Our Founder

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Lea worked with hundreds of girls throughout Florida for three and a half years after establishing GIRLS OF THE WORLD INC. She helped her first mentee, Ikeisha Freeny, achieve three long-term goals: receiving her high school diploma, getting a job, and enrolling in Paul Mitchell Cosmetology School within three months of being released from jail. After seeing how her story changed lives in Pasco County, she wanted to spread that inspiration to the inner city she grew up in. In 2013, Lea moved back to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. She started her program in the inner city at the Glenville Recreation Center, which she attended when she was younger. Since her return to Tampa, Florida, in 2015, Lea has fiercely expanded her outreach and driven our organization to new heights. She actively serves as a local Chamber of Commerce board member to advocate for our girls and promote their development. She has also received several awards and recognitions throughout her career, such as the 2022 Young Alumni Award, the 2024 Tampa Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Queen of Hearts Community Award, Kiwanis Club of South Shore as the Distinguished Service Community Leader Award, and more for her dedication to the community and empowering the next generation of young women.