News

I’ve proudly called Gainesville home for several seasons of my life, but community has always been my through-line. As a military kid who moved often, I learned early how powerful it is when people intentionally build connection and that’s shaped both my life and career.

Before joining Santa Fe College as Director of Development, I spent nearly 14 years with the University of Florida as both a frontline fundraiser and in alumni engagement, building volunteer networks and philanthropic programs that connected people back to purpose.

Today, my work at Santa Fe is grounded in expanding opportunity. Our students are future nurses, first responders, entrepreneurs, and skilled trades professionals and many are supported through transformative programs like ACB Excel, Freedom to Learn, and Displaced Homemakers. These initiatives remove barriers and create real pathways to stability and success.

My focus has been strengthening alumni engagement and inviting the community to invest in students in meaningful ways.

What I love about GAWN is women championing one another. Collaboration over competition changes everything.

My best advice? Build trust first. The rest follows.

Outside of work, I love being outdoors, especially on the water, paddleboarding or floating. I also volunteer with Oh Hey, Dog! a dog behavior nonprofit as VP/COO.  I run a book club, love trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with friends and my Labrador, Harper.

Carré Saunders

Director of Development
Office of Advancement
352.395.5201 (o) | 954.254.6898 (c)

Santa Fe College
3000 NW 83rd Street, F-204
Gainesville, FL 32606

Hello, I am Mychelle Angstadt! Last fall I started a new career in Gainesville at Thrivent Financial – North Central Florida Group as an insurance associate. Previously I was in the US Army Intelligence field, an elementary school teacher, and a caregiver.

My goal at this job is to teach people the benefits of having life insurance. It has helped my family and I immensely, through the process of losing my father when I was young and when my husband passed away last year after a 10-year battle with ALS. Both times having life insurance made it so we could take a breath before moving onto the next thing in life.

Being introduced to GAWN last fall was a big positive in my adventure to this new career. Having a wonderful group of people who are welcoming and supportive as I venture into the business world has made the transition smoother. I look forward to making more connections!

Connect with Mychelle Angstadt

Recently relocated from the NYC area this past summer, I’ve been humbled by the warm welcome I’ve received in Gainesville. The move was inspired by close friends who settled here a few years ago, and I’m excited to begin this new chapter.

A little about me: After performing on stage and television as a child, I earned a BFA from the renowned Juilliard School and worked as a professional dancer in NYC. I became a Master Teacher in the dance and fitness industry teaching children to adult populations and training the teachers in the latest trends in fitness. After retiring from performing to raise a family, I pursued academics—earning a doctorate and multiple master’s degrees in Applied Physiology and Movement Science from Columbia University’s Teachers College. During that time, I conducted research at Columbia’s College of Physicians & Surgeons in women’s health, obesity, and the autonomic nervous system.

My career then shifted into medical writing, strategy, and education, working with top healthcare information companies and medical news organizations. Leading and developing content for Continuing Medical Education initiatives, I refined my expertise in cardiometabolic health (cardiology, endocrinology, diabetes). This path led me to manage and mentor educational field teams for several pharmaceutical companies. A lifelong learner, I earned an MBA from Walden University during COVID.

Seeing a need in the dance world, I founded Performing Health (www.PerformingHealth.com), a company dedicated to nutrition awareness and mindfulness for preprofessional dancers and athletes. I co-authored the Dance Nutrition Guidelines published by the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science and delivered invited lectures at conservatories in the U.S. and Europe on eating disorders and improving teacher-student conversations around weight and perfectionism. While I’m encouraged that more schools now address disordered eating and guide teachers on how to speak with students about weight, I am particularly interested today in the mental impact of high‑performance training on young performers.

I am thrilled to serve as Ambassador and member of the Board of Trustees at Dance Alive National Ballet Company here in Gainesville, helping to raise awareness about the new facilities under construction that will strengthen the company’s artistic and educational mission in the community.

Having served for over a decade on nonprofit boards spanning community development, arts education, and higher learning—championing inclusive governance, strategic growth, and high‑impact fundraising—I am looking forward to exploring opportunities to be part of mission‑driven organizations that value strategic leadership, community engagement, and sustainable growth.

