Women Rock The Space Coast

Award Winners Announced from Record Number of Women Who Rock Nominees               

The Hilton Rialto ballroom was at capacity as over 420 women, and some supportive men, gathered in March to celebrate the 2023 winners of the Women Who Rock Awards, in honor of Women's History Month. There were reunions, hugs, tears, and hearts swelling with inspiration.

weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Florida Tech’s Bisk College of Business sets the standard for uplifting and empowering women, so it’s always motivational to learn about the impact of the honorees. Whether they work in tech, the arts, education, finance or with a nonprofit, each winner’s story touched everyone in the banquet room and countless people along her journey. We all left with some extra pride for our Space Coast, while perhaps leaving behind a salty tissue.

Honored from a record 61 nominees — all of whom were recognized at the sold-out luncheon with presenting sponsor Bank of America — each of the winners declared her surprise and then dropped some pearls of wisdom.

“To celebrate the accomplishments of our sisters in business and recognize outstanding women doing impactful work in our community,” Kathryn Rudloff, executive director of weVENTURE WBC, declared as the afternoon’s purpose. “We celebrate their accomplishments and rejoice in the opportunity to recognize their excellence. Why?  Because empowered women empower other women.”

— Lee Nessel, EverythingBrevard Managing Editor

Here are the winners:

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Female Small Business Owner of the Year 

Presented by Kellee Feifer, Vice President and Market Leader for Bank of America

Darlyne McGee

Darlyne opened Silhouette Hair Design studio in 1973 and is celebrating 50 years in business. Over the years, she expanded to seven locations and founded an academy of cosmetology. Darlyne had trained extensively in Europe and around the U.S. and was determined to raise the bar for cosmetology and hair design here in Florida. She dedicated herself to helping train others to enter the field, and estimates that she has personally trained and mentored over 500 salon professionals and other business owners. 

She and her business have supported numerous nonprofits over the years, offering complimentary cuts to women and girls at the Women’s Center, Hacienda Girls Ranch, Serene Harbor and the Wendy Program. Her nominator notes that Darlyne is a young and vibrant 83 years old, still works six days a week in the salon and is an icon within the Florida cosmetology community. 

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Executive of the Year 

Presented by Tracy Sorzano, Senior Vice President and Wealth Strategy 

Regional Manager for PNC Bank

Janice Zilch

As vice president and integrated product team lead of Multi Doman Command and Control within the Global Surveillance division, and Melbourne Site Leader for Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, Janice Zilch oversees a portfolio of weapon systems that deliver the Department of Defense premier airborne command and control and battle management capabilities essential to our national security. These systems include the total life cycle of the U.S. E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and Airborne Mine Counter Measures Systems, and the U.S. Air Force E-8 Joint STARTS. As Melbourne Site Leader, she also provides executive leadership for the Melbourne site, which employs thousands of individuals and has grown to be one of the largest employers in Brevard County.

Zilch has not only balanced this heavy workload well, she takes the time to mentor all under her management. Among her highest accomplishments, Zilch was awarded the Program Management, and Department of Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

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Excellence in Mentorship 

Presented by Kelly Swartz, Partner with Widerman Malek Law Firm

Paulette King Morin 

The Florida Tech Alumni played basketball for the Panthers and was a two-time All-American and a three-time Hall of Fame recipient. After graduating FIT, Paulette King Morin coached women’s basketball for 10 years at Florida Atlantic University, Shaw University, Brevard Community College, and also the Jamaican National Basketball team, serving as a mentor to many, if not all of the young women she worked with. To this day, Paulette can be found on a regular basis at the Field of Dreams facility, Eau Gallie gym, Grant Street Community Center, and outdoor courts volunteering to work with children on and off the court.

In 2007, hoping to make it easier and more affordable for children to learn to play piano or keyboard, Paulette published a book named "Music Made Simple — The Baby Step Method.”  For several years, she donated keyboards and her books to kids in the oncology ward of Arnold Palmer and Florida Hospital, as well as to local organizations like Club Esteem, that serve underprivileged youth.

