DILIP ABAYASEKARA, PH.D. A.A., PBJC, 1975 B.S., UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PH.D.,VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY President and CEO of Speaker Services Unlimited in Harrisburg, Pa., Dr. Dilip Abayasekara is a renowned speaker, corporate trainer and speech coach and past world president of Toastmasters International. The Sri Lanka native credits PBJC with awakening his joy in learning. "I was like a sponge, absorbing everything I could," he recalled. His success led to scholarships, advanced degrees in chemistry and a 12-year career as an industrial chemist. In 1996, he left science to follow his passion-public speaking-an interest first nurtured through PBJC oratorical contests and such professors as the late Watson B. Duncan. The focus of his speeches and training is helping people discover their own genius and find their path of fulfillment. Contact Winter 07-08
	WACHI ALCIN The way Wachi Alcin sees it, everyone has a responsibility to help those who are hurting and in trouble. That's why the PBCC international business major says he had to do something when he learned that food shortages and economic troubles in the hurricane-battered island nation of Haiti forced some individuals to eat dirt to survive. As the new president of the Black Student Union and vice-president of Kiskeya Haitian club at PBCC's Lake Worth campus, he decided last summer to start a food and clothing donation drive, Help Out Haiti (H.O.H.). With help from Ulysse Sandy, president of Kiskeya Haitian club, and support from PBCC student services staff, he organized about 15 members from both clubs to post flyers and donation boxes around the Lake Worth campus. Since the initiative started, they have generated enough items to send three shipments to Haiti, sometimes in partnership with other groups outside PBCC. "Besides the fact that it's my people, I'm doing it because it needs to be done,'' said Alcin, whose parents are from Haiti and who has relatives there. "I believe every human being on the face of the earth is obligated to do something, especially in a (natural) disaster, because it could happen to them. I really don't want to sit back and watch. I really feel that as much as I can do, I will do,'' said Alcin, who is also a spokesperson for the Phi Beta Lambda business club and a senator for the Student Government Association. Contact Winter 08-09
	GERALDINE BAILEY, RN A.S., PBCC, 1988 For 42 years, patients at Glades General Hospital have recuperated on Geraldine Bailey's watch. She began at the Belle Glade hospital in 1967 as a nursing assistant, then became a licensed practical nurse. Recognizing her skills and dedication, the registered nurses on staff urged her to continue her education and pointed her to PBCC. "It was difficult going to school full time and working, but I had a lot of help and encouragement," she recalled. Over the years, Bailey has worked in pediatrics, medical surgery and obstetrics and currently serves as night shift supervisor. Noting the critical need for RNs, she says she has no plans to retire. "It's a good living, you make a big difference and you meet a lot of fine people," she said. Contact Winter 08-09
	SEAN COLLINS Before cracking his first college textbook, Sean Collins already was laying the groundwork for his future. Instead of spending his summer after high school graduation relaxing, he spent it living in a cottage and interning at Everglades National Park. The first-year PBCC student was among 18 students nationwide who participated in the Ford Transportation Interpreter Program last summer. In the program, Ford Motor Company sponsors interns who teach park visitors about alternative modes of transportation, including trolleys, trams and ferries, and other aspects of the park. The program is the result of a partnership of the National Park Foundation, the National Park Service and Ford. Collins said he provided tram tours of the park, developed interactive park knowledge skills games and went roving with visitors. Collins, who is taking computer courses while he works to get into PBCC's Criminal Justice Academy, said he was happy to do the internship. "It was interesting. I did it primarily because I wanted to see what the job was like before I pursued a career in it. It is going to help with other career plans," said Collins, who wants to work in law enforcement. Contact Winter 08-09
	JOEL M. COMERFORD, P.A. A.A., PBJC, 1980 B.A., FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY J.D., NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Business studies at PBJC prepared Lake Worth native Joel Comerford for his first career as an engineering service planner for Florida Power & Light. Fifteen years later, his associate degree enabled him to resume his education in preparation for his second career as an attorney. "I wanted to have more control over my destiny," said Comerford, who took advantage of a reorganization at FPL to change directions. "When I decided to go back to school, my A.A. degree was the foundation for everything that followed." In addition to his Boca Raton law practice, Comerford teaches probate, real estate and introductory law classes at FAU and also offers paralegal training and estate planning seminars. In 2003, he received the Probate Law Award from the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. Contact Winter 08-09