The discipline, ensemble work, attention to detail, and communication skills I learned through dance have shaped my leadership roles as an executive director and board member across civic, religious, performing arts, and fitness organizations. My “superpower” is bringing people together to apply creative, collaborative methods to innovate and meet challenges.

This next chapter in Gainesville is about exploring where I can be of service—and building meaningful friendships along the way. 

Adrienne Stevens, EdD, MBA | LinkedIn

My husband and I started Cross Creek Concrete Coatings about 2.5 years ago. Starting a business was a bit of a coming home step for us. We met in Gainesville while attending UF in the late 1990’s. A job took us to a Jacksonville and then to Bluffton, SC. Our next-door neighbor started a concrete coating, and he asked me to come listen to the marketing information.  That day changed my career course, and I went from being a stay-at-home mom to a salesperson with no prior sales experience. And I loved it. I especially loved meeting clients and solving their problems.

Post covid, my husband was ready for a career change. We decided to come back to Florida, and we started our own concrete coating company and named it Cross Creek Concrete Coatings. We are about 2.5 years into our own venture. Neither of us came from a business background, but we watched our neighbor run his company and we formulated what worked and what could be improved.

What makes Cross Creek Concrete Coatings different is twofold. We expertly apply the best quality of concrete coatings with the longest warranty AND we offer superior customer service. We come from a strong customer focused past and based the foundation of our company on that experience. You are buying more than a coating; you are buying us and our commitment to your happiness with the entire process. We take immense gratification is transforming a once ugly concrete patio into a place of beauty and durability that will last for years and years. 

In the past year we have keyed in on focused marketing and earning outstanding Google reviews. Word of mouth and referrals are the strongest form of advertising for us, and we strive to provide a service that clients want to share with their friend, family and neighbors. 

I was invited to my first GAWN meeting in August by Barbara Miller. Being in a male dominated market for the last six years, it was extremely refreshing to be surrounded by woman all focused on building relationships, succeeding in their businesses and helping others succeed. I can easily say that GAWN has been an incredible networking opportunity so far.  

I’ve always wanted to start my own business. From a young age, I watched the women in my life face challenges head-on and emerge stronger, having made the courageous decision to start their own businesses. I admired their grit and the freedom they created for themselves. Deep down, I always thought: One day, that will be me.

When my fiancé Edwin and I moved to High Springs just over four months ago and bought our first home together, I didn’t realize we were setting into motion a chain of events that would change our lives. But it took 30 years of placing dominos before they finally fell in beautiful unison.

I was born and raised in South Florida, where I spent most of my time indoors reading books. At 16, I got my driver’s license and my first job at Tropical Smoothie (spoiler: this becomes relevant later). I attended the University of Florida and earned both my Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of International Business, becoming a proud Double Gator. Gainesville gave me more than degrees; I found a community and made lifelong friendships.

Still, after graduation, I felt ready for a change. A job offer from a large CPG company led me to trade my tank tops for winter coats and move up to the Northeast. Though I gained valuable experience in corporate sales, marketing, and strategy, my dream of starting a business never faded. After five winters up north, I felt a pull to return home and reconnect with family.

Back in South Florida, life had a funny way of coming full circle. Edwin, the same guy I had worked with at Tropical Smoothie a decade earlier, was also back in town. We met up for hot chocolate, played several games of chess, and never looked back.

As our relationship rekindled, so did our shared ambition. Edwin had been working for his family’s insurance agency and, like me, dreamed of building something of his own. When we toured a home in High Springs, we fell in love with the town. It felt like the right place to plant roots.

Soon after putting in an offer on the house, we noticed something surprising: Gainesville didn’t have a GreatFlorida Insurance office, the franchise Edwin’s family had been part of for 40 years. The opportunity we’d both dreamed of had dropped out of the sky and into our laps. Edwin brought the insurance expertise, I brought the marketing and operations background, and together we began laying the foundation for our future.

After months of searching for the right office, gutting and renovating the space, and navigating mountains of paperwork, GreatFlorida Insurance of Gainesville officially opened in August 2025. Turns out, opening was the easy part.

