The much-anticipated Slay the USA book series has launched in Tampa and features several incredible women making a difference in the Tampa Bay community. Best-selling author Leigh M. Clark highlights the personal lives of successful women in her book, Slaying Tampa Bay, which is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Slaying Tampa Bay pays accolades to several extraordinary women who continually demonstrate their commitment to excellence. It highlights several Tampa women and their stories of success and inspiration.
Clark and her team looked for women to feature who were leaving their mark and legacies in the Tampa Bay community, and there was no shortage of incredible women here.
One woman chosen was Lithia resident Jennifer Stinson.
“I received an email from Leigh in the spring asking for an interview for a project,” said Stinson. “I took a chance and the 15-minute Zoom interview turned into over an hour and my ‘yes’ to becoming one of the authors.”
Stinson’s story involves a journey of self-discovery and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world — “leading a life of purpose, passion and impact.”
Her childhood dreams included becoming a teacher and having a family.
“My life took unexpected turns, including a shift from an initial dream of a career in education to the real estate industry,” said Stinson. “A difficult relationship that taught me about what I didn’t want in a life partner eventually led me to meet my incredible husband, an Air Force member.”
Eventually, Stinson embraced the opportunity to live in South Korea, where through three years of unbelievable travel opportunities in the region she was exposed to the harsh realities of generational poverty, exploitation and lack of access.
“This experience ignited a deep passion for advocacy and a desire to make a difference in the lives of women and families facing adversity in resource-poor and developing countries,” said Stinson.
This led Stinson to start her own business in partnership with Noonday Collection, whose business model is a vehicle for good, fair-trade fashion with a commitment to social entrepreneurship.
“Through my business, I have created jobs, funded education and empowered artisans across the globe,” said Stinson. “Poverty alleviation through dignified job creation works.”
Through her business, Stinson has created a marketplace for more than 2,500 global artisan partners (71 percent women) where she shares the powerful stories of impact behind the pieces in the fair-trade collections.
Stinson explained that supporting her business not only helps it thrive but also enables her to make a meaningful impact in our local community.
“I sponsor Dancing for a Difference, a 501(c)(3) inclusive dance and music studio in Brandon that fosters children’s social, emotional and physical skills through dance, music and friendships.”
“Being a co-author of Slaying Tampa Bay serves as a testament to my dedication to leading a life of purpose, passion and impact and commitment to inspiring others,” said Stinson. “It provides me with a platform to amplify my advocacy efforts, contributing to the positive representation of Tampa Bay’s influential women I am among in the book. I hope it inspires others, especially women, who may read about my journey and find motivation to pursue their own passions with purpose and meaning.”
The inspirational women featured in this Tampa edition come from all walks of life with various obstacles that they overcame to become successful. Featured are Mandy Schulis, Jenna Schwartz, Bria Patti, Lora Van Balen, Elizabeth Riggs, Kacee Howes, Nicole Carver, Nada Haddad, Alexandra Valencia, Parita Patel, Genesis Krick, Alyssa Young, Jessica Jones, Jennifer Stinson, Carrie Williams, Ludmila Woodruff, Caitlyn Barninger, Maram Bishawi, Anita Arredondo, Suzanne Duret and Maureen Famiano.
For more information, visit www.jenniferstinson.co.
