Girl Scouts Host 2025 Emerald Awards

Christine DelVecchio

​Palm Beach, Florida (March 12, 2024) – Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will recognize women who demonstrate leadership, who positively impact the community and who are dedicated to empowering future generations during the 2025 Emerald Awards - Palm Beach on Friday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach.
 
“We are honored to celebrate five remarkable women in Palm Beach County who have demonstrated excellence in their respective fields while making significant contributions to the community,” Lisa Johnson, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.
 
The distinguished honorees who will receive the 2025 Emerald Award - Palm Beach are:

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Christine DelVecchio, Senior Vice President and Private Client Manager, Bank of America Private Bank: As senior vice president and private client manager at Bank of America Private Bank in Palm Beach, Christine DelVecchio provides strategic wealth management solutions to ultra-high-net-worth clients, including business owners, retired executives and families with inherited wealth. DelVecchio began her career at Bank of America in 1993 as a teller and worked her way up to join the private bank in 2006. Beyond her professional success, DelVecchio is also a dedicated philanthropist, serving as president and co-chair of Impact the Palm Beaches, where she leads a group of 500 women in awarding $100,000 in grants to local nonprofits. A passionate advocate for literacy, she also founded a book club to foster a love of reading among women. Her leadership, passion and humility make her a role model, not only in her career, but also in her dedication to the community.
 
Sophia Eccleston, MBA, ODCP, Director Origination for NextEra Energy: Sophia Eccleston is a leader in the energy sector, helping companies achieve decarbonization goals through tailored renewable energy solutions. A U.S. Army veteran, she brings a wealth of leadership and operational experience that includes managing assets and supporting peacekeeping missions. Eccleston has received numerous accolades for her contributions, including the 2023 Women in Leadership Award, the 2023 Minority Community Leader Award and the 2017 City of West Palm Beach Hometown Hero Award. She actively serves on several boards, including CareerSource Florida and Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital, advocating for economic empowerment and women’s leadership. Previously, she served as president of the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County and chair of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
 
Marti LaTour, Director of Marketing for The A.I.D. Group: With a diverse background in financial services and corporate leadership, Marti LaTour is director of marketing for wealth management firm, The A.I.D. Group, and a limited partner of BELLE Capital, LP, a women’s angel fund that invests in women owned or run start-up companies. Previously, she was vice president wealth advisor at BMO Private Bank and Bernstein Global Wealth Management. LaTour has also held a leadership role at PepsiAmericas, where she managed a 640-person sales team and was a founding member of the Diversity Advisory Council. A passionate advocate for food security, LaTour has been a board member of the Palm Beach County Food Bank since 2012, where she is currently the board chair. She led the Food Bank’s expansion to a 50,000-square-foot facility that increased food distribution from five million to 16 million pounds annually. Active in her community, LaTour serves on several boards, including the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, Florida Atlantic University’s Tech Runway and Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts. She has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Women in Leadership Award and Hunger Hero of Palm Beach County. LaTour is an alumna of Leadership Florida’s Cornerstone Class 38 and is known for her dedication to community service, leadership and empowering women in business.
 
Wendy Sartory Link Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections: As Supervisor of Elections for Palm Beach County, Wendy Sartory Link has led efforts to enhance election transparency, efficiency and voter engagement since assuming office in 2019. With more than three decades of experience in elections and law, she has worked to increase voter registration and strengthen election integrity. She is a Certified Elections/Registration Administrator and Florida Certified Election Professional. Link’s dedication to public service and community development is evident in her extensive involvement and leadership. Active in the community, Link serves on multiple boards and committees, including the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, Place of Hope Advisory Council, the Business Advisory Council for the School District of Palm Beach County and the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, where she serves as board chair. She is a member of Leadership Florida, Leadership Palm Beach County and the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches.
 
Nancy Brinker, Founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Promise Fund of Florida: Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy is Nancy G. Brinker, a pioneering leader in the global fight against breast cancer. Inspired by a promise to her sister, Susan G. Komen, Brinker founded Susan G. Komen®, a groundbreaking organization dedicated to ending the shame and suffering caused by breast cancer. Brinker’s vision and determination have transformed Komen into the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, driving progress in research, education, screening and treatment with an investment of $3.2 billion. Her innovative approach to raising awareness has revolutionized the way breast cancer is confronted. Brinker introduced the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® series, the world's largest fundraising event for breast cancer, and pioneered cause-related marketing initiatives that engage millions in the fight against the disease. Her advocacy has led to legislative changes and increased government funding for breast cancer research, resulting in significant advances in treatment and care. In addition to her philanthropic endeavors, Brinker spearheaded the creation of the Promise Fund of Florida, addressing healthcare disparities in South Florida and serving as a model for healthcare innovation nationally.
  
Delivering the keynote address for this year’s Palm Beach Emerald Awards is Mary Kissel, a distinguished geopolitical expert, executive and former journalist with a dynamic career spanning three continents. Kissel is Executive Vice President and Senior Policy Advisor at Stephens Inc., one of the nation’s largest family-owned financial services firms and serves as vice chairman of NYSE-listed logistics company RXO, Inc. and as an independent director of QXO, Inc. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a director of the American Australian Council, she is a frequent contributor to major television, radio and podcasts worldwide. Her work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, the Spectator and The Far Eastern Economic Review. From 2018 to 2021, Kissel was Senior Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, providing strategic counsel on major foreign policy initiatives, managing special projects for the Secretary and accompanying him to more than 60 countries and various multilateral fora.
 
“Christine, Sophia, Marti, Wendy, Nancy and Mary are all extraordinary role models,” said Johnson. “Their leadership and dedication is inspiring and aligns with our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.”
 
Sponsors of the 2025 Emerald Awards - Publix Supermarkets Charities, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Amazon, Florida Power & Light, HCA Florida Healthcare, Lois Pope, Duffy's, FISERV, LaCroix, Illustrated Properties, PNC Bank, Comcast, Virginia and Perry Spencer, Israel, Israel and Associates, TD Bank, Palm Beach State College, UBS Financial Services, Inc. and Valley National Bank
 
Emerald Award sponsorships start at $750 and individual tickets are $200. To purchase tickets and sponsorships, please visit https://bit.ly/3Fc3WuX.