Cody Hinson (Legal Studies) has been recognized as Sales Executive of the Year in 2020 by NewsBank Inc. He joined the company's sales team in 2017 and has been an award-winning top performer each year since then. Hinson previously worked in real estate in Naples.

Caroline Vives-Vietri (Communication) has found herself back at The Nest as an assistant director of Alumni Relations. After five years in the government sector, she decided it was time to return back to FGCU and give back to the university that helped jump-start her career in nonprofit management and public administration. She resides in Cape Coral with her family and her poodle, LuLu.

Makenzie Whitaker, (English), published her first book, “The Kidney Kronicles,” which is designed to be a seven-book series that covers all the major stages of kidney disease from discovering you need a transplant to preparing for your next one. Makenzie, who had a kidney transplant at the age of 7, lives in Estero.

Ryan Kennedy (Communication) has joined Sanibel Captiva Community Bank as a loan process coordinator in the lending division. He is responsible for the initial review of incoming loans for required documentation.

Ken Segura (Legal Studies) has been promoted to office manager at Sanibel Captiva Community Bank's new Bridge Branch at 9311 College Parkway, Fort Myers. Segura will manage daily operations and customer relationships, including business and consumer banking. “Ken has been an effective leader for us and we are excited to have him lead our new Bridge Branch,” said Lana Hollier, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank senior vice president and director of deposit operations. Segura has been with the bank for nearly four years, serving most recently as the office manager at the College Parkway Branch at 7500 College Parkway. He previously served as the branch’s assistant office manager and also worked in treasury management.

Sarah Rodriguez (M.S., Criminal Justice) was promoted July 14, 2020 to sergeant in the Lee County Sheriff's Office. She is now one of 28 women who have achieved that rank in the department. "Sarah has been an integral part of many of the agency's major investigations," stated Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Ronald P. Angerer II (Political Science) was recognized as a board-certified specialist in labor and employment law by The Florida Bar in June 2020. Seven percent of Florida attorneys have achieved board certification, and it is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar of the competency and experience of an attorney in the area of labor and employment law. He is an associate attorney in the Law Offices of Archibald J. Thomas, III, P.A., in Jacksonville.

Iman Zekri (Political Science) has joined Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., as an associate in the Divorce, Marital and Family Law Department. She served as a summer associate with the firm in 2019. While in law school, Zekri was an editor of the Florida Journal of International Law and a member of the Florida Moot Court Team. She competed in the Philadelphia Regional 2020 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, where Zekri was presented with a Best Advocate Award. She was inducted into the Order of Barristers in 2020 for her exceptional skill in oral advocacy and brief writing. Zekri also received book awards for being the top of her class in Appellate Advocacy, Legal Drafting, and Legal Research from UF Law. In addition, The Florida Bar Journal featured Zekri’s article on the cover of the September/October 2020 edition, “Respectfully Dissenting: How Dissenting Opinions Shape the Law and Impact Collegiality Among Judges.” Zekri is a native of Southwest Florida. She graduated from Riverdale High School’s International Baccalaureate program, Florida SouthWestern State College (A.A., summa cum laude), Florida Gulf Coast University (B.A., summa cum laude) and the University of Florida Levin College of Law (J.D., cum laude).

Jennifer Hayes (Communication) and Thor Parrish (Professional Golf Management), who met at FGCU, were married Dec. 20, 2020. He was the Lutgert College of Business student of the year, and she was FGCU's 2019 Homecoming Queen. She is a multimedia specialist with B-Squared Advertising in Naples.

Kali Kaye (Communication), a member of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), recently achieved Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).  She joins an elite group of skilled professionals committed to practicing with high ethical standards. As the internal communications supervisor at Lee Health, Kaye manages the strategic communication efforts for medical staff and volunteers.

Kayla Reiter (Psychology) is a business development representative primarily focusing on young adults for Aware Recovery Care Inc., a comprehensive, multi-state drug and alcohol addiction rehab program. She joined the company in September 2020.

Jaimie Miller (Communications/Public Relations) recently earned the designation of Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC). Miller is senior vice president of marketing with CONRIC PR + Marketing in Fort Myers, where she has worked for four years helping clients in nonprofit and for-profit sectors to develop creative marketing and public relations strategies.

Iman Zerki (Political Science) was recognized with the 2020 Florida Bar Journal Excellence in Writing Award. Members of the journal’s editorial board nominate outstanding submissions based on substance, style and quality of writing and research. Her article, “Respectfully Dissenting: How Dissenting Opinions Shape the Law and Impact Collegiality Among Judges,” originally appeared in the September/October 2020 edition of the Florida Bar Journal. As a lawyer at Henderson Franklin, Zerki enjoys expressing her passion for research and writing.