Many team members with CareerSource Northeast Florida met with workforce professionals and partners across the state during the Florida Workforce Development Association (FWDA) 2026 Workforce Professional Development Summit held September 16–18 in Orlando.
Florida Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur helped kick off the Summit during the opening ceremony, welcoming workforce professionals as they began three days of professional development, collaboration and discussion about Florida’s workforce system.
During the Summit’s Awards Luncheon, where outstanding workforce professionals, partners and leaders from across Florida are recognized for their work, FWDA President Joshua Matlock, Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly, and CareerSource Florida President and CEO Adrienne Johnston presided over the event.
“Florida’s workforce system is strengthened every day by people who are deeply committed to helping individuals find opportunity and helping businesses find the talent they need to grow,” said Josh Matlock, President of the Florida Workforce Development Association and President/CEO of CareerSource Suncoast. “These awards give us an opportunity to recognize some of the exceptional people who represent the very best of workforce development in Florida.”
CareerSource NEFL’s nominees were business services manager Fredrika Hill for the FWCA Lighthouse Award, industry manager for manufacturing, logistics & transportation Roben Faircloth for the Barbara K. Griffin Workforce Excellence Award and employment services representative Rebecca Quiñones under the Workforce Advocate category.
In nominating Hill, CareerSource NEFL noted the following:
Fredrika has been with CareerSource Northeast Florida since 2001 — almost 25 years of service to this organization and the people we serve. She didn’t start in management. She started in one of our career centers, working directly with job seekers and employers on the front lines. That experience gives her something that’s hard to teach: a genuine, ground-level understanding of what this work actually looks like day to day. From there, she grew into the roles of Business Relations Coordinator and Business Services Program Manager before stepping into her current role as Business Services Manager.
In the nomination letter for Faircloth, she was called “exactly the kind of professional this award was created to recognize.”
Roben joined CareerSource Northeast Florida in 2017, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience in higher education — including time as Program Manager for the Florida TRADE Grant. That background in both education and workforce development made her a natural fit for our Industry Manager role in Manufacturing, a position we had just created to deepen our engagement with one of the region’s most vital sectors. Over the past several years, she has grown that role into something truly impactful, becoming one of the most recognized and respected workforce professionals in Northeast Florida’s manufacturing community.
In nominating Quiñones, she was commended for approaching “every customer interaction with compassion, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to helping individuals overcome barriers and move toward meaningful employment and long-term self-sufficiency.”
Rebecca began her workforce career in 2014 as a Workforce Services Representative, supporting customers through Wagner-Peyser services, conducting RESEA appointments, and assisting customers at the front desk. Early on, she demonstrated a strong passion for helping people navigate the workforce system and quickly sought opportunities to expand her knowledge and impact.
The Lighthouse Award went to Yushika Florence, CareerSource Broward Manager of Youth Programs & Services, and the Barbara K. Griffin Workforce Excellence Award went to Ashley Black with the Florida Division of Blind Services.
“Although these individuals represent different organizations, communities and areas of expertise, they share something important,” Matlock said. “They understand that workforce development is ultimately about people—helping someone take the next step toward a better future, helping an employer succeed and strengthening the communities we serve. We are proud to recognize all the nominees and the award winners.”