Mistress of Ceremony: Lavon B. Williams, Esquire is a native Floridian having grown up on a farm outside of Gainesville. Her leadership and scholarly abilities were noticed early on as she was selected as one of 100 high school students in the state to attend former Florida Governor Bob Martinez’s Summer College. She continued to shine in college serving in several leadership positions in the Student Government Association at the University of North Florida. Mrs. Williams was elected as one of the youngest student body presidents and was the first African American female to serve in the capacity. In 1993, she was selected as one of Florida Trends up and coming leaders. She graduated from UNF with a bachelors in history and political science which served as the foundation for her work with the City of Jacksonville. After gaining work experience, she attended Florida State University where she obtained a Masters in Public Administration and a Masters in the Science of Planning. Her nearly fifteen year public service career with Orange County has provided opportunities for community service,civic activities and advocacy on behalf of disenfranchised citizens. Her passion for empowering people led her to law school at Florida A&M University in Orlando. Her solo practice is founded on a commitment to helping people take back power over their lives.