SRQ MEDIA is pleased to announce Sebrena Pawley of Eckerd Connects Workforce Development as the keynote speaker for the SMARTGirl 2020 Mentorship Summit and Luncheon. SMARTGirl 2020 will also feature an engaging presentation by Interactive Presenter AJ Lee from Game On Nation and Ambassador Speaker Shaneeka Foster from The Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota County. Powered by the SRQ Women in Business Initiative, SMARTGirl is a collaborative effort to set local girls up for success through human interaction and local connectivity. This year’s luncheon summit will take place at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota on Friday, March 13, 2020 from 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
Sebrena Pawley entered the foster care system directly from the hospital where she was born. Growing up, she alternated between foster care and homelessness. As an adult, Sebrena is a champion and tireless advocate for teens and young adults as the Area Manager for Young Workforce Development at Eckerd Connects in New York City, and is the founder of the scholarship program “I Was 16 Yesterday”.
A former NCAA Division I gymnast, Adrienne “AJ” Lee earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University, specializing in research related to student-athlete engagement. She has spent the past four years utilizing her expertise in strategic planning, marketing, student development (Higher Education) and adult learning to lead Game On’s internal operations while also facilitating organizational leadership, well-being, workplace rights, and culture development training programs. Some of AJ’s recent clients include Verizon Media Group, FCCI Insurance Group, and Alabama Softball. AJ resides in Bradenton, FL with her husband.
Shaneeka Lee Foster was born in Hollywood, FL and was five years old when she was first introduced to the Boys & Girls Club in Davie, Florida. After her family relocated to Sarasota, Shaneeka became involved with the Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club and was honored with the Youth of the Year award during her senior year of high school. This accolade enabled Shaneeka to pursue her dreams of becoming a first generation college student. With the dedication of both staff and board members Shaneeka received the empowerment she needed to transition from high school to college. In 2009, Shaneeka graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. Believing that too whom much is given, much is required, Shaneeka returned back to Sarasota to work at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club. During her one year tenure, she developed a program entitled pre-professionals in action to enable high school students to create a plan of action to reach the desired goal of getting into college. In 2010, Shaneeka relocated to Philadelphia Pennsylvania to attend Drexel University and begin her professional career with QTC Management INC., a Leidos Company. In 2013, Shaneeka graduated from Drexel University with a Master’s in Public Policy. Her roles at QTC include Medical Care Specialist, Medical Quality Assurance Specialist and Human Resource Training Specialist. A lifelong learner, Shaneeka is currently working towards the completion of her Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in project management in August 2020 and opening a Sugaring NYC Franchise in Tampa, FL this summer.
We’re thrilled to have Sebrena Pawley, AJ Lee, and Shaneeka Foster offer their wisdom and encouragement to our SMARTGirl 2020 Mentorship Summit and Luncheon audience. SMARTGirl is an innovative program designed to engage elementary and middle school girls in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades in imagining their future careers and creating the tools they will need to succeed through mentorship, soft skills training and hands-on workshops with some of the community’s top women leaders.