Running a local business means constantly learning. A chance introduction to GAWN (thank you, Jennifer) led me to a room full of brilliant, welcoming women. Joining was a no-brainer.

I’m proud to say I’ve achieved my dream, but now the real work begins. I look forward to growing alongside the incredible women of GAWN. 

Hi everyone. My name is Terra LaFleur, I was born and raised in High Springs.  My grandfather was the mayor in the 60’s. So locally grown…

I have worked in many different industries, but the main goal is making customers happy and satisfied. Between working for Hospice to owning a high-end consignment shop and antique store.  To creating a catering company and now working in Sales and Marketing with a local publisher that has been in the Gainesville area for more than 30 years. But my first love is catering and event planning. That’s why I created Effortless Events.  I can be there in every aspect of a bride's special day to make sure her dream is fulfilled. Help a widow create the day that everyone will celebrate and remember about their loved one’s life. It makes me feel complete to help in such a selfless way.

GAWN has been a great resource to getting my service recognized, I especially love the way this organization is involved in Santa Fe college’s displaced homemaker’s program. I love listening to the achievements these women make and how this program has changed their life's. 
As a strong independent woman, I love supporting other strong independent women.

Thank you for letting me share

How did I get here?  I moved back to FL 6 years ago to be the Regional Publisher/Market President for the Gainesville Sun, the Ocala Star Banner and the Leesburg Daily Commercial. I was excited to get back to FL as I had lived here previously for 11 years in much different markets – Key West, Miami Beach, Kissimmee.  With a daughter, son-in-law and 2 granddaughters, as well as a ton of other family all in FL, it was great to be back.  So even though I'm not from here (I'm a New Orleans native), I'm definitely now a Floridian! 

I've been in newspaper and magazine publishing for about 30 years in several states - heading up advertising teams and being on the business side.  I've also had a few years on the corporate side as a training/sales director. After being here for just 2 years, the Publisher positions were all eliminated, locally they also discontinued our specialty products - the old Gainesville Magazine and the Parade of Homes guide.  Without a monthly or similar lifestyle magazine in the area, I made the decision to purchase the City Lifestyle franchise for this market and launched the Gainesville City Lifestyle, the area's monthly, upscale lifestyle magazine focusing on local businesses, arts, and the community.  I think we’re unique in that way – that our content features are free for appropriate businesses and community leaders.  And we’re free and available for anyone who'd like to receive it at their home or business.  

Starting a business or buying a franchise like I did, it's not easy!  It's a challenge to figure out the expenses and learning to be profitable. We’ve experienced great growth and improvements increasing our distribution and our monthly readership, which gives the featured people and businesses that much more exposure. Another big change is our social media marketing platform now offering paid meta advertising to our partners with guaranteed impressions starting at 15,000 per month.    

What I really value is the importance of community involvement, giving back, and being out there!  I’ve learned it's easy to burn out.  Decide what you’re passionate about and what will help you - professionally, personally, spiritually, and focus on that.  In addition to being a GAWN board member and Member Services Chair, I'm also a Gainesville Chamber Diplomat, a BANCF Ambassador, and a Rotarian.  I'm pretty tapped out here but occasionally do go to other networking events outside of these organizations.  Just choose carefully and the ones that make sense for you.  

I joined GAWN though because I was looking for something exactly like this!  I joined in December 2020, and I was SO HAPPY they were meeting in person and not on Zoom!  At my very first meeting, I hardly knew anybody, but it was very easy to get involved, start meeting people, and feel welcomed.  I also really like the wide variety of members and their business backgrounds.  I like that we're not all from similar industries.  

Hello! I'm Cynthia Gonzalez, your gateway to extraordinary travel experiences. For the past three years, I've called Interlachen in the Greater Gainesville area home, drawn to this vibrant college town where Gatorade was born and the Gators reign supreme.