As if basketball and music were not interesting enough, in 2010, she decided to become a writer, poet, blogger, social media influencer and filmmaker, using the mediums to advocate on behalf of others. She has written and directed several award-winning documentary films. Her nominator mentioned that Paulette always involves the community stakeholders in her efforts, most notably a group of local elementary students who collaborated to make a short film called “Stop Bullying.”  

Throughout her career, Paulette has demonstrated outstanding commitment to mentoring young women and children, with a focus on fostering relationships, building their leadership skills and promoting positive outcomes for their lives.

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Women Trending in Tech

Presented by Carmen Robertson, 

Vice President of Talent Equity and Inclusion at L3Harris

Sarah Farris

The director of engineering at Guardian Manufacturing leads a team of 14 male engineers with directness and effectiveness. Sarah Farris earned an electrical engineering degree from the University of Mississippi and continues to serve on the college’s Engineering Board of Advisors. 

Throughout her career, she has developed systems for Lockheed Martin, Universal Studios, Blue Origin, Owens Corning, and United Launch Alliance, just to name a few — setting her apart with such a diverse and impressive customer base. This in and of itself is nomination worthy. Last Sept Sarah was promoted to Guardian's director of engineering and became a valuable member of the growing company’s leadership team.  

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Excellence in Caregiving 

Presented by Jo Powell, Vice President of Operations for Health First

Teri Jones

After a 20-year career in the U.S. Army, Teri Jones retired in 1997 and started a second career in education, working for 16 years at Eastern Florida State College as director of several departments. It was there that Teri saw a dire need to address the high demand for healthcare workers, and recognized an opportunity to do so in a way that would help more disadvantaged individuals access training and education necessary to pursue careers in healthcare.

Teri founded the Elderly Compassionate Care and Macedonia Education Technology and Career Academy programs. This veteran-focused and faith-based program provides scholarship funds to Brevard's low-income members for entry level healthcare training in home health aide (HHA), certified nursing assistant (CNA), and licensed practical nursing (LPN) career fields. Upon completion of training and certification, students receive job placement assistance through the support of CareerSource Brevard, and Teri personally continues to mentor them as they continue their careers. Thanks to her leadership, these programs have helped increase the local healthcare workforce while improving the lives of both the program graduates and the individuals they care for.

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Zonta Yellow Rose Award for Excellence in Community Service 

Presented by Zonta of Melbourne Board Member Cathy Greene

Diana Adams

Diana Adams began her career as an elementary school social studies teacher who was awarded Teacher of the Year and other accolades several times at the school, district, and state level. Since leaving the classroom full-time, she has poured herself into community service with a long list of boards, committees and volunteer efforts. She is perhaps most known for serving on and leading the board of the Space Coast Field of Dreams and serving as executive director of the Brevard Heart Foundation. 

Never one to sit idle, Diana is currently working toward her doctoral degree. Her dissertation research is focused on Family Promise of Brevard and will help them optimize efficiency in their efforts through their stabilization program addressing homelessness. And if THAT weren’t enough, Diana stepped up in the last year to serve on the West Melbourne City Council, when a seat became vacant last spring. She went on to win a full term to office in November, receiving more votes than any other candidate on the city ballot.

One nominator noted that, “Diana works tirelessly to improve the lives of those around her. Her community involvement is second to none and we all benefit from her many contributions.”  

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About weVENTURE

weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) was launched in 2007 at Florida Tech, accelerates growth for entrepreneurs by providing customized coaching, business education, mentorship and networking programs. weVENTURE WBC also strives to be the leading voice and resource for professional women across all industries, providing leadership development and purposeful networking events for women on the Space and Treasure Coasts. weVENTURE WBC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information, or to register for weVENTURE WBC courses and mentorship programs, visit https://weventure.fit.edu/ or call 321-674-7007.

About Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Tech was founded in 1958 at the dawn of the Space Race that would soon define the Atlantic coast of Florida and captivate the nation. Now the premier private technological university in the Southeast, Florida Tech is a Tier 1 Best National University in U.S. News & World Report and one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Florida Tech is ranked among the top 5% of 20,000 degree-granting institutions worldwide in the 2020-21 World University Rankings and has been named a Top College and Best Value University for 2019 by Forbes. Florida Tech offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and aviation, engineering, computing and cybersecurity, business, science and mathematics, psychology, education and communication. Learn more at floridatech.edu.