At the end of last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the selection of Virginia Covington, Barbara Nicklaus and Beverly White Yeager to the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.
Each year, the governor selects three nominees from recommendations presented by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
Virginia Covington
Covington, of Tampa, is a Senior District Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In 2004, she became the first Hispanic United States District Court Judge for the Middle District of Florida when she was nominated by President George W. Bush. Prior to that, she was the first Cuban American woman to serve on a Florida appellate court and as an Assistant United States Attorney. The recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Pro Bono Award, Covington earned her bachelor’s degree and master of business administration from the University of Tampa and her juris doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Barbara Nicklaus
Nicklaus, of North Palm Beach, is the Chair and Co-Founder of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. A philanthropic leader, she serves on the boards of numerous organizations including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Children’s Healthcare Charities, Nicklaus Children’s Health System, Stop! Children’s Cancer of Palm Beach County and The Memorial Tournament’s Captains Club. Her efforts have been recognized with numerous awards including the PGA of America’s Distinguished Service Award, The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches’ Outstanding Public Service Award, The PGA Tour’s Ambassador of Golf Award and she was recently inducted into the Florida State Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Beverly White Yeager
White Yeager, of Palm Beach, is the former Director of the Florida Department of State’s Cultural Affairs Division where she oversaw the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and the Historical Commission. White Yeager also served as Florida’s International Trade and Development Coordinator and went on to receive numerous presidential appointments including to the Statue of Liberty Commission, Commission on Presidential Scholars, National Museum Services Board and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. She has served on the boards of The Red Cross of Palm Beach County, Florida Heart Association, South Florida Science Museum, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Foundation and The Salvation Army. White Yeager earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in education administration from Florida State University.
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