Whether helping a respected institution as president of United Way Suncoast or launching cutting-edge efforts as the first executive director of the CareerEdge Funders Collaborative, Mireya Eavey helps redefine nonprofit work with her every move. Turns out, a fighting spirit motivates her in every aspect of her life.

Olga Riveron

My Cuban grandmother. She inspired me to be more in life by taking me to the sewing factory that she worked at in Miami on Saturday mornings. I learned that through hard work, you could accomplish anything. “I can’t” was not an option for her. She only had a 3rd grade education and managed to own a home and spend time teaching me the value of money by always preaching to conserve water and electricity and to give my time to others who needed an opportunity. She taught me how to pray and believe in more than just myself. She was an influencing role model in my life. She also taught me how to cook delicious Cuban food and, again, to not waste a piece of the potato when peeling the skin. She was the rock of the entire family and always took care of all us, a true individual who never took for granted her opportunity to become an American citizen.

University of South Florida

I went to school later in life. I was first a mom and then a business owner, and I went to college in my 30s. The business courses I took at USF were very interactive and let me discover what I liked to do. In my international business courses, I also had the opportunity to study in Costa Rica and look at different perspectives in marketing and the way organizations in a different country are run. That helped me step out of our norm here and go to a different environment.

Boxing

My entire life, I have been very athletic and active, but I’m not a traditional gym-goer. I like the high energy. I work out at Adam Jaco’s Boxing and Fitness. I started going 10 years ago, and that got me started in this boot camp-style workout. I love it. It helps relieve aggression and stress from the day. Sometimes when you look at bags and start punching, you are able to get rid of some frustrations you may have. And then I’m a happy person again.

Family Ties

My husband is Andy, and my daughter is Jenny Townsend, who owns the Music Compound. My family is very important to me. Number one in my life is between family and my faith. My daughter and my grandchildren are my life, and I work hard in everything I do for them. I believe that family is who you have, no matter what, through anything. So many other things come and go in life, and materialistic things go and come, but your family, they are always there, and that’s who you can count on in life.

The Grating Outdoors

I dive. I bike. I just got back from a backpacking trip through the Smokey Mountains. I haven’t done that trip in many years, but it was something I wanted to do again. I picked trails that were a little too hard, and went through raised and skinny trails. I love a challenge, and even though it was hot, rainy and hard, at the end of the day I felt so accomplished knowing I was able to do something not very easy. I like challenging things in my life and even when I am diving or biking, my challenge is to go a little faster or a little longer. I like the adrenaline rush from something with an activity, just like I’m always pushing myself to do two more push-ups. It’s not punishment—it’s enjoyable. My husband thinks I’m crazy.

On a Boat

We have a 25-foot Grady-White, and it’s an open fisherman. We like to be on the water. We go scalloping. We go diving. We fish. I just love boating, and that’s why we will never move from here.

Game of Thrones

It’s the plotting. Who is going to win what kingdom and going to take over another kingdom? Even though I feel like last season wasn’t that good—it was a little too boring and nothing was happening for the first few episodes—that’s the type of show I love. I think I know who will be on the throne at the end. It will be the dragon woman and Jon Snow—at least that’s what I think.

Dolphins Doll

I’m a huge football fan, so this time of year I watch from 1 o’clock to the nighttime, Thursday and Sunday. I watched the Super Bowl between the Washington Redskins and the undefeated season Dolphins when I was in 5th grade. When you are from Miami back in the years of the Dolphins, you can’t get the Dolphins out of your blood—and they’ve been so bad for so many years I really have tried. I was a Dolphins Doll in the 4th and 5th grade when we were in the Orange Bowl. I was probably eight years old. I’ve loved them since the days of Don Shula and Larry Csonka and Bob Griese. I live in Nokomis and our network doesn’t televise Miami Dolphin games so I have an old-fashioned on-top-of-the-roof antenna pointed to Ft. Myers so I can get every game.

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

I like reading books that have a plot and where there is a lot of action behind it. My all-time favorite book is Atlas Shrugged, with Dagny's drive and determination to make the railroad successful in a man's profession. 

FitBit

I had it backpacking and I got some medals but what I like to see is not the steps so much as how many hours I slept at night. It’s very important to me that I get a good night’s sleep. It’s also good when I am working out to look down to see my heart rate.

Integrity

I believe in saying it like it is. I know people talk about being inclusive, but I believe being straightforward and honest will get you a lot farther. I know it’s very plain and easy, but do things with integrity and it will get you further in life. I don’t like coloring things—say what they are and be honest.