	YVONNE BULOS ELLIS A.S., BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, PBJC, 1983 A.A., PBJC, 1985 B.A., FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Yvonne Ellis, president of Sterling Attorney Search Firm in Richmond, Va., has found her niche in the recruitment and placement of lawyers. Her clients are global law firms and corporate legal departments throughout the eastern United States. Ellis launched Sterling Careers, Inc. employment agency in West Palm Beach in 1988. She later relocated to Virginia and refined the company's focus to intellectual property, patent, real estate finance and litigation law. Ellis, who says former PBJC president Dr. Edward Eissey inspired her to pursue a business career, also helps law students prepare for job interviews. "The great education I received made me very community-driven," she said. "I enjoy matching the right person to the right job." Contact Winter 07-08
	CHRISTINA FISHER Having gone through many hardships as a child from a broken family, Christina Fisher wants to help others who are facing similar challenges. She already is on track to fulfilling that goal thanks to the support of Villages of Hope and a part-time job at the Florida Department of Children and Families, an organization that helped her when she was a foster child. Fisher got the part-time job as a clerk typist at DCF last year after Linsey Driskill, director of Villages of Hope, recommended her. Fisher, 19, has lived at Villages of Hope, an independent living residential support facility for emancipated foster youth and other homeless youth, for almost two years. Driskill learned that DCF had begun an initiative to provide 100 independent living youth jobs within its organization, and she knew Fisher would be a perfect fit because of her interest in social work. "The job is going great. I'm part time but I'm looking to move into full time,'' said Fisher, a second-year PBCC student who is pursuing an Associate in Arts degree and was recently invited to join the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. The DCF experience will be valuable for Fisher who plans to transfer to Florida Atlantic University to pursue a Bachelor's degree in social work. "I've always believed that I could help others prevent bad situations in their lives," said Fisher. "I understand what it is to have a hard childhood, and I want to give back to help others have an opportunity for a better life." Contact Winter 08-09
	SHIRLEY C. GORDON, PH.D., RN A.A., PBJC, 1973 B.S.N., UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA M.S.N, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA For straight facts on head lice, education and health officials turn to Dr. Shirley Gordon, director of Florida Atlantic University's Head Lice Treatment and Prevention Project and co-director of the Florida School Nurse Research Initiative. "While the health care community treats head lice as a nuisance, my research shows having head lice can cause significant social, emotional and financial problems impacting the whole family," she notes. Published internationally, her findings help to guide school policies. The PBJC graduate and former clinical instructor held nursing posts at Good Samaritan and St. Mary's hospitals, among others, before beginning her academic career. Her many honors include being named FAU's Distinguished Teacher of the Year in nursing in 2005. Contact Winter 08-09

	PETR KOUT Petr Kout didn’t let a little distance stop him from getting a degree. For two years, he biked 16 miles round trip from Jupiter to his classes at PBCC in Palm Beach Gardens. “It Takes me 40 minutes one way,” said Kout, a 25-year-old Czech Republic native who came to Palm Beach County in 2005 to live with his sister and pursue a college education. With no money for a car, the Honors student, who maintained a 4.0 grade point average, said he simply did what he had to do to reach his goal. He graduated last May with an associate in arts degree and was accepted to Columbia University in New York. He plans to pursue either astronomy or biophysics. Like many PBCC students, Petr is the first in his family to attend college – a first generation student! Kout has accomplished his goals in part through a scholarship he received from the PBCC Foundation. Contact Winter 07-08
