Emerald Award honorees Patty Jeffrey, Malena Mendez, Angelica Santibanez and Jessica Rodriguez
Jeffrey is the Executive Vice President of International Operations for MedPro Healthcare Staffing
October 6, 2026 – Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida (GSSEF) honored four distinguished women during the 2026 Emerald Awards Broward County ceremony, including Patty Jeffrey, RN, Executive Vice President of International Operations for MedPro Healthcare Staffing. Held at the Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, the luncheon raised nearly $145,000 to help bring the full Girl Scout experience directly back to the community to meet girls where they are.
Jeffrey exemplifies transformative leadership through more than three decades of innovation, ethical leadership and service in the global healthcare industry. In her current role, she has helped shape the future of healthcare workforce solutions while strengthening access to quality patient care worldwide. Beginning her career as a bedside nurse, Jeffrey built her leadership foundation on compassion, clinical excellence and firsthand patient care experience. She later became a recognized pioneer in international healthcare recruitment, helping address critical workforce shortages through ethical, sustainable recruitment practices that prioritize both healthcare systems and clinicians. Under her leadership, MedPro has expanded global partnerships, connecting skilled healthcare professionals with opportunities that improve lives and strengthen communities. Jeffrey’s influence extends beyond her organization. As a founding member and current president of the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment, she has advanced ethical standards and responsible workforce solutions across the healthcare industry. Her leadership reflects courage, vision and a commitment to creating meaningful, lasting change. What sets Jeffrey apart is her dedication to empowering others, particularly women entering leadership roles. She leads with authenticity, humility and resilience, fostering a culture where individuals are encouraged to grow, take risks and lead with confidence. Through mentorship and advocacy, she inspires the next generation to pursue ambitious goals with integrity and compassion. Jeffrey serves as a powerful role model for today’s girls, demonstrating that leadership is rooted in service, innovation and lifting others up. Her journey from bedside nurse to global healthcare executive shows young women that determination, purpose and courage can create extraordinary impact locally and around the world.
The three other 2026 Emerald Awards Broward County recipients are Malena Mendez, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County; Jessica Rodriguez, Co-founder and CEO of Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors; and Angelica “Angie” Santibáñez, Head of Community Engagement, Florida and Latin America for Amazon.
Emerald Awards celebrate extraordinary women who serve as role models for today’s girls. These women are leaders in their fields who inspire others through their words and actions. For generations, Girl Scouts has stood for empowerment, leadership and positive change. These four women embody those values through their courage, character, generosity and commitment to making a difference. They are leaders, mentors, advocates and community builders who are helping create a brighter future and showing girls what it means to dream big, lead with purpose and use their talents to make an impact.
“My Girl Scout journey began as a Brownie when I was in kindergarten in upstate New York. For the last 30 years, I have been honored to lead an incredible team and work alongside a dedicated board of directors who are deeply committed to our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “It’s my privilege to celebrate these four remarkable women who are joining an extraordinary legacy of women who’ve been recognized with Emerald Awards. The meaningful impact Patty, Malena, Jessica and Angie continue to make in our community is truly inspirational. Our girls are fortunate to have such positive role models to look up to.”
Funds raised during the luncheon help bring the full Girl Scout experience directly back to the community to meet girls where they are. The program currently funds 835 girls in 55 troops that meet weekly in under-resourced communities, providing access to extracurricular programming and a sisterhood.
Rita Case, president, CEO and owner of Rick Case Automotive Group, served as the event’s honorary chair. A proud former Girl Scout, Case was honored during the 2025 Emerald Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy. She announced that she will build upon existing automotive badges that Girl Scouts can earn by introducing a new, hands-on Career Spark experience for middle and high school girls to learn about career opportunities in the automotive industry, everything from vehicle safety and maintenance to engineering and design.
WPLG Local 10 reporter Linnie Supall, also a former Girl Scout, served as Mistress of Ceremonies. The event committee included Ashley Boxer, Malka Cabral, Kim Kisslan, Ellice Martinez, Robin Mason, Jennifer Montalto, Roseline Philippe and Stephanie Richards. GSSEF would also like to thank Girl Scouts Rebecca Alvarez from Troop 10393, Eileen Blumberg from Troop 12512, Myalin Santana from Troop 10276 and Madison Serro from Troop 12533 for their involvement.
The 2026 Emerald Awards Broward County is the first GSSEF event to surpass $100,000 in sponsorships. This milestone will enable more girls to discover their strengths, build confidence and dream big as a member of the Girl Scouts, thanks to the generous support of Emerald Legacy Sponsor Rick Case Automotive Group; Diamond Sponsor UKG; Ruby Sponsor Publix Super Markets Charities; Award Sponsors Amazon, FPL, HCA Florida Healthcare and Right Management ManpowerGroup; Sapphire Sponsor Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital; Décor Sponsor Baptist Health; Opal Sponsors Broward Health and First Horizon Bank; Pearl Sponsors Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County, Florida Blue, La Croix and PNC Bank; Friends of Girl Scouts Ann’s Florist and Coffee Bar, Fiserv, Kim Kisslan, Andrea Levenson and Linda Strutt, Consulting, Inc.; and Table Sponsors Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors and MedPro Healthcare Staffing.
GSSEF also hosts Emerald Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Emerald Awards Martin County is currently accepting nominations until October 9. The award luncheon will take place on Monday, February 22, 2027 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sailfish Point Country Club in Stuart. Tickets are $175 and sponsorships opportunities are available. For more information, contact Events Manager Mandy Winkle at mwinkle@gssef.org. The 2027 Emerald Awards Palm Beach County luncheon will take place on Friday, April 30, 2027 at Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. The nomination window is not yet open. To learn more, visit gssef.org.
Please contact Elle Harrigan, MNM, CFRE, Chief Advancement Officer, at 561-815-1792 or eharrigan@gssef.org for more information on how to support GSSEF.
About Girl Scouts
We are the preeminent leadership development organization for girls who believe that every girl can be a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, and leader with the power to change the world. More than any other organization in our community, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida empowers girls ages 5 to 17 with vision and voice—girls who command their future, engage their communities, and inspire others. We offer every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves more than 6,900 girls in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties. To explore opportunities to volunteer or partner with Girl Scouts, call 561-427-0177 or visit www.gssef.org.
