Quantum Leap Turned Out in Force to Cheer Founder Dr. Edie Dopking's Win
Founder and COO of Quantum Leap Farm, Dr. Edie Dopking, shared the eWomenNetwork Tampa/St. Petersburg chapter award for ‘Tampa Bay’s Most Innovative Female Entrepreneur’ with Vicky Westra, a member of Art for Autism, and Founder of the Artistas Café. eWomenNetwork, an international women’s business group with over 60 chapters and connected to well over 50,000 women in North America, fosters a ‘giving first’ philosophy. In that spirit, the Tampa/St. Petersburg Chapter's Women Making a Difference Awards celebrated outstanding businesswomen in our area.
The awards ceremony on June 16 in Tampa was attended by a banquet hall full of generous, successful women (and a few brave men) with Quantum Leap Farm Board Members, staff, volunteers and supporters there in force. Sheraton Suites served up a delicious dinner and the room was blazing with energy. Karen Krymski, the Chapter’s Executive Managing Director, shared the microphone with Mistress of Ceremonies, Channel 10 Newsanchor, Heather Van Nest.
Edie shared the award podium with a circle of successful women whose businesses have a giving first philosophy, including Businesswoman of the Year, Lori Schio, CEO of TekMethods; Femtor of the Year, Joyce Cotton, Director of Marketing for WEDU, and the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Charlotte Baker, CEO of Digitalhands. The Teal Heart Award cited Chantal Griffin-Stampfer, Executive Director, PACE Center for Girls, Hillsborough County, and the Chapter Honors Award went to Karen R. Mertes, Lieutenant Colonel, Ret., U.S. Air Force, Founder of the Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors Grant Fund.
Congratulations to Edie for winning EWomenNetwork’s Most Innovative Entrepreneur. She’ll add that to the recognition she recently received for her work with injured military service members and their families by General David Petraeus, Commander, United States Central Command, and Major General Steve Hashem, Director, USCENTCOM Coalitions Coordinator Center.