This years honoree, Christine Frederick, has always had a passion for helping individuals most in need. Her experience includes more than 20 years of progressive leadership in nonprofit and social impact organizations, including serving as the CEO of FLITE Center from 2017-2025. At FLITE Center, Christine coordinated the Transitional Independent Living System of Care; grew its budget from under $600,000 to more than $10 million; expanded the headquarters from 3,000 square feet to more than 16,000 square feet; increased staff from eight to more than 60; and extended its service area to include 12 counties in Florida.

Christine led FLITE Center to receive multiple awards, including Polaris Star Award (2025), 211 Non-Profit of the Year (2022 & 2023) and Rising Star (2017) and Fort Lauderdale Chamber “Salute to Business” (2019). She is recognized as a community leader, as evidenced by the following honors: Inspiring Women of Health (2024); Apogee Award for Nonprofit Leadership (2021); Hispanic Woman of Distinction (2018); and 100 Successful Women in Business (2018). For four years, Christine served as the co-chair of the Independent Services Advisory Council–appointed by the Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families and currently serves as the Board Chair for Fitwize 4 Kids, a local nonprofit that focuses on the healthy physical and emotional development of young children in the surrounding area.

Prior to serving FLITE Center, Christine spent 12 years both on the frontlines and on the executive management team as the chief program officer of HANDY. She led an elite team in program development–assisting with the agency’s capacity building efforts through grant writing and grant management and maintaining both quality services and outcomes with foster youth in relative and nonrelative care.

In May 2025, Christine joined The Lord’s Place as Chief Executive Officer to continue to grow and inspire the agency’s 45-year mission of breaking the cycle of homelessness in Palm Beach County.