Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County is pleased to announce the winners of the annual "She Knows Where She's Going" Awards, "Donna Brace Ogilvie Board of Trustees' Visionary Award" and "Girl of the Year" Award. Recipients will be honored at the 24th Annual Celebration Luncheon on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. This year's event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr, Sarasota, FL 34236.

The "She Knows Where She's Going" Award honors outstanding women for their contribution to their community and their personal and professional achievements. This year's honorees include: Flori Roberts, who along with her husband, Dr. Craig Roberts, founded Flori Roberts, Inc., specializing in products for black and dark skinned women. Today, the brand sets the industry standard for ethnic cosmetics in the US and abroad. In 1985, Roberts developed Dermablend Corrective Cosmetics, a camouflage makeup designed to conceal skin flaws and discolorations for all skin tones. Flori started yet another business in 2000 when she co-founded Smart Coverâ Cosmetics. As creative director of The Roberts Group (NJ), LLC, she presents the Smart Cover Cosmetics line on national television and on the worldwide web at http://www.smartcover.com. Roberts has been appointed to the Office Depot National Advisory Board, and serves as chair of the Advisory Council for the Center for Women's Business Research in Washington, D.C. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Sales and Marketing Executive International Academy of Achievement, and has become an activist in helping women advance to positions of leadership in business, politics, education and philanthropy.

Also being honored with the "She Knows Where She's Going" award is Pam Truitt. Ms. Truitt was a planning consultant with more than 20 years experience in the public, private and local government sectors. During the last ten years she was president and founder of Truitt Consulting, a Florida planning firm.   In 2010, Pam was selected by The Patterson Foundation to lead the Collaborative Restructuring and Student Emergency Fund Initiatives. Pam has served in numerous leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. Currently Ms. Truitt is Chair of Doctor's Hospital of Sarasota Board of Trustees. This award winner is a graduate of Leadership Sarasota and Leadership Florida and was the recipient of the City of Sarasota "2009 Business Leader of the Year" award.

Girls Inc. is also proud to announce that Shayla Brown is the Girls Inc. 2011 "Girl of the Year."Shayla has been a member of Girls Inc for over 5 years.  In her time here, she has served as an outstanding role model through her participation in a wide variety of programs.  She was an early member of WSSB Girl TV, has worked in our Mini-Chef's café and currently works in the Government Center as a Peacekeeper.  Shayla has also participated in the Girls INCredible Fashion club, basketball and much more!

This year's Board of Trustees' "Donna Brace Ogilvie Visionary Award" winner is current board member Susan Jones. Ms. Jones has dedicated countless volunteer hours to Girls Incorporated of Sarasota County since 2007. Susan currently serves on the Girls Inc. board of trustees acting as vice-president and also on the fund development committee where she is a leader in giving and securing gifts for Girls Inc. Susan co-chaired, along with Johanna Gustafsson, the 2009 Celebration Luncheon and helped to make the luncheon one of the largest and most successful fundraisers of the year in Sarasota. Thanks to our honorees efforts, JCI and the Jones Family Foundation have contributed more than $170,000 to support scholarships and programs at Girls Inc. The best interest of the girls is always in the forefront of every decision Susan makes as a board member. Ms. Jones serves as the vice president of JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. and has been recognized community-wide for her philanthropy and advocacy efforts for The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Children First, The Humane Society of Sarasota County, and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation.