Florida Health Care Association Awards $300,000 in Scholarships to Support 88 Individuals with Long Term Care Career Advancement

Tallahassee, Fla. - Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) announced today that 88 individuals across Florida have been awarded $300,000 in scholarships to help advance their careers in long term care.

This year’s recipients include 40 caregivers who each received a $5,000 Bruce Taylor Scholarship to further their nursing careers; 28 long term care employees who each received a $2,500 Career Climb Scholarship; and 20 nursing home Administrators in Training (AITs) who each received a $1,500 Rising Long Term Care Leader Scholarship to support their journey toward becoming licensed Nursing Home Administrators.

Made possible through the generosity of a Scholarship Legacy Donor fundraising campaign, FHCA’s scholarship program continues to make a meaningful impact on dedicated individuals working in member centers across the state who are committed to growing their careers in long term care. 

“Our 2026 scholarship recipients represent the heart of what makes Florida the gold standard in quality long term care,” said Emmett Reed, CEO of FHCA. “FHCA’s scholarship programs are an investment in dedicated caregivers and rising leaders who are committed to advancing their careers and strengthening the future of our profession. We are proud to support their continued growth and excited to see the impact they will make in centers across Florida.”

The Bruce Taylor Scholarship Program supports frontline caregivers working to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). The following 40 individuals earned a 2026 Bruce Taylor Scholarship to advance their career in long term care nursing:

• Lemuel Atuel, River City Rehab Center
• Erica Barfield, Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Sara Baron, Palm Garden of Tampa
• Vanisha Clark, Spring Lake Rehabilitation Center
• Enide, Clerizier, Plantation Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
• Alayna Cunningham, Rockledge Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Stephanie Dieudonne, Palm Beach Nursing Center
• Julie Dorlean, Emerald Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
• Claudia Faxas, Shoreside Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Ruth Helene Fayette, Orlando Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Nalton France, Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Ramira Grace, Lake Eustis Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Rodna Honore, Broward Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
• Ava Howard, Aviata at The Bay
• Jeneva Jackson, Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center
• Nathalee Jacobs, North Lake Care Center
• Kaylah Key, Savannas Park Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Wendy Klug, Sun Harbor Healthcare
• Luis Lao, Winter Haven Health & Rehab Center
• Dominique Laster, North Lake Care Center
• Jonnine Lee, Alexander Nininger State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Shanae Lee, Palm Garden of Largo
• Heather Little, Crystal River Health & Rehabilitation Center
• Heather Lovejoy, Life Care Center of Citrus County
• Shalena McKinney, Surrey Place Health Care and Rehabilitation
• Kristin Padgett, Life Care Center of Orange Park
• Witchelle Plaisimond, Harborview Health Center Sarasota
• Jasmine Rivers, North Campus Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
• Stephanie Sanders, Life Care Center of Jacksonville
• Makenzie Schlueter, The Grove Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Denise Shaw, Apopka Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Alyssa Shelley, Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Sabacher St Aimie, Community Care Center
• Davonna Stanford, Harborview Health Center Sarasota
• Brenda Turner, Santa Rosa Center for Rehabilitation and Healing
• Sabine Volcy Julien, North Lake Care Center
• Krysta Washington, Northdale Rehabilitation Center
• Brandy Watson, Santa Rosa Center for Rehabilitation and Healing
• Tiffany Watson, Westside Oaks Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
• Alacia Wims, Westside Oaks Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

The Career Climb Scholarship supports individuals working in FHCA nursing centers and assisted living communities seeking to earn professional certifications in activities, therapy and dietary management, social work degrees, and related healthcare educational programs. The following 28 individuals have been awarded the Career Climb Scholarship for 2026:

• Jennifer Bassett, Life Care Center of Jacksonville
• Bianca Bonilla, Vivo Healthcare Normandy
• Tracy Borrell, Live Oak Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
• Sharawn Bradley, Aviata at San Jose
• Alonzia Burrell, Aviata at the Sea – Pompano Beach
• Haley Curry, Washington Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Chris Davis, Fort Walton Rehabilitation Center
• Paul Dilluciano, Peninsula Health Center by Harborview
• Chelsey Fiducia, Lakeview Terrace Rehabilitation and Health Care Center
• Torie Freeman, Riverwood Center
• Chamille Gathing, The Bristol Care Center
• Renae Hernandez, Whispering Oaks
• Jacobie Hinton, Riverwood Center
• Larry Hunt, Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Alan Irons, Sun Harbor Healthcare
• Christie Johnson, Life Care Center of Citrus County
• Jazzaline Joseph, Hawthorne Health and Rehab of Sarasota
• Marie Kettely Cherenfant, Health Central Park
• Rushell Lawrence, Hillside Health & Rehabilitation Center
• Shanovia Lewis, Palm Garden of Port St. Lucie
• Isabel Montague, Riverwood Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Wayne Rindler, Orange Park Rehab and Nursing Center
• Claudia Rivera, Creekside Health & Rehabilitation Center
• Gwendolyn Tabor-Underhill, Sabal Palms Health Care Center
• Lainey Ulrich, Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Dejah Underwood, Azure Shores Rehabilitation
• Trena Whitley, Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans’ Nursing Home
• Alexandra Zelaya, Solaris HealthCare Forest Lake

The FHCA Rising Long Term Care Leader Scholarship provides financial assistance Administrators in Training (AITs) preparing to become a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. The following 20 individuals have been awarded the Rising Long Term Care Leader Scholarship for 2026:

• Coy Carter of Sarasota
• Shivanne Chinapen of Apopka
• James Cleary of Lutz
• Sophie Crant of Orlando
• Brooke Freeman of Ocklawaha
• Lyse Garilus of Orlando
• Delicia Kabamba of Clearwater
• Destiny Lee of Bradenton
• Zaday Lopez of Tampa
• Coral Morley of Naples
• Carrie Obu of Haines City
• Kacie Paul of New Port Richey
• Brisa Perales Fort Lauderdale
• Mckenzie Percy of Ocoee
• Hector Quinonez of Eustis
• Joseph Sacco of Rotonda West
• Tiffany Sanchez of Wesley Chapel
• Elayzha Stafford of Jacksonville
• Thang Truong of New Port Richey
• Charles Turski of Brooksville

Scholarships are awarded annually through the Florida Health Care Education & Development Foundation, the Association’s charitable foundation. The program is made possible through the generous support of corporate and individual donors, along with proceeds from the FHCA Annual Golf Tournament. Since establishing its scholarship program in 2005, the Foundation has awarded $900,000 to long term care professionals pursuing education and career advancement.

The 2026 Bruce Taylor, Career Climb, and Rising Long Term Care Leader scholarship recipients will be recognized at the Quality Award & Scholarship Ceremony and Celebration on July 28, during FHCA’s 2026 Annual Conference & Trade Show at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2026

PRESS CONTACT:
Kristen Knapp, APR
850-510-4389 or kknapp@fhca.org