- May 8
- 4 min read
For the 18th year, Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg has recognized and celebrated five women leaders for their commitment to uplifting the surrounding community. The admiration is mutual.
Academy Prep, a tuition-free, private middle school dedicated to inspiring and empowering economically disadvantaged students, hosted its annual Five Fabulous Females luncheon on Thursday at the Tradewinds Island Grand resort. Proceeds from the event support Academy Prep’s Student Scholarship Program and teens who may not succeed in traditional classroom settings.
The school annually spotlights women in business, philanthropy, and education whose leadership, character, and accomplishments set an inspirational example for students. Board member Kimberly Jackson said Academy Prep honors those who are “authentic and give because they want to, not because they have to.”
“The women we honored this year know the true meaning of being servant leaders,” Jackson said. “Our community is better because of them.”
The 2026 Five Fabulous Female honorees are:
Lisa Brody, chief operating officer and general counsel for the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg.
Kay Bronstein, a trustee and chair of the education committee at the Dali Museum.
Jounice Nealy-Brown, an attorney and shareholder with the law firm Gunster.
Delquanda Turner Smith, senior program officer at Pinellas Community Foundation and chief operating officer for the Inclusivity LLC.
Jennifer Yeagely, CEO of the St. Pete Free Clinic.
Brody said her journey was shaped by family, mentors, and the surrounding community. She also noted the boost teens receive when someone realizes “your potential before you see it in yourself, and Academy Prep does that every single day.”
The school offers scholarships to students who qualify for reduced or free lunches. Academy Prep’s supportive environment, rigorous programming, and ongoing graduate support have led to 98% of enrollees graduating from high school on time and 85% going on to college or military service.
Brody called the sold-out event “very inspiring,” as students served as hosts and hostesses, interviewed the honorees, and eloquently introduced them to a packed crowd of approximately 375 people. “Right now, in our world, it just gives me hope,” she said.
“These are the future leaders,” Brody added. “They may not even realize it now, the world doesn’t even know their names yet, but these youngsters are the future.”
Brody, like her colleagues, preferred to discuss the school’s impact rather than what led to her recognition. She expressed appreciation for inclusion in yet another “very distinguished class.”
“I feel honored and humbled to now be a part of that group of women,” Brody said of past cohorts. “Every single one of them is giving back and serving and working within our community.”
Nealy-Brown called the recognition “absolutely unexpected and a little bit overwhelming.” She also appreciated the opportunity to show students that “once people pour into you, then you pour into other people.”
Nealy-Brown said it takes community support for someone to become a leader, who should then return the favor. She believes that Academy Prep provides the fertilizer youth need to blossom.
She noted that students everywhere “come to school with their circumstances on their backs.” Teens at Academy Prep receive a “concentrated, focused energy to adjust their mindset for success” and realize that “no matter what you’ve gone through, you are expected to be a productive, respectful, attentive citizen,” Nealy-Brown said.
“They will carry those lessons with them for the rest of their lives and, hopefully, inspire other young people.”
Yeagley found the recognition “incredibly meaningful,” as it came from an organization with an “amazing impact.” She said that standing alongside other honorees, all “powerful community leaders,” was humbling.
Before the luncheon, Academy Prep pairs honorees with students, who then have an immersive experience at the school. Yeagley believes those meaningful connections provide students and honorees with a fresh, mutually beneficial perspective.
Smith said events like the luncheon remind stakeholders that leadership is more than just titles or accomplishments. She emphasized the importance of “impact, compassion, and lifting others as we climb.”
Those efforts are “not always found in grand gestures,” Smith added. She said leadership means consistency and “showing up for people, even when no one is watching.”
“It is found in choosing to care, listening, and showing empathy, again and again,” Smith concluded.
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