Movers & Shakers: September 2023

Deana Pizzo
Cornerstone Class 39
Gulfstream Region
Lifetime Member

Deana Pizzo was appointed to the Career Source Palm Beach County Board. She is the CEO of I.T. Solutions of South Florida.

Giovanni Castro
College Class 15 & Connect Class 12
Southeast Region

Giovanni Castro was one of the recipients of this year’s ⁦‪5 Under 35 alumni awards from Florida International University. Giovanni is the public policy manager for Uber Technologies (U.S. South region). 

Geri Waksler
Cornerstone Class 33
Calusa Region

Geri Waksler received the Suzanne Graham Legacy Award from the Charlotte DeSoto Building Industry Association Professional Women in Building Council. The award recognizes an outstanding woman in construction who has dedicated her time, talents, and treasures to shattering the glass ceilings that may exist in the building industry.

Joni James
Cornerstone Class 35
West Central Region

Joni James has been named vice president for system communications at BayCare, West Central Florida's largest not-for-profit healthcare system.

Paola Parra Harris
Cornerstone Class 39
Northeast Region

Paola Parra Harris was named board chair of the Sulzbacher Center. Sulzbacher is an award-winning agency that provides a continuum of care approach, addressing all aspects of homelessness, including housing, income, and health care. Paola presently serves as president/founder of Parra Harris Law.

Will Armstead
Cornerstone Class 39
Gulfstream Region
Lifetime Member

Will Armstead was named CEO of the Year by the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs last month. Will currently serves as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County.

Marty Lanahan
Cornerstone Class 26
West Central Region

Marty Lanahan began a new role at First Horizon Bank as executive vice president and south regional president, managing the entire state of Florida. Her 37 years of experience in the banking industry includes various roles that led her to do business across the state.

Ralph Rosado
Cornerstone Class 39
Southeast Region

Ralph Rosado was selected as the next president of the Miami-Dade City & County Management Association. In this role, he will role represent the managers of the 28 cities in Miami-Dade with council-manager forms of government.

Kim Jowell
Education Class 7
West Central Region

Kim Jowell began a new position as CEO of the Pinellas Education Foundation. She previously served as CEO of the Hillsborough Education Foundation. Read more.

Caitlyn Sanderson
Connect Class 12
Lifetime Member

Caitlyn Sanderson started a new position as the head of philanthropy at the University of Oxford's Voltaire Foundation.

Connie Smith
Cornerstone Class 33
Northeast Region

Connie Smith was recognized by the Interfaith Center of Northeast Florida as the recipient of the organization's Mutual Curiosity Award. The award recognizes and celebrates an exemplary effort to build mutual curiosity in northeast Florida around matters of interfaith concerns.

Kate Cotner
Connect Class 12
Gulfstream Region


Kate Cotner began a new role as director of community engagement at Florida Power & Light Company. She previously served as principal attorney.