From left: Deb Krekel, Jamie Merrill, Jennifer Cook, Azela Santana.

Special thanks to Dr. Phillips House for graciously providing the venue for the photoshoot.

Deb Krekel

Market President, Orlando, CenterWell Senior Primary Care

For Deb Krekel, leadership in health care has always been about more than systems, strategy or operational success. It is about people. As market president for CenterWell Senior Primary Care in Orlando, she oversees a network of 23 centers, more than 90 providers and over 350 associates, all working toward a shared goal: helping older adults live healthier, happier lives with dignity and compassion.

“Leadership isn’t about being liked. It’s about being trusted.”

Krekel’s role blends operational leadership with a deeply human approach to care. Working closely with the market’s chief medical officer, she guides the strategic and day-to-day operations that ensure patients receive coordinated, whole-person care throughout their health journeys.

“In my role, I am focused on improving access, quality and dignity in care for older adults in our community,” Krekel said.

Throughout her career, Krekel has built a reputation for developing high-performing teams while maintaining an unwavering commitment to culture, trust and accountability. She is particularly passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, especially women, and creating pathways that allow others to grow into positions of influence.

That focus on people is rooted in her core philosophy of leadership. “I constantly remind myself that we have the responsibility to leave systems better than we found them,” she said. “How we lead matters just as much as what we achieve.”

Krekel’s community involvement reflects the same commitment. She serves on the board of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Central Florida chapter and is active in professional organizations such as the American College of Healthcare Executives, where she advocates for stronger leadership pipelines and improved support for aging populations.

Her leadership journey has also included difficult decisions that tested her values. One of the most defining moments, she said, involved choosing long-term trust over short-term approval, a decision that reinforced her belief that leadership is grounded in integrity.

“It taught me that leadership isn’t about being liked,” Krekel said. “It’s about being trusted.”

Krekel credits Orlando’s dynamic growth and diversity with shaping her approach to leadership. As the region evolves, she is focused on ensuring that seniors remain included in that progress and that health care systems continue to prioritize meaningful, personalized care.

“The seniors of our community remind me that progress only matters if it’s meaningful to the people it serves,” she said.

She is also quick to highlight the often-unseen contributions of health care workers, from front-line providers to administrative staff, whose daily efforts sustain patient care. Krekel describes her leadership style as one that “builds ladders, not spotlights,” emphasizing mentorship, shared recognition and creating space for others to succeed.

Krekel hopes her legacy will be defined by the people she has empowered along the way. She wants to be remembered not only for results, but for building trust, fostering confidence and lifting others into leadership roles. “I hope my legacy is that the people I led are stronger and more confident in themselves,” she said. “Leadership is service. Strength can be kind, and doing the right thing is always worth the cost.”

Jamie Merrill

President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida

When Jamie Merrill talks about leadership, she doesn’t begin with titles or accolades. She begins with children.

As president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Merrill leads one of the largest Boys & Girls Clubs organizations in the nation, serving more than 15,500 youth across 39 clubs in five counties. She oversees 600 employees and 150 board members, guiding strategic vision, operational excellence and long-term sustainability for an organization that sits at the heart of Central Florida’s future. Her focus is clear: expand access to high-quality youth development, strengthen teams and ensure that every child, regardless of circumstance, has a genuine chance to thrive.

“I’m motivated by the belief that when we lift children up, we don’t just change individual lives, we change trajectories for families and communities,” Merrill says. “What drives me every day is helping young people see a future bigger than their current circumstances and giving them the tools, support and confidence to step into it.”

Merrill brings more than 19 years of leadership experience across nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including 16 years as a state and national executive in the senior living industry, where she served in multiple leadership roles, including chief operating officer. A certified instructor in Emotional Intelligence and Dale Carnegie, she has built her career on developing high-performing teams and equipping leaders with the skills to communicate and collaborate with intention.

Her work has earned recognition from the Orlando Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, The Women’s Edge Top 100 Women-Led Businesses and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which named her its 2025 National CEO Rookie of the Year. She also serves on boards including the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, the Downtown Orlando Partnership and the Nemours Children’s Health Ginsburg Institute.

“Leadership is not about standing in front. It’s about building capacity around you, so success becomes collective and sustainable.”

But Merrill defines her most meaningful work in quieter terms: mentorship.

She believes the unseen labor of mentors, those who invest in others without seeking credit, is what truly transforms communities. In her role, she intentionally creates pathways for emerging leaders, elevates voices in decision-making and challenges team members to stretch beyond what they once thought possible.

One of the most defining moments of her leadership came when she made the difficult decision to redesign the organization’s fundraising structure and reimagine how regional boards operate. The change required balancing empathy for those emotionally invested in the existing model with clarity about the organization’s future. “Choosing progress over comfort was difficult, but clarity of purpose and trust in our mission guided every step,” she says. “Leadership is not about preserving what has always been but stewarding an organization toward what it must become.”

Merrill credits Orlando’s culture of growth and reinvention with shaping her own evolution as a leader. She says the community gave her room to “rise, to fall, to fail successfully and to learn without losing my sense of self.” In return, she is committed to creating environments where authenticity is celebrated and diversity is embraced as strength.

Looking ahead, she hopes future Orlando women will say that access — not just opportunity — expanded during her tenure. That mentorship became intentional. That leadership pathways became equitable. That belief in young people became a civic norm.

Her ultimate legacy? A city where a child’s zip code does not define their future. A community where literacy is strong, families are connected and every young person knows they belong. “When we invest intentionally in people, we don’t just prepare them for success,” Merrill says. “We reshape what leadership looks like for an entire generation.”

