Member of
LCWA
Lake County Womens Advocates
Join Us To Help Stop Child Abuse!
Lu Giordano
President
I have been an active member of LCWA since 2007 and have held the position of President several times.
In my teenage and young adult years, I was President of various youth groups and young adult organizations in Massachusetts.
I am a retired Assistant Office Manager for a nonprofit organization before moving to FL in 2005 with my husband.
There is so much tragedy in this world that when I learned of the CAC for abused children, I wanted to help and give back to those who are less fortunate and "Put a Smile on their Faces"!
I enjoy every minute of "giving back".
Cathy Schultzel
Vice-President and Membership
I was born in Valley Stream, Long Island, NY and I lived in Montauk, NY before moving to Leesburg. I have been married to my husband John for 42 years and we have 3 sons, two who live on Long Island, and my eldest lives overseas with his wife and stepdaughter.
I took special courses through the Southampton Public School District to receive my teaching assistant license through the state of NY. I then taught and ran the computer lab for 25 wonderful years in the Middle School and taught multiple courses in Adult Education for the teachers in the district. After retiring, I enjoyed working part time at Walt Disney World for fourteen years in Animal Kingdom.
Since working with children for so many years in education, I was very interested in continuing to work with children by donating my time and energies to raise money for the abused children of Lake and Sumter County. I enjoy working alongside the amazing people of the Children’s Advocacy Center.
I enjoy taking part doing activities with my friends in Legacy such as monthly dinners with the Empire and Veteran’s Club. I am also a member of the Legacy Tea Society and assist Lu Giordano who is the president of that club.
MarilynYoung
Secretary
I was born in Long Island, New York. I earned a Bachelor of Business from the University of Texas. I am married with three children and three grandchildren. I worked in schools, businesses, and libraries prior to retirement.
I became active in LCWA, to help raise funds for the betterment of the abused children of Lake/Sumter Counties in Florida.
Becky Fadik
Newsletter Editor
Florida became my home in 2019 after moving from Pittsburgh, PA. My husband and I made the decision to move in April and became full time Florida residents in November 2019. Love Florida!
I attended Robert Morris University receiving my degree in business administration. My career spanned almost 5 decades at SAE International which is a non-profit engineering membership organization serving the automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicle industries. I served in many capacities within the organization, retiring in 2017. To ease into retirement, I started a consulting business where my mission was to increase efficiency and productivity within an organization.
I joined LCWA after a friend invited me to a meeting. As I learned more about the organization, I knew it was a group that I wanted to join. The commitment to children in crisis is an amazing mission.
In addition to my involvement with LCWA, I am a member of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Leesburg where I have served on the Board as Club Secretary, and I currently hold the position of Newsletter Editor. I volunteer at several local community theaters, Camp Bogey Creek fundraising events, and I belong to several clubs and groups within Legacy.
Denise DaCosta
Treasurer
I was born in Plainview, New York (Long Island). I lived in Orlando before moving to Yalaha. I have one son and one grandchild.
I graduated with a Masters Degree In Social Work and I have a Florida License as a Clinical Social Worker.
I worked 34 years for the Department of Veteran Affairs. The first 12 years were at the Northport VA on Long Island, New York. From 2000 to June 2021, I worked at the Orlando VA Healