Amanda Napolitano, Executive Director of The DONNA Foundation, Honored as One of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence for 2023

Amanda Napolitano, executive director of The DONNA Foundation, has been selected as one of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s Women of Influence for 2023.

Each year, the Jacksonville Business Journal presents the Women of Influence award to recognize extraordinary women who are impacting the Northeast Florida community. Honorees are selected with the help of community leaders and past honorees based on nominees’ influence on their organization, the First Coast business community and their professional colleagues. Those selected have helped lead their organizations to financial success, demonstrated a commitment to the community, helped mentor the next generation of leaders and shown leadership in their career.

This year, Napolitano was one of 20 women across the First Coast selected for the honor. The Jacksonville Business Journal applauded Napolitano’s dedicated work serving individuals and families experiencing a breast cancer diagnosis. Her exemplary leadership is seen throughout the Foundation’s operations, including financial support for patients and families, education, survivorship programming and fundraising through signature running events, like the recent 16th annual DONNA Marathon Weekend. Among her peers in the nonprofit space, she is a leading voice in the conversation about health equity and the importance of movement and exercise –– before, after and especially during treatment for breast cancer.

Under her leadership, the Foundation has made an incredible impact on patients and families in the Northeast Florida community and beyond. Over the last two decades, the Foundation has hosted more than 150,000 across breast cancer survivorship programs, including the signature DONNA Marathon Weekend race events; secured $4.9 million in financial services for more than 17,500 families living with breast cancer nationwide; disbursed more than $3.3 million for breast cancer research; and driven approximately $60 million in economic impact for the City of Jacksonville and the Beaches.

In addition, Napolitano has secured dynamic partnerships for The DONNA Foundation to increase its visibility on a national scale. Last year alone, Napolitano and her team developed partnerships with the Jacksonville Jaguars, which brought DONNA Marathon Weekend’s two-day health and wellness expo, 5K and DONNA Dash events into TIAA Bank Field and the Dream Finders Homes Flex Field. Another partnership with Destination Marathons created a VIP race experience for out-of-market runners and continues to build race tourism in Jacksonville. Most recently, PUMA — the multinational corporation and third-largest sportswear manufacturer in the world — outfitted 2023 DONNA racers in the brand by sponsoring participant shirts and outfitting the DONNA Galloway Pacers. These partnerships are just a few of the ways Napolitano has leveraged her expertise in the nonprofit sector and past experience in the private sector to bring organizations together to support the mission of The DONNA Foundation.

“The Women of Influence we honor each year are truly exemplars of the skill, knowledge and dedication that women across the First Coast bring to the table every day,” said Sara Pomposo, the publisher and market president of the Jacksonville Business Journal. “Each of these honorees has contributed not only to making their organization strong but also helping to elevate the entire community.”

“It is an honor to be chosen by the Jacksonville Business Journal as a 2023 Women of Influence recipient,” said Amanda Napolitano, Executive Director of The DONNA Foundation. “I am passionate about the work we do at The DONNA Foundation, supporting patients and families, celebrating survivors, funding groundbreaking research and running diligently toward a future without breast cancer. It is a true joy to be recognized for our work among this incredible group of outstanding women.”

The full list of 2023 Women of Influence honorees can be viewed at bizjournals.com/jacksonville/women-of-influence-awards on the Jacksonville Business Journal’s website. Profiles of all of the 2023 honorees will be published as part of the digital and print editions of the Jacksonville Business Journal’s March 3, 2023 issue.