Meet 25 of Palm Beach County's Top Changemakers

These local power philanthropists do more than just advocate for important causes— they are revolutionizing Palm Beach County and changing lives.

IRIS APFEL

The board of trustees of Ann Nor ton Sculpture Gar den s elected Palm Beach resident an d fashion icon Iris Apfel as its newest member. Apfel presented a transformative legacy gift to the Ann Nor ton Sculpture Gar den s during her 100th birthday at the home of Jeffrey and Frances Fisher , board chairwom an for the Sculpture Gardens.

SARAH WETENHALL

The owner of The Colon y Palm Beach, Sarah Weten hall is involved with a number of community initiatives, including serving as vice chair of the American Heart Association ’s 2023 Heart Ball, on the Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, on the Playground Partners committee of the Women ’s Committee of the Central Par k Conservancy, an d she also supports the Center for Family Services, Cancer Alliance of Help an d Hop e in Palm Beach an d the East Hampton Historical Society.

TIMOLIN COLE AUGUSTUS AND CASEY COLE

Daughter s of the legendary Nat King Cole, Timolin Cole Augustus an d Casey Cole launched Nat King Cole Generation Hope to build on their father ’s storied legacy. Their charity’s programs expand access to music instruction for under - served children in Palm Beach Country an d beyond, an d bestows scholar ships to college bound music majors.

AERIN LAUDER AND JANE LAUDER

Sisters Aerin and Jane Lauder were honored this past spring in Palm Beach with the 2022 Hope on the Horizon award by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

MARGARET BASTICK LUCE

An actress, model, entrepreneur and activist, Margaret Bastick Luce supports many charities including the work of Fern House, a faith-based recovery program in West Palm Beach. Besides her work in front of the lens, Bastick Luce seeks to shed light on mental health and wellness issues—causes she is passionate about.

HOLLY HOLDEN

Designer, TV host and producer of an Emmy nominated PBC series, Holly Holden is an enthusiastic ambassador for the Palm Beach Salvation Army and has been chosen as the chairman for the white-tie Paradise Ball on Dec. 10. She is a trustee of the New Britain Museum of American Art, a member of two Federated Garden Clubs and commissioner for the Farmington Historic District Commission.

ASHLEY BROWN

Along with her husband, former CEO of Patrón Tequila Ed Brown, Ashley Brown founded Selfless Love Foundation to improve the child welfare system and create opportunities for more foster children to find their forever families and thrive in adulthood.

FRANCES FISHER

A pillar in the community, Frances Fisher serves as a trustee for Palm Health Foundation and is board chairwoman for the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. She also works with the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, Palm Beach Civic Association, Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper, Palm Beach Atlantic University and The Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

PRANOO KUMAR SKOMRA

With a passion for literacy, equality and diversity, Pranoo Kumar Skomra operates a social justice-driven children’s bookstore called Rohi’s Readery at The Square in West Palm Beach. She regularly hosts special events for children and their families.

CHRISTINE SYLVAIN

A champion for children, Christine Sylvain launched Path to College Fellowship to clear the path for overlooked students from disadvantaged communities to get into the best colleges with the best scholarships.

JULIANA GENDELMAN

Whether it’s serving on the board of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County or serving as the chair of the Jewish Volunteer Center, Juliana Gendelman works tirelessly in support of the community. She also serves on the board of Palm Beach Day Academy and works with the Town of Palm Beach United Way.

STACEY LEULIETTE

Owner of The Scout Guide in multiple locations including Palm Beach and the Hamptons, Stacey Leuliette serves in leadership positions with a variety of esteemed nonprofits like Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Hanley Foundation and The Everglades Foundation.

ANDREA VIRGIN

A professional ballerina turned land development engineer, Boca Raton native Andrea Virgin co-founded and sits as chairman of the board of The Center for Arts & Innovation proposed in Boca Raton. Virgin has served in leadership roles with Boca Ballet Theatre and the Cornell University Alumni Association, and has dedicated her time and resources to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the George Snow Scholarship Fund.

WENDY AND HOWARD COX

Longtime philanthropists in the community, Wendy and Howard Cox seek to enlighten and inspire scientific learning and advancement through the Cox Science Center and Aquarium, in addition to many other charities they support.

EMILY PANTELIDES

A former TV news anchor and current owner of Pantelides PR, Emily Pantelides lends her time and talents to help causes she champions like Clinics Can Help, the American Red Cross, Jupiter Police Foundation and Quantum House.

MEG WEINBERGER

Melding her passion for children and animals, Meg Weinberger founded Rescue Life to provide therapy dog assistance to the Els Center for Excellence Autistic School. As cofounder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, she also helps raise funds for rescue animals.

KELLY FLEMING

President of Impact 100 Palm Beach County, a women’s nonprofit organization funding local initiatives in southern Palm Beach County, Kelly Fleming and her team award grants to nonprofits that serve the community in the areas of health and wellness, family, education, environment and animal welfare, arts, culture and historic preservation.

LOIS POPE AND MARTI LATOUR

Working tirelessly to help make sure no family goes hungry, Lois Pope and Marti LaTour support the efforts of the Palm Beach County Food Bank.

ELIZABETH DEBRULE

For nearly 20 years, Elizabeth DeBrule has been a passionate advocate for Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches Inc. In addition to Adopt-A-Family, she started the Back-to-School Backpack Program with the E.W. Foundation and volunteers with the Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope, the Florence DeGeorge Boys & Girls Club, Impact 100, Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches, Palm Beach Day Academy and Palm Beach Flagler Rotary Club.

KERRY BANNIGAN

As the executive director of the Fashion Impact Fund, Kerry Bannigan spearheads sustainable fashion programs like the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships. Her passion is to support female founders who are transforming fashion for people and the planet.

JESSICA CECERE

As CEO of Nonprofits First, Jessica Cecere leads the organization that has been the leading resource for strengthening the administrative and operational capacity of nonprofit organizations in the Palm Beach County community.

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