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Huizenga College Alumni

Founding Members

Empower Future Leaders as a Woman Who Leads

You can help support students whose dream it is to make the world a better place by becoming a founding member of the Women's Success Series at NSU's Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The funds from your membership help us to provide scholarships to deserving students and allow us to offer additional experiential learning opportunities, such as hearing from leading experts and professional speakers. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of young people.  

Benefits of Membership

  • Name listing in any WSS collateral material as a founding member
  • Opportunity to network and build relationships with other founding members
  • Placement of business logo and/or name on the HCBE website
  • Involvement in growing and shaping the future of the program
  • First tier consideration on select sponsorship opportunities
  • Participate in seminars/panels as a speaker when available
  • Mentor students at your convenience
  • Provide opportunities for job coaching experiences at your company

Membership Cost

  • One-time $10,000 contribution
  • Payable over a period of up to 3 years
  • Contribution is tax-deductible

There is a limited amount of spots for founding members. For more information, call 954-262-5007 or email r.shea@nova.edu.

Meet Our Founding Members

The success of this program is due in no small part to the generous donations and dedicated service of our Founding Members. We are deeply grateful for their support. 

Linda Buccilli headshotLinda Buccilli is a financial advisor and Growth and Development Director at Northwestern Mutual. She has proudly represented Northwestern Mutual since 2011. As a South Florida native and mother to two young boys, she is passionate about improving the community in which she lives and works. Linda proudly serves as a Member of the Arthritis Foundation of Palm Beach County, a Corporate Board Member for the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, Corporate Member for the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Greater Fort Lauderdale, and is also involved with The Foundation for Childhood Cancer and AJC Children's Foundation.

As a member of The Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, Linda teaches financial literacy to the young men and women of our community. Linda’s mission is to help her client’s and her community attain financial security for their families and businesses. Because we cannot predict the future, Linda will help you prepare for the best and worst case scenarios and create a long-term relationship based on quality service and integrity.

Gloria Bohan headshot

President and CEO – Gloria Bohan launched Omega World Travel in 1972 as a small-town storefront travel agency. Today, Omega is the top woman-owned business in the U.S. Gloria is a very hands-on owner, focusing on strategic partnerships and long term direction of the organization. Gloria is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, where she also serves as a trustee and holds an honorary doctorate. 

Gloria's many business accolades include:

  • Named Godmother of Windstar Cruises' Star Legend
  • Enterprising Women Hall of Fame
  • Tour and Travel News' "One of the 25 Most Influential Leaders in the Travel Industry"
  • The American Society of Travel Agents Travel Agent of the Year
  • Office Depot's Businesswoman of the Year
  • Washington Business Hall of Fame Laureate

Cathy Donnelly headshotCathy Donnelly is the Director of Community Relations for Castle Group. She moved to Florida in 1996 from Ottawa, Canada to found the Castle Group with her husband, James.

In 2015 Cathy was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to sit on the Board of the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. Cathy is currently serving as Vice Chair.

Cathy pioneered the K.I.S.S. program (Keep It Simple Service Program) for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County in August 2004 in one Davie club. Today, K.I.S.S. serves a free, nutritious snack and free, hot suppers each school day in all 12 Broward County Clubs! Cathy served as Chair in 2012/2013 and is proud to hold emeritus status with the organization today.

As well as serving on the Children's Service Council Cathy is also an active member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County Legacy Society, the United Way Tocqueville Society, and the Youth and Education Committee of the Broward Workshop. She is a benefactor for the Performing Arts Center of Broward and feeds her passion for the arts by sitting on the Community Foundations Art of Community committee.

In 2010 CastleCares℠ was established as the philanthropic arm of the Castle Group. CastleCares℠ mission is to serve children and families in need throughout the state of Florida. Cathy oversees the various opportunities for staff members to volunteer and support the nonprofit community and manages the annual giving budget on behalf of the company. In 2015 she established Castle’s Day of Caring, a State wide company event that supports various charities all over the State of Florida.

Born in Liverpool, England, Cathy moved to Canada with her family at age 6 where she resided in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Ottawa, Ontario. While living in Canada she owned and operated a Travel Agency Franchise in Ottawa for 6 years. In 1992 she founded a local chapter of IODE (Independent Order Daughters of the Empire) in Ottawa which provided assistance to the underserved community in Northern Canada.

Cathy and James were high school sweethearts and have been married for 30 years. They reside in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and have three wonderful adult sons, Jordan, Chase and Brock. In her spare time Cathy enjoys art, music, hiking, skiing, travel, reading, spending time with family and friends and R & R in Mont Tremblant, Quebec!

Susie Levan headshotSusie Levan is a "Renaissance" woman. She exhibits her leadership qualities through her many diverse passions.

In 1999 Susie founded The Work-Life Balance Institute for Women (a 501c3 non-profit organization) and was Founder and Publisher of Balance Magazine, a regional publication focused on women’s personal growth and self-development. She also co-hosted a weekly radio program on 101.5LiteFM named "Be(e) You Radio". She retired from the Institute, magazine and radio show in 2009 to follow other passions.

She is Vice President of Stella Blue Investments, Inc., where she buys and remodels $1 million waterfront homes. She is President of Sold Thru Staging, as an accredited staging expert, ASP®, where she helps home sellers make their home more attractive and appealing to potential buyers. She's on the Board of the South Florida Chapter of the International Home Staging Professionals®. Her practice also includes consulting with clients for Home and Office Re-Design services "For Living" and "For Selling".

She empowers others in her practice as a Certified Corporate Coach, Success and Life Coach, and is a member of the International Coaching Federation. She held monthly In-Sight Empowerment Circle™ meetings for women where topics of meditation, personal growth, spirituality and self-development were discussed. She is also a Certified "Passion Test®" Facilitator and Reiki Master. Susie studied Psychology at Nova Southeastern University and is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, trained YPO® Moderator and teacher of Meditation.

Susie volunteers her time freely to community based non-profit organizations and is currently a Board member of the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Entrepreneurship and Business at Nova Southeastern University – Board of Governors. She is also Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the newly created Ambassadors Board at Nova Southeastern University.

Her 40-year business career includes 16 years in a publicly traded real estate corporation (I.R.E. Financial Corporation) where she was the Chief Operating Officer and EVP at the time of her retirement.

Susie is an obsessed fan of The Miami Heat, knits up a storm, loves to travel to Utah and New York and she and her husband, Alan, are blessed with their combined family of 5 adult children and 12 wonderful grandchildren.

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