2016-17 WLP Annual Report

2017 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD
WLP honors visionary leaders and philanthropists throughout the community doing extraordinary things to make Tampa Bay a
better place for women to live and work. With our Community Leadership Award Program, we showcase individual excellence in
leadership as demonstrated by outstanding initiative, impact of work, and inspiration to others. By awarding the Community
Leadership Award as a part of the program at our annual Fall Symposium, WLP publicly affirms and celebrates the immense
contributions and achievements of women in our communities with the intent of raising public awareness and inspiring the
leadership and service potential of current and future generations of women.
DEBBIE N. SEMBLER
WLP COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Debbie N. Sembler has been an unwavering and
passionate supporter of the USF System and of USF
St. Petersburg for more than a decade. As Chair of the
USFSP Campus Board, she helped facilitate the
burgeoning growth at USFSP in recent years. During
her tenure, USFSP received the two largest gifts in its
history from Kate Tiedemann and Lynn Pippenger,
and a number of major construction projects were
completed – the Science and Technology Building; the
Debbie Nye Sembler Student Center; the HarborWalk;
and an iconic feature at the heart of the campus, the
Debbie and Brent Sembler Family Fountain.
A former marketing executive, Debbie’s career included
serving as senior account executive for Hill & Knowlton;
director of public relations for Wyndham Hotel Sea
World in Orlando; and as the first director of marketing
for Old Hyde Park Village. While raising her three
children, she shifted her focus to community work where
she has served on the boards of All Children’s Hospital,
the Florida Holocaust Museum, the Florida Governor’s
Mansion Foundation, Shorecrest Preparatory School
and Temple Beth-El.
As a member of the Holocaust Museum Advisory Board,
she initiated a collaboration between USFSP and the
museum, focusing on collecting and preserving the
testimonies of Holocaust survivors living in the area.
That effort led to the establishment of the Debbie and
Brent Sembler Florida Holocaust Museum Lecture Series
at USFSP. They also have established a philanthropic
fund through the Tampa-Orlando-Pinellas Jewish
Foundation, Inc.
Debbie is one of the USF System’s longest-tenured
trustees, devoting 12 years of service, until her recent
retirement. Her commitment to the USF System
continues, as she now serves as the USFSP Member
at Large on the WLP Executive Committee, and has
recently joined the USF Foundation Board of Directors.
She became involved with USF when then-Gov. Jeb
Bush appointed her to the board, with subsequent
appointments coming from governors Charlie Crist
and Rick Scott. In 2015, Debbie was chosen to serve
as co-chair of USFSP’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Her philanthropy there and as a member of WLP reflects
her tireless commitment to higher education and passion
for student success. Through it all, Debbie continually
has modeled WLP’s mission of engaging and developing
the intellectual and leadership potential of women that
enhances life at USF and beyond.
21 2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT