Pictured: Bart Lowther (left) of Mariash Lowther Wealth Management with Brena Slater, CEO of the Safe Children Coalition. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Each year, SRQ Media invites the community to nominate individuals with hearts of giving who have made a significant impact with local nonprofit organizations — from volunteers and board members to individual staff members and donors. Tuesday, December 5th, attendees happily joined together to recognize our annual Good Hero Philanthropic Award recipients at the SB2: Philanthropic Agenda and Good Hero Awards Luncheon at Michael’s on East in Sarasota. We are delighted to feature each of the twelve honorees in our Wednesday Philanthropic edition of SRQ Daily.

Today, we are recognizing Brena Slater, CEO of the Safe Children Coalition. Brena is known to be a tireless advocate for child welfare in our community who oversees about 300 employees, a $54 million budget and five offices serving over 1500 abused and neglected children per day. Brena did not come from the corporate world; her journey began working in the child welfare arena. She came to Florida in 1996 and began working with the Florida Department of Children and Families. Over the past decade, Brena has climbed her way up the ranks at Safe Children Coalition, eventually becoming CEO of the non-profit community-based care agency that provides a full spectrum of child welfare services in Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto Counties. She is truly compassionate, understands the child welfare system, and understands what it takes to run a successful community-based care agency. Congratulations on a well-deserved award, Brena.

Pictured: Bart Lowther (left) of Mariash Lowther Wealth Management with Brena Slater, CEO of the Safe Children Coalition. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.