Outstanding Young Alumni Award

In 2011, Mara Shorr, ’05, founded The Leone Co., a marketing, community relations and fundraising consulting company. Today she serves as its president and also is a partner and vice president of marketing and business development for The Best Medical Business Solutions.

Mara began her career as the sponsorship coordinator with WMFE, Central Florida’s PBS and NPR affiliate. Mara was quickly promoted to event coordinator and over the next two years, she would continue to gain responsibilities with her promotion to broadcast fundraising producer, overseeing fundraising with television and radio fund drives, website fundraising, and special events.

Mara left the media outlet in December 2008 to begin working as the director of development and community relations with the Enzian and Florida Film Festival, Central Florida’s only nonprofit, independent movie theater and world-renowned and ranked film festival. She would go on to have more than half of the company report to her, including the marketing, programming and membership departments, in her two and a half years with the organization.

Since her arrival in Central Florida eight years ago, Mara has been involved in many endeavors. She served on the planning committee for the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida’s Headdress Ball, raising money and awareness for AIDS prevention. Mara has donated her time to walk in the Harbor House fashion show, raising money and awareness for battered women and children. She was awarded the “Single Greatest Night” award, by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Central Florida.

In addition, she has served as an adviser to the Center for Animal Therapies and was a member of Enzian’s Associate Producers Council. Mara has worked as a grant review panelist for United Arts of Central Florida and sits as a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day (Central Florida Chapter). Mara also has volunteered her time as a guest speaker for both the Center for Animal Therapies and Pookie’s RescueFest, located in Maitland’s Lake Lily. She also lectures for The Certified Aesthetic Consultant Program, The Medical Entrepreneur Symposium, The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, and The National Society of Cosmetic Physicians.

Her written work can be seen in Orange Appeal magazine, the Winter Park Maitland Observer, and through 
http://www.thebestmedical
businesssolutions.com/blog.