With 11 years as a Cruise Planners franchise owner and luxury travel specialist, I bring a unique blend of travel expertise and business acumen to every client relationship. My extensive finance background in corporate America has given me an insider's understanding of busy professionals who work tirelessly all year and dream of their next adventure. I recognize that most travelers feel overwhelmed by the countless options available online and can spend months trying to plan a vacation. Instead of letting my clients struggle through this process, I take the time to understand what's truly important to them, then provide expert recommendations that eliminate the guesswork and deliver remarkable experiences and cherished memories.

As an Elite Cruise Counselor (ECC)—a prestigious designation from the Cruise Lines International Association, I've earned the industry's highest recognition for cruise expertise. My dedication to excellence was further validated when I was honored with the Cruise Planners Platinum Anchor award for exceeding $700,000 in sales in 2024. I've completed specialized training with multiple cruise lines ensuring I can match clients with the perfect luxury experience.

My wanderlust has taken me to over 50 countries and 100 cities, and my linguistic abilities in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (with Italian and French in progress) allow me to connect with cultures worldwide. My personal bucket list? It includes spending a night under the Northern Lights in Norway, encountering gorillas in Uganda, and attending a World Cup final—adventures that fuel my understanding of what makes travel truly life-changing.

What sets me apart is my concierge-level service combined with my expertise in navigating the overwhelming world of travel options. I don't just book trips. I curate experiences tailored specifically for travelers seeking luxury, convenience, and unforgettable memories. Rather than spending months sorting through endless possibilities, my clients benefit from personalized guidance that transforms the planning process from overwhelming to exciting.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet and collaborate with the fabulously talented members of GAWN, and I'm developing additional community connections through the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, the Putnam County Chamber, and BNI (Business Network International). My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? "Join a business networking group and get involved in the community."

When I'm not crafting dream vacations for clients, you'll find me traveling, gardening, reading political thrillers, kickboxing, or enjoying card games. And my greatest joy comes from those precious moments when clients share photos from their adventures—proof that my meticulous planning has created memories that will last a lifetime.

Hi, I’m Katherine Osman, and I’ve been proud to call Gainesville home for nearly 22 years — the longest I’ve lived anywhere! I was born in Michigan, grew up just outside Toronto, and went to Michigan State University. The entrepreneurial spirit has always run deep — I even ran a tanning booth business out of my dorm room at MSU! After college, I started my career in labor relations at General Motors, moved into finance, and eventually transitioned into full-time motherhood and the adventure of international moves — including three years in Mexico.

After relocating to Gainesville with two young kids, I thought I’d go back to school for teaching. Instead, I took what I assumed would be a temporary receptionist job at a new retirement community — Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. That “temporary” job turned into a 21-year career, where I eventually became Director of Community Services. I helped shape many of the programs that made Oak Hammock unique and was proud to be the first employee to reach the 20-year milestone. I left in 2025, ready to embrace the next chapter.

In 2020, my husband and I launched Pinspiration Gainesville, a DIY craft studio — just in time for the pandemic to shut us down after a year of build-out! In 2024, we expanded our family’s business portfolio with Shrunk 3D Gainesville, a mobile 3D photography studio that captures your likeness in stunning detail. Housed in a custom trailer, the studio uses 95 HD cameras and 8 projectors to capture 190 high-resolution images in under a second, creating hyper-realistic 3D replicas of people, pets, and objects. We also offer a 2D-to-3D service, transforming your favorite photos into custom 3D-printed models. I now work full time in our family businesses, blending creativity, community, and a little bit of chaos — and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Most recently, our youngest, George, was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare neuromuscular disease. For several years, he was believed to have Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, so receiving the correct diagnosis was both a shock and a relief. As we adjust to this new reality, I’m looking to become more involved in raising awareness, supporting research, and connecting with others in the FA community.

I love connecting with other women in business. Gainesville may be a smaller town, but the talent pool is incredibly deep — and I’m always inspired by the passion, strength, and creativity of the women I meet through networks like GAWN.

One piece of advice I’m still learning to take myself: don’t be afraid to talk about your work or your businesses. I’ve always been quick to champion others — especially the residents and programs at Oak Hammock — but much slower to share my own story. I grew up hearing that “a lady doesn’t talk about her achievements,” and I’m working on rewriting that rule. Because we should celebrate what we’ve built — and who we’ve become along the way.