Governor Ron DeSantis today announced the selection of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, Lilly Pulitzer, and Audrey Schiebler to the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. Each year, the Governor selects three nominees from recommendations presented by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo
President Passidomo, of Naples, currently serves as the Florida Senate President. She is the third female to serve as the Florida Senate President. President Passidomo has served in the Florida Senate since 2016 and was the Majority Leader from 2018 to 2020. She previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016. President Passidomo is an Attorney by trade at Kelly, Passidomo & Kelly, LLP. Not only has she served on numerous statewide boards and commissions including the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, Florida Commission on the Status of Women, and the Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council, but she has also received many honors and awards such as the Legislator of the Year from numerous associations. She is the Founding Chairman of the Collier County Juvenile Justice Council and the Founding Director of the Collier County Senior Resource Center. President Passidomo earned her bachelor’s degree from Trinity University and her juris doctor from Stetson University.
Audrey Schiebler
Schiebler, formerly of Amelia Island, was a renowned child advocate. Through her efforts, she was key in the State of Florida’s Guardian ad Litem program which became legislatively enacted in 1980. It was the first program in the United States to achieve statewide status and associated funding. Schiebler went on to serve as the first Director of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program and later worked for the University of Florida’s Institute for Child Health Policy. She led the building of the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville and helped establish the Boggy Creek Camp for children with chronic illnesses. Schiebler was the recipient of numerous awards including the Medal of Honor by the Florida Bar Foundation in 1990, an Honorary Fellowship of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Rhea Chiles Award by then-Governor Lawton Chiles. She previously served as the President of the University of Florida Medical Guild and the Junior League of Gainesville and was a Founding Member of the Alachua County Council on Child Abuse. Schiebler also served as a member of the Special Committee for the Legal Needs of Children, the Governor’s Constituency for Children, the National Committee of Council for Children, and the International Board of Junior Leagues. Schiebler was a graduate of the Newport Hospital School of Nursing.
Lilly Pulitzer
Pulitzer, formerly of Palm Beach, was the Founder and former President of Lilly Pulitzer, Inc. As one of the earliest female entrepreneurs in the fashion industry, Pulitzer transformed her clothing brand into a household name. The Lilly Pulitzer brand proudly carries on her legacy in many ways, including through partnerships with local organizations such as the Junior Leagues, Boys & Girls Club, First Tee, Naples Botanical Gardens, and many more. The Lilly Pulitzer brand currently has over 60 stores, 16 of which are in Florida and employ more than a thousand employees, 90% of whom are women. In 2019, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners designated November 10th as “Lilly Pulitzer Day” to honor her impact on the Palm Beach County community and the women’s fashion industry.
