Join us on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM for an inspiring and informative panel discussion on career growth and advancement. This 90-minute session will feature accomplished professionals who have successfully navigated their career paths and achieved leadership roles in their respective industries.

Moderated by Maggie Hightower, AVP for Nemours Children’s Health Alliance, the panel will explore key topics such as career development, leadership strategies, workplace dynamics, and long-term professional success. Attendees will gain practical advice, hear real-world insights, and have the opportunity to engage with panelists during a Q&A session.

Panelists:

• Dr. Shilpa Amin-Shah – Chair of Emergency Medicine, Memorial Hospital
• Anabel Fernandez – Chief Financial Officer, Dream Finders Homes
• Lara Mattina – Chief Strategic Advisor, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Whitney Meyer – Senior Vice President & Chief Community Impact Officer, Jacksonville Jaguars

Whether you’re looking to grow within your current role or take the next step in your career, this session will provide valuable strategies to help you climb the ladder with confidence.

Speaker Bios: 

Maggie Hightower, MHA, is an Associate Vice President for Nemours Children’s Health Alliance, the division responsible for institutional advancement at Nemours Children’s Health. As AVP, Mrs. Hightower has initiated a systemwide Grateful Patient & Family Philanthropy Program, leading its strategy and marketing. She also oversees the team of philanthropy professionals, physicians and clinicians successfully guiding appreciative families in expressing their thanks for the extraordinary care their loved ones received at Nemours. While in its first year, the Grateful Patient program has already made significant contributions to the $90 million collective revenue generated by the Nemours Institutional Advancement department in 2022.

Prior to her current role, Mrs. Hightower successfully led the first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign for Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville. Her leadership in relationship-building and skillful stewardship resulted in an unprecedented $7 million investment from individuals and community partners including THE PLAYERS, Florida Blue, Daily’s Foundation and others. The connections Hightower created between these corporate philanthropists and the Nemours mission during that time planted seeds that have continued to blossom. From Vystar Credit Union’s recurring support of Nemours Children’s Day of Giving to the naming of The Daily’s Foundation Pavilion in downtown Jacksonville along with THE PLAYERS’ most recent pledge which has propelled total dollars raised for Nemours Hand in Hand campaign to $11.3 million. These funds will be used for the redesign and expansion of the Nemours Children’s Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders. 

Her 20-year career in philanthropic leadership spans four very distinct nonprofit organizations, including Nemours, Florida State College Foundation at Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation and Best Buddies International. For each organization, she has delivered transformational benefits — improved donor retention, increased revenue and gifts, and enhanced reputation and stewardship — while mentoring and guiding the next generations of philanthropic leaders. 

A graduate of Leadership Florida, Leadership Jacksonville (2010) and Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Mrs. Hightower continues to contribute as a volunteer with each of these organizations. Mrs. Hightower serves as a Board of Trustee for Jacksonville Country Day School and has been recognized as a “Woman of Influence” and was a 2008 “Top 40 Under 40” by the Jacksonville Business Journal. 

Mrs. Hightower received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Florida and received her master’s degree from the University of Central Florida. She and her husband, Parker, have been married for 17 years and have a 11-year-old daughter, Gracie.  They enjoy spending their time in North Carolina and Ponte Vedra Beach. Mrs. Hightower loves Orange Theory, reading and traveling. 

Dr. Shilpa Amin, a proud New Jersey native, discovered her passion for medicine early in life. She pursued a Bachelor of Science at Rosemont College before earning her medical degree at SUNY Downstate in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn. Her dedication to excellence led her to Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she not only completed her emergency medicine residency but also served as Chief Resident, showcasing her leadership and clinical expertise.

Dr. Amin’s career has been marked by dynamic roles in both clinical and administrative capacities. She has mentored future physicians as Director of Medical Student Education, shaped healthcare teams as Director of Physician Recruiting, and spearheaded operations as Medical Director of Park West and Normandy Park Free Standing Emergency Departments in Jacksonville, FL. Her exceptional contributions recently earned her the prestigious position of Chair of Emergency Services for HCA Memorial.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Amin is a woman of diverse interests and profound compassion. She relishes family travel adventures, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and nurturing her beehives—a nod to her belief in the importance of balance and sustainability. Passionate about giving back, she actively supports several philanthropic organizations, both locally in Jacksonville and on an international scale, reflecting her commitment to improving lives worldwide.