	AL LAMBERTI A.S., PBJC, 1977 B.A., FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY, 1981 When Al Lamberti graduated from PBJC and began working as a Broward County Jail deputy in 1977, he had no inkling that 30 years later, he would be running the entire agency. As sheriff since 2007, Lamberti heads the nation's largest fully accredited sheriff 's office, with 6,300 employees and an operating budget of almost $700 million. He rose through the ranks as a road patrol deputy and sergeant, then lieutenant, captain and deputy director of the Organized Crime Division.  There, he supervised specialized teams for narcotics, air/marine interdiction, racketeering and white collar crime, as well as task forces on Colombian organized crimes and Jamaican gangs. Lamberti also graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and as an intelligence and law enforcement agent for the Coast Guard Reserve. Contact Fall 09
	DR. VICTOR MARTEL A.A., PBJC, 1978 B.A., UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, 1980 D.M.D., UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY OF NEW JERSEY, 1984 As a cosmetic dentist in Palm Beach, Dr. Victor Martel practices a specialty in which patients are eager and excited to avail themselves of his services. "I have been able to provide patients with smiles that not only look beautiful but inspire positive changes in their lives," he notes. In addition to his rewarding practice, Dr. Martel is active in providing advanced training opportunities for South Florida dentists. He serves on the Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic Board of Directors, is a founding member of the Florida Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is on the faculty of The Dawson Center for Advanced Dental Studies. He also lectures nationally on the topics of aesthetic dentistry and occlusion. "My colleagues and I share innovations that help us stay on the leading edge," he said. "It's important to contribute everything I can - to my profession, my patients and the community." Contact Fall 09
	RAYNER MANSO A.A., PBCC, 1988 B.S., FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE Playing second base for the PBCC Panthers and then the Moccasins of Florida Southern College, Rayner Manso developed strengths that serve him well long after leaving the intercollegiate baseball diamond. Under PBCC coach Randy Gailey, Manso learned how to face a challenge head on. "The competition on the field has helped me to deal with competition in life," said Manso, now a successful sales executive. Manso has been a marketing associate for Sysco, the largest distributor of food service products in North America, for 11 years. He manages sales and collection for 30 Southeast Florida accounts, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals and day care centers. Before joining Sysco, he was a local account representative for Coors Brewing Co. Contact Summer 2008
	STELLA MONCHICK-WEST A.S., NURSING, PBJC, 1976 B.H.S., FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Stella Monchick-West says a college social science class and her own experiences as a registered nurse inspired her 30 years ago to launch what is now one of the country's largest nonprofit hospice centers, Hospice of Palm Beach County. Hospice care for dying patients and their families was a rarity; just two centers existed in the U.S.  "As a nurse, I knew that we never paid enough attention to the families of people who were dying," she recalled. Learning in class about the first hospice center in London fueled her passion for end-of-life care. She founded the local center, served as its first executive director and worked tirelessly toward codifying state laws governing hospice. For her pioneering role, the county Medical Society recently honored Monchick- West with the Bruce Rendina Professional Hero Award. Contact Summer 2008
	LULU ORANGE There is more to Lulu Orange than meets the eye. Behind the beauty queen looks is a woman with a passion for helping others. That is why it is no surprise that she won the congeniality award - Miss Amity - at the Miss Florida USA pageant broadcast worldwide last summer. It's an award given by peers, and winners are judged on personality rather than looks - encouraging others, staying positive and poised. She has won the congeniality award in beauty pageants three other times: as Miss Panama City USA, Miss Miami Gardens USA and Miss Gold Coast USA. For Orange, however, participating in beauty pageants has been a conduit for raising money for her college education. She earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Florida State University in 2003. Now, she's moving forward with her goal of becoming a nurse and one day owning a medical clinic or facility. She is pursuing her registered nursing degree in PBCC's evening/weekend nursing program while working full-time as an operations manager at a health facility in Broward County. "It is difficult when you're working and going to school, but if you have the burning passion for it, you'll get it done." Contact Winter 08-09
