Photography by Roberto Gonzalez at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
From left: Mia Poinsette, Zeynep Portway, Valerie Boey Ramsey, Linda Ferrone
Mia Poinsette: President and CEO of the Poinsette Foundation
Poinsette is part of that population. She’s also a Sagittarius, an imaginative free spirit who thrives on adventure and excitement.
“Through this unique combination of traits, my personality has enabled me to become a forward-thinking, disruptive philanthropist who challenges nonprofit norms, invests in unique educational initiatives and uplifts youth in unconventional ways,” says Poinsette.
The Poinsette Foundation was conceived after Mia and her family moved from Maryland to Orlando in 2022 and hoped to lay down roots in their new hometown. She and her husband came from corporate and entrepreneurial backgrounds and knew little about nonprofits aside from the informal support given to children’s causes back home.
“Driven to become more active in our community, the fresh perspectives enabled us to explore and identify ways that we could help children thrive through education,” says Poinsette. “Three years later, our self-funded and award-winning nonprofit organization cultivated partnerships with over 100 community organizations, invested nearly $400,000 into underserved neighborhoods and contributed thousands of volunteer hours across Central Florida.”
It didn’t go unnoticed: In 2024, President Joe Biden honored Poinsette with the 2024 U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, for contributing more than 4,000 volunteer hours of service that positively impacted communities while inspiring those around her to take similar action.
“Investing in children is one of the most effective ways to build brighter and more equitable futures,” says Poinsette. “I strive to reduce as many societal burdens associated with education that I can by expanding access and resources in underrepresented communities.”
Zeynep Portway: Executive director, Samaritan Resource Center
In her role as executive director, Portway is dedicated to creating real solutions for homelessness and workforce development. She launched Project HomeStart to bridge housing with job training and Seeds of Hope to give clients a way to earn income. Through her work with the League of Women Voters and Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), she advocates for employment rights and policy change.
Portway also brings the community together through town halls to tackle challenges head-on—because, she says, “real change happens when we work together.” She says her personality is an asset in her career.
“I would describe myself as reserved, genuine, fearless and persistent. I think these traits help me take time to process information and find ways to take action (if needed) even if it is something new that has not been tried before. I am always ready to try something even if I am new to it, and this has helped me advance in my career and sometimes start new ventures that some might not try. Even if you fail, you learn.”
She’s always looking for new ways to create impact, break barriers and help people build sustainable futures.
“We are all charged with helping our fellow man or woman,” says Portway.
Valerie Boey Ramsey: Owner and CEO of VBR Ink
When she was a child, Boey Ramsey’s mother, Doris, was realistic in explaining that hers was the only Asian family in the neighborhood. But even though they looked different, Doris taught her family to embrace that difference, rather than allowing it to alienate them from other families.
“She taught me to be proud of being an Asian American and show others that I can fit in and be a valuable part of the community,” says Boey Ramsey. “She continues to teach me about Chinese family traditions and encourages me to help others, by mentoring journalism students/professionals and volunteering in the community.”
Throughout her journalism career, Boey Ramsey has helped raise awareness of issues, such as dangerous roads, health and crime alerts. She’s also helped families in need after a tragedy.
“During the pandemic there was an increase in assaults upon Asian Americans nationwide, so I gathered Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community leaders together via Zoom to produce ideas to help stop Asian hate,” she says. “I am so proud of our local AAPI leaders.”
Boey Ramsey has been a journalist for more than 30 years, reporting news and writing about Central Florida for 20 years. When her father’s health declined, her husband encouraged her to find a way to cover news on her own terms, and VBR Ink was born. She’s been president of the Asian American Journalists Association’s Florida Chapter since 2009.
Linda Ferrone: Chief customer and marketing officer, Orlando Utilities Commission
It’s something she’s put into action in her role at the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC)—she helped to influence and define the OUC’s Net Zero by 2050 goals, which has led to innovative solar projects, electric vehicle growth and enhanced customer water and electricity conservation programs.
“I strive to be environmentally conscious in decisions that I make and that I can influence,” says Ferrone. “To pay it forward, I love educating the next generation about what they can do to be environmentally minded.”
One of Ferrone’s favorite OUC programs is its partnership with Orange County Public Schools, Osceola Public Schools and the Orlando Science Center.
“We educate students on energy and water conservation through fun, compelling and hands-on science classes where students use real models to put water and electric conservation concepts to the test,” she says. “We also work with school art programs where students create and submit artwork for OUC’s annual conservation calendars— water and electricity—and paint rain barrels with water conservation themes that are auctioned to raise funds for art programs at the student’s respective school.”
Ferrone also makes an impact through board leadership and serves as the board chair for United Arts of Central Florida, is on the executive committees of Orlando Economic Partnership and the Smart Electric Power Alliance and is the chair of emerging trends on the Large Public Power Council.
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