COVER STORY 24 May 2024 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition Good News Celebrates Women of Distinction 2024 Shelly Pond Good News Editor In Proverbs 31, the Bible describes a virtuous woman whose value is far above rubies. It paints the image of a remarkable woman engaged in all facets of her community, active in the marketplace, involved in charity and managing the affairs of her household well. “Strength and honor are her clothing…She opens her mouth with wisdom and her tongue is the law of kindness… Many women do noble things… but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31: 25-26, 30). In conjunction with Mother’s Day, Good News presents our fourth annual feature applauding nine Women of Distinction who are leaders in our faith community. Christine Auker Nonprofit Advisor, Grant Chair and President StrikeForce 421 A nonprofit advocate and philanthropist, Christine Auker became engaged in the nonprofit community after attending Lifework Leadership South Florida in the 2013/2014 class. She and her late husband Dr. Bert DeVries also spoke as a case study on Courage, sharing their testimony “to surrender early” while facing Bert's terminal diagnosis of ALS, which made a huge impact on the class. The Lifework Leadership family became a meaningful support system to them thru their difficult journey and kindled a passion in Christine to help people grow, connect and execute for God’s Kingdom. Formerly working in the field of audiology for 25 years, Christine’s professional background includes ten years as the national sales manager/sales executive for Siemens Medical in greater New York, and three years as sales executive for Starkey Hearing Technologies in Florida. She earned a master’s in audiology from PennWest Clarion and a graduate certification in nonprofit management from Harvard University. However it was the outpouring of prayers and support they received from their peers in Lifework Leadership that made a large impact in Christine’s path. Following Bert’s passing, Christine had the opportunity to serve as Director of Lifework Leadership for the National Christian Foundation South Florida for about five years, which is where she met her current husband of five years, Scott Auker, owner of SunCap Investments. When fellow Lifework Alum and Attorney Joanne Daudt invited Christine to participate on a StrikeForce 421 committee, Christine was eager to get involved. StrikeForce 421 is a women’s giving circle in which they collectively pool their resources together to create a greater impact in giving towards faith-based ministries in South Florida. “Having been touched by so many people's generosity in my own life through that season of suffering, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved in something where I could give back and inspire generosity in others,” Christine said. StrikeForce 421, along with their community pledge partners, has given more than 1.5 million dollars to Christian charities in South Florida since their inception in 2014. In addition to her involvement with StrikeForce 421, Christine also serves on the boards of Heart2Heart Outreach of South Florida and is Chairman of the Board for Knox Theological Seminary. What is God’s calling for you? “God’s calling for me is to be a philanthropist and serve in such a way that can make a greater impact for the Kingdom. God's given me a great passion for things in the faith-based area, whether it’s the church or ministries, particularly ministries that are teaching generosity.” Do you have a favorite charity? “I am very passionate about Christian education, caring for the elderly, the church and the other one is marriage. I came out of a marriage and then God gave me another marriage I’ve been so blessed by, so I'm just very passionate about any kind of ministry that's supporting healthy marriages. It's important for our society and our community, and it's kind of the foundation of everything else.” Do you have a family Mission statement? “I'm a patron for Women Doing Well, which is a program that educates people and helps them find their passions so they can direct their generosity. The key word statement I developed at their conference is Inspiring Hope, so that is where we direct our time and energy and keep our focus.” What Bible verse has encouraged you? Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (NLT). What was your most challenging time? “Walking through my late husband's disease of ALS, watching him suffer and losing him was definitely the most challenging time in my life. At the time Stephan Tchividjian told me when you experience significant loss, the joy you can experience after that may be tenfold, and that's what I have found in my marriage with Scott. God has blessed me.” What was your most rewarding time? “My most rewarding time is having the ability to serve in ministries like StrikeForce 421, Knox Theological Seminary and Heart2Heart, and particularly that I'm in these leadership roles that are very meaningful and purposeful.” Dr. Germaine Smith Baugh President and CEO Urban League of Broward County Dr. Germaine Smith Baugh has dedicated more than two decades promoting social and economic advancement in underserved communities through the Urban League of Broward County, leading the nonprofit organization as president and CEO since 2006. She spearheaded the opening of an iconic $9 million Community Empowerment Center in the historic Sistrunk neighborhood and was instrumental in securing Greater Fort Lauderdale as the destination for the National Urban League Conference, which attracted over 13,000 attendees and generated an estimated economic impact of $10 million for the region. She and her husband Paul Baugh, assistant principal at Pioneer Middle School, have been married 28 years, and have two children. They actively participate at First Church of the Open Bible in Lauderhill, where Paul Baugh is an assistant pastor and Germaine serves as director of Christian education, working with young people and their parents, and also supports her husband’s pastoral role. “I want to be an example of the activation of God's love and service,” said Germaine, “whether it is professionally, at the Urban League at church or in community as I serve on boards.” What is God’s calling for you? “I have a gift of administration, so I think God’s calling for me is to use the various gifts to help people find their purpose and reveal what is next for them. I’m always thinking about how to connect people to the next thing. Being a connector is a call for me, being purpose driven myself and helping others find their purpose and lastly, I'm an encourager.” Do you have a favorite charity? “A lot of my time, talent and treasure goes to the Urban League of Broward County and First Church of the Open Bible. I’m also using my access or resources to help other people. I currently serve as chair of Grounded Solutions Network and as first vice chair of the Florida Community Loan Fund, and I participate in a few mastermind groups for other nonprofit CEOs. My board work is focused on issues of housing affordability, access to living wage jobs, education, access to capital for small businesses and creating economic resiliency to truly move families and communities to the next level.” Did you have a family Mission statement? “My truest desire for my children is that we have an authentic relationship with God so that at the end of it all, we will be a circle unbroken in heaven.” What Bible verse has encouraged you? “I find hope and take refuge in reading stories of women in the Bible. I think about Esther and the courage she had to have, Ruth and the authenticity of the relationships she cultivated, and Mary seeing a child she birthed be prosecuted and persecuted in such a way. And most recently, so many stories of women in the civil rights movement who just kept going like the women in the Bible.” What was your most challenging time as a mother? “That would be the birth of my daughter who was born a micro preemie at 1 lb. 7 oz. That same year I was appointed as president and CEO of the Urban League. So, I rode a great professional high and then a huge valley of almost stroking because I had preeclampsia. I look back and realize how my family came together, it strengthened my marriage and the organization thrived. It was definitely a high and low, but I realize just how many lessons were learned and then the Urban League Maternal Health program came out of that.” What was your most challenging and rewarding time as a professional or mother? “I don’t know what balance is, so the most challenging thing as a professional woman a I w b a h s t a hi a e t hi w t t c W w A C w D H S D o o 6 W “ W i h o S wt t W Ct Standing from left to right: Victoria Baugh, Paul Baugh, Allan Baugh; Seated: Germaine Smith Baugh Christine and Scott Auker
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