	TAMI PLEASANTON A.A., PBJC, 1976 B.A., FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1979 M.S.,WALDEN UNIVERSITY, 2002 Tami Pleasanton, head of school at St. Joseph's Episcopal School in Boynton Beach, is an award-winning teacher and educational administrator who has been shaping young minds for more than 30 years.  The former elementary, middle and high school mathematics and computer teacher was named South Carolina's Teacher of the Year in 1984. Returning home to Florida, she served in several classroom and administrative posts before advancing to the highest position at St. Joseph's last year.  Pleasanton has facilitated professional workshops in brain-based learning, learning styles and innovative teaching methods and co-authored "The Study Skills Tool Kit," which offers practical advice for parents, teachers and students. The Delray Beach resident is currently pursuing her doctorate in administrative leadership from Walden University. Contact Fall 09
	DOMINIC SIMS A.S., LEGAL ASSISTING, PBCC, 1988 B.S., PALM BEACH ATLANTIC COLLEGE As chief operating officer of the International Code Council, Dominic Sims champions safe building construction to protect human health, safety and welfare. Based in Birmingham, Ala., the nonprofit organization develops national model construction codes for residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. He joined ICC in 2002, after 19 years of service for Palm Beach County, where he served as executive director of planning, zoning and building. "Attending PBCC was a wonderful experience that helped me to balance family life, work life and an academic life," Sims says. "What I took away from PBCC gave me the foundation for my career development that I carry with me even to this day." Contact Winter 07-08
	MICHAEL SPAARGAREN Michael Spaargaren does not care to be behind a microphone, but he loves being behind a microscope. He completed an internship last summer at Scripps Florida under the supervision of Dr. Peter Hodder, director of lead identification at the Scripps Translational Research Institute. He is the second student in PBCC's biotechnology programs to complete an internship at Scripps. "It was amazing,'' Spaargaren said of the internship. "I was a little nervous at first meeting all the Ph.Ds. You really find out just how smart these people are, but you also find out how down-to-earth they are." Hodder's laboratory houses a $10 million robot that can screen 660,000 compounds in one day. Spaargaren's internship project involved investigating mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and developing high throughput methods to test and develop a new beta-lactamase inhibitor. He presented his project in the fall at an open forum held in the PBCC Bioscience Technology Complex. "I'm kind of quiet," he said. "It was nervewracking, but you have to do it." Spaargaren's performance in the lab led Scripps to keep him on board in an ongoing internship position. "We're continuing with the beta lactamase inhibitor. There's no timeline," said Spaargaren, who spent about 13 years working in a grocery store produce department before returning to school to pursue his Associate in Science degree in biotechnology. He completed that degree in December and says his next step is to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. Contact Winter 08-09
	PATRICIA SPERANO A.A., PBCC, 1992 B.S., PB ATLANTIC M.A., UNIV OF PHOENIX ED.S., PH.D., NOVA SE UNIV Dr. Patricia Sperano teaches information technology and information systems courses at Everglades University in Boca Raton and Brenau University, a Georgia-based institution that also offers online degrees. Retired from IBM Corporation, she also shares her expertise by serving as a consultant in the IT industry.  Data mining and online course development are two of her current professional interests. She is a member of the Society of Applied Learning Technology (SALT) and the IEEE Computer Society. An active community volunteer, Sperano also serves as president of the Royale Women's Club, General Federation of Women's Clubs, in Boca Raton. Contact Summer 2008
	DAVID URBINATI JR. David Urbinati Jr. wants to be an engineer, and he is on a fast track to reaching his goal. In December, at just 17 years old, he earned an Associate in Arts degree from Palm Beach Community College. Now, he is planning to enroll at either Embry-Riddle University or Florida Atlantic University to pursue a bachelor's degree in engineering. "I will be able to have a bachelor's degree by the time I'm 20 years old," he said. Urbinati had been home schooled since the fifth grade. He began taking the maximum number of dual enrollment courses allowed at PBCC's Palm Beach Gardens campus and at Palm Beach Atlantic University when he was 14 years old and in the ninth grade. He attended college during the Spring and Fall terms, earning credit for his degree as well as high school graduation for such courses as Calculus, Trigonometry, Physics and American History. He maintained a 4.0 grade point average. "After I saw that I could do the work and it counted for high school as well as college, I just kept going,'' said Urbinati, who graduated from high school last May. By the time he graduated from PBCC, Urbinati had completed 76 credit hours, 50 of which he took at PBCC. Contact Winter 08-09

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