Anabel Fernandez currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Dream Finders Homes, a position she has held since April 2022. Prior to her appointment as CFO, Anabel held the positions of Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and Vice President of DFH LLC. 

In her capacity as CFO, Anabel oversees the company’s financial reporting, accounting, finance, tax, investor relations and treasury functions. Her responsibilities include capital allocation, forecasting, budgeting, and compliance, with ultimate review and approval authority over the financial statements. 

Anabel project-managed the Company’s IPO in late 2020 and early 2021. Post-IPO she developed and enhanced the Company’s Tax, SEC Reporting, Investor Relations, Compliance and Internal Audit functions. During her tenure, Dream Finders completed the acquisition of five private residential homebuilders and recently completed the acquisition of its Mortgage joint-venture, Jet Home Loans in July 2024.

Anabel brings a wealth of experience to her role, having previously served as VP of Finance - Legal Entity Control at Macquarie Group from April 2016 to May 2018. She also held impactful roles at Fidelity National Financial, including Corporate Accounting Manager. 

Her academic credentials include a B.B.A in Accounting, Financial Economics, and Economics from Lincoln Memorial University, and ACCA Training in Chartered Accountancy from the London School of Business and Finance.

Beyond her professional achievements, Anabel has actively participated in community service initiatives with the American Heart Association, driven by a desire to inspire her daughter through societal contributions and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Lara Zaroulis Mattina is a career prosecutor who joined the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as the Chief Strategic Advisor upon the election of Sheriff TK Waters in November 2022.  In her current role, she serves as an appointed member of the Sheriff’s command staff, advising the Sheriff and executive staff members on strategic communication to the public.  Lara effectively communicates the Sheriff’s and the agency’s priorities and initiatives in innovative ways to increase transparency, foster public trust, and build community partnerships.  She generates all outfacing communication for the Sheriff and executive staff members.  Additionally, she drafts the Sheriff’s speeches and public statements, Critical Incident Briefings, media releases, and press conferences.  Lara also closely advises the Sheriff and executive staff members on a wide variety of matters intersecting legal, prosecutorial, and public perspectives.  

Previously, Lara served as the Director of Circuit Court for the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida, and she was the first woman to serve in this position.  In this role, Lara oversaw all of felony prosecution for Duval County.  In addition to her supervisory duties, she served as both a member of the homicide rotation and the Officer Involved Critical Incident Review Panel.  She co-chaired the Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach Committee, and oversaw the implementations of the strategic plan and the Office’s mission statement that she drafted as chair of the Mission Statement & Morale Committee.  She previously served as a Special Victim’s Unit Division Chief and Circuit Court Division Chief. She was awarded “Rookie of the Year” in 2008 and was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving with the Bob Conner Memorial Award in 2010.

Lara graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College in 2001 with a major in English.  She received her law degree from Boston College Law School in 2005, where she was honored as the Susan Grant Desmarias Award recipient, an annual award given to one student for outstanding work in clinical programs.  In law school, Lara also received the first fellowship in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, a multidisciplinary program that advocates for children with disabilities.  Lara is a graduate of the Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2020. Additionally, she was a Barrister member of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court and is a current member of the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association. 

Outside of her legal career, Lara is a committed advocate for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.  The mother of a deaf child, she advocates in support of auditory oral education and early intervention services for children with hearing loss.  She currently serves as both the vice chair of the National Board of Trustees for the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech and a member of the Leadership Council for the Clarke School for Hearing and Speech Jacksonville.

Whitney Meyer is the Senior Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the Jaguars community impact initiatives, including operations of the Jaguars Foundation, Inspire Change and Social Justice Initiatives, and community activities in connection with local development projects.     

She previously worked as the inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of North Florida. In that role she advised University leadership on diversity, inclusion and racial equity pertaining to strategies and policies, learning and research, community relations and the recruitment, retention and admission of faculty, staff and students of color.

Currently, Whitney serves on community boards such as the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, UNF Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the World Affairs Council. She also is a frequent volunteer for the Friends of Boone Park South.