The 2024 Women in Business Apex Award is an annual event that recognizes and rewards women in business who have displayed excellent leadership, community involvement and career success in Southwest Florida.
This year’s award went to FGCU professor, Dr. Sandra Pavelka.
Pavelka is a professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. Some classes she teaches right now are Women in Politics and American National Government.
She started her journey with an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Florida. She then got her master’s in public administration from Florida International University and solidified her college career with a Ph.D. in public administration, specifically in justice policy, from Florida Atlantic University.
She also worked for Congress at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Her experience and time there was the source of inspiration that led her to explore deeper into the justice and public relations field.
“Working for Congress was an exciting time,” Pavelka said. “It was at a time when Democrats and Republicans worked and accomplished a lot together.”
She thought that was the perfect opportunity to do good for our country and she wanted to make a difference, which was the main reason why she got involved in politics.
She then came to FGCU where she started as an assistant professor, making her way up to professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, a department she has been involved in for 22 years. She is also the chair of the College Governance Team for the College of Arts and Sciences at the university.
Dr. Pavelka is also a well-recognized author. Her book, “Practice to Policy to Management: A Restorative Justice Framework,” has received high praise and is highly regarded by experts in the restorative justice field.
“When I was at Florida Atlantic University, I met a man named Dr. Gordon Bazemore who was the director of the balanced and restorative justice program,” Pavelka said. “He came up to me with a new concept called restorative justice, which is about repairing harm caused by a crime or a wrongful occurrence and I thought that it was an interesting concept.”
She happily remembers her experience working with Bazemore and expresses how incredibly grateful she is for his impact on her career, which inspired her to publish the book.
“Gordon became my friend, colleague and mentor,” Pavelka said. “And when he passed away I published the book about restorative justice in his honor because it changed my life and career trajectory.”
Her dedication and passion for public service earned her the prestigious Women in Business Award, a reflection of her tireless effort to inspire and improve our school and community.
“This award goes beyond just business,” Pavelka said. “It recognizes women for their career excellence, commitment to leadership and mentoring others, as well as community involvement.”
Jeannine Joy, CEO of United Way, and Deborah Mathinos, who was working with the Heights Foundation were who she was up against.
“I did not have any expectation to win because I was up against two well-regarded women in our community,” Pavelka said.
Pavelka was announced as the winner of the 2024 Women in Business Apex Award, a significant remark in her career.
“It meant everything to me,” Pavelka said. “It looks at women at the apex of their careers, and even though there’s so much more great work to do, it meant the world to me.”
Dr. Pavelka has been actively involved with the Pace Center for Girls, a nationally recognized research program for girls, for over 20 years. She also serves as the co-chair of the Girl Coordinating Council in Lee County and previously chaired the Circuit 20 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, where her main focus was on juvenile justice systems and programs in the region.
“It’s really important for me to provide that help for those who may not have had the same opportunities that I’ve had,” Pavelka said. “I want to do my part and give opportunities to those who do not have them, including an education, job and success.”
