Girl Scouts of Gateway Council held its annual Women of Distinction St. Johns event Sept. 23.
The event seeks to honor outstanding women in the community that exemplify the Girl Scout mission personally and professionally as women of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.
This year’s honorees were Melissa Nelson, president and CEO of United Way of St. Johns County and Tracie C. Snow, president of Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.
Nelson leads United Way of St. Johns County, a collaborative relationship of residents, businesses, governments and nonprofits to meet the most pressing social service issues in St. Johns and Putnam counties.
Prior to joining United Way, her nonprofit management experience included working with local Chamber of Commerce organizations in Florida and Pennsylvania and within the professional association setting with the American Institute of Architects and the Orange County Medical Society in Orlando.
She graduated from the University of Florida and from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organizational Management.
Nelson is a 20-year resident of St. Johns County and a native of Northeast Florida. She was also a Brownie and a Girl Scout in the Gateway Council.
Snow was named the 19th president for Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine in November 2020.
The school serves eligible pre-K and K-12 students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired or deafblind.
Prior to becoming president, Snow spent 26 years as a teacher at FSDB.
As a reading specialist and director of curriculum, she has led many extracurricular programs, such as coaching the girls’ soccer team, American Sign Language interpreting at events and meetings and coordinating summer camps.
Snow served 10 years on the Florida Department of Education State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students, serving as co-chair for two years.
She earned a bachelor's degree in social and rehabilitation services and elementary education at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a master's degree in education at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., followed by a second master's degree in educational leadership at the University of North Florida.
She holds several Florida state certifications, including educational leadership.
Snow participated in Girls Scouts as a Brownie and a Junior while growing up in a small town in Massachusetts.
The event was presented by Publix Super Markets Charities and was free to virtually attend on Facebook and YouTube.
While tickets were not required, there were various ways to support the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council’s work of building the next generation of female leaders in St. Johns County.
Donations could be made at any time throughout the event and there was also a virtual silent auction that people could take part in.
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council serves more than 19,000 members across North Florida and consists of 35 counties, including St. Johns.
Other counties in the Council’s service area include Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
For information on how to join, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Gateway Council go to girlscouts-gateway.org or call 1-877-764-5237.
To learn more about the Girl Scouts and its initiatives go to girlscouts.org.
