampa, future lawyer, author and advocate. When she was crowned in March 2020, Roddenberry looked forward to the year of service that comes with the title. Then the pandemic hit. After more than a year, packed with creative Zoom outreach sessions … Read more

Tampa Bay Wave opens applications for its TechWomen accelerator program

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Tampa Bay Wave is accepting applications for its 2021 TechWomen Rising Accelerator program. The 90-day program was created to help women-owned tech startups. To apply for the program, the startup must be at least 51 percent owned by a woman, have operations in Florida and a financial runway of at least three months, according to … Read more

Rita Lowman honored with Dottie Berger MacKinnon award from Tampa Bay Chamber

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Rita Lowman, president of Pilot Bank, received the 2021 Dottie Berger MacKinnon Woman of Influence Award by the Tampa Bay Chamber. The Woman of Influence Award recognizes a woman whose leadership has made a positive impact in Hillsborough County. It pays tribute to an individual who exemplifies outstanding professional values; demonstrates the ability to go … Read more

Executive women of St. Pete: Focused, fierce and forward-bound

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Welcome to St. Petersburg, Florida: home of the badass businesswoman. She’s not the official city symbol (that honor goes to the brown pelican), but perhaps she should be. Studies continue to laud the area as a boon for female executive advancement. What makes St. Pete a place brimming with possibility for its lady leaders? According … Read more

Florida 500: Snapshots of influential Tampa Bay area women

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The Tampa area is home to some of Florida’s most impactful business leaders. A select few make the annual Florida 500 list, which highlights influential executives among different economic sectors. These individuals are identified by Florida Trend magazine through extensive research. Below, select women who earned the most recent honor share advice and direction. Joy … Read more

Jennifer Locklear: Nurturing diverse leadership and the community

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Jennifer Locklear is passionate about nurturing diverse leadership. As chief talent officer of ConnectWise, and co-founder of Fe League (alongside Keri Higgins-Bigelow), a Tampa Bay area women in leadership group to advance women in corporate roles, Locklear knows diversified leaders strengthen a company. As she explains, “you want the people you hire to reflect the … Read more

Women of Influence: Kelsie Ackman

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After graduating from Indiana University School of Law, Kelsie Ackman thought her work trajectory was set to “lawyer life.” Then she joined a firm where no female attorney seemed to succeed. One day, as she headed to court wearing a skirt suit, a colleague pulled her aside to admonish her choice of dress. The organization … Read more

Women of Influence: A Cannabis Conversation

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For TBBW’s most recent “Women of Influence” event, we pulled together women working and leading the charge on cannabis businesses in the Tampa Bay area. The event was held at The Current Hotel in Tampa. Here’s a recap of the live discussion. 

The discussion was moderated by Josephine Krehl, founder of MMJ Knowledge. (Photos below)

Panelists

• Suzanne Duret

CEO, AfGin Corp. and Strategies That Matter

• Colette Florido

President and founder, CR World

• Dawn Hackney

CEO and president,

GreenTree Natural Wellness Center

• Susan Scherer

CEO and founder, Heavenly Hash Creamery

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Woman of Influence: Torrie Jasuwan

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Philanthropy, real estate dealings and hotel development with a side of reality show stardom: When it comes to well-rounded influence, Torrie Jasuwan looks to cover every square inch. The St. Petersburg resident kicked 2020 off by lobbying for Senate Bill 54 in Tallahassee on behalf of Baby2Baby, the National Diaper Bank Network, and her own … Read more