Jennifer Cook

Executive Director and Assistant Vice President, WUCF PBS & WUCF Jazz

Jennifer Cook has built a career around a simple but powerful belief: stories matter. As executive director and assistant vice president of WUCF PBS and WUCF Jazz, Cook leads one of Central Florida’s most trusted public media organizations, shaping how communities see themselves and each other.

With more than two decades of experience in media, communications and engagement, Cook has become a driving force behind initiatives that inform, educate and connect audiences across a nine-county region. Her leadership extends beyond the screen, reaching into classrooms, libraries and neighborhoods through programs designed to serve families and amplify local voices.

“I’m motivated by the belief that stories matter, especially the ones that help people feel seen, supported and empowered,” Cook says. “Public media has the unique ability to serve without agenda, and that responsibility drives me every day.”

At WUCF, Cook oversees strategy, operations, fundraising and community engagement. She has helped secure more than $20 million in grant funding and guided the launch of both national and local initiatives, including educational partnerships with Orange County Public Schools and the University of Central Florida. Under her leadership, the organization has strengthened its role as a vital resource for children, educators and families.

“Leadership isn’t about avoiding hard conversations. It’s about approaching them with transparency, empathy and integrity.”

Her work is grounded in collaboration. Cook regularly partners with nonprofits, civic leaders and educators to ensure programming reflects the needs and diversity of Central Florida. Whether through children’s content, public affairs programming or cultural storytelling, her goal remains consistent: to create meaningful connections.

Cook’s influence also extends deeply into civic life. She has played a key role in initiatives such as Be My Neighbor Day and community engagement events designed to foster learning and connection. She co-founded the Cocktails and Caregivers Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting caregivers through awareness and community building. Her involvement with the League of Women Voters of Orange County and the Daughters of the American Revolution reflects her commitment to civic responsibility and education.

Her leadership style has been shaped by moments of challenge as much as success. Stepping into executive roles during periods of change required difficult decisions, often balancing organizational needs with personal relationships. Those experiences, she says, reinforced the importance of transparency and empathy.

Cook credits Orlando’s collaborative spirit as a major influence on her journey. The region’s blend of innovation and compassion, she says, has shown her the power of working collectively for impact. In return, she is intentional about amplifying local voices and investing in future communicators.

She is equally passionate about mentorship, creating opportunities for others to grow and lead. “The unseen work of producers, educators, caregivers and community volunteers deserves far more recognition,” she says. “Creating pathways for others to grow is one of the most meaningful parts of my role.”

Looking ahead, Cook hopes her work will help strengthen public media as an inclusive space for education, dialogue and connection. She believes today’s leaders have a responsibility to build systems that are equitable and sustainable for the next generation.

“I want my legacy to be one of service,” Cook says. “Building organizations that reflect their communities, empowering others to lead and leaving systems stronger than I found them.”

For Cook, success is not measured by titles, but by impact. And in Central Florida, her impact continues to resonate across airwaves, classrooms and communities alike.

Azela Santana

Executive Director, Orange County Regional History Center | Historical Society of Central Florida

In a city defined by reinvention, Azela Santana believes the most powerful force shaping Orlando’s future is its past.

As executive director of the Orange County Regional History Center and the Historical Society of Central Florida, Santana leads one of the region’s most important cultural institutions, overseeing more than 40 employees, thousands of artifacts and a mission that spans 14,000 years of Central Florida history. The History Center, a Smithsonian affiliate and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, represents seven counties and holds more than 35,000 artifacts and archival materials that document the people, cultures and milestones that built the region.

For Santana, the work is both professional and deeply personal. “I am motivated in the belief that stories create belonging and are meant to be shared,” she says.

The daughter of Filipino immigrants and a first-generation American, Santana grew up immersed in stories of her parents’ lives in the Philippines. Those stories, she says, strengthened her sense of identity and connection. Today, that same belief in storytelling guides her leadership — whether curating exhibitions, strengthening philanthropic partnerships or ensuring that Central Florida’s diverse communities see themselves reflected in the museum’s galleries.

“When someone sees their story valued, it strengthens identity, confidence and community.”

Under her direction, the History Center continues to expand inclusive storytelling, community engagement and educational programming, while maintaining financial strength and strong governance in partnership with Orange County Government. Santana works closely with staff, volunteers and board leadership to ensure the institution remains accessible, mission-driven and responsive to a rapidly growing region.

“When someone sees their story valued, it strengthens identity, confidence and community.”

Santana’s path to leadership was shaped over nearly two decades in mission-driven organizations, including curatorial work at the Orlando Museum of Art and advancement leadership at the University of Central Florida. Throughout her career, she has focused on sustainability, collaboration and elevating the role of arts, culture and education in civic life.

Her civic engagement extends beyond her day job. She previously served as chairman of the City of Orlando Public Art Advisory Board and now serves as vice chair of the City of Orlando Nominating Board. She is also a board member of the Florida Historical Society and maintains professional affiliations with the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Curators.

Still, Santana is quick to redirect credit.

“Success requires a team whose contributions are often behind the scenes,” she says, pointing to educators, curators, interns, volunteers and frontline staff who preserve collections, welcome visitors and bring programming to life. “I believe leadership means amplifying their contributions, sharing credit and creating pathways for others to grow and lead.”

As a mother of two daughters, Santana is acutely aware that leadership is also example. She hopes future Orlando women will look back and say today’s leaders built a more inclusive cultural landscape; one where opportunity is accessible and representation is visible.

“I hope my legacy is one of connection, access and example,” she says. “If my work helps people see themselves reflected and creates opportunities for others to lead, I will consider that a meaningful legacy.”

In a city constantly rewriting its narrative, Azela Santana ensures that every chapter — especially those once overlooked — has a place in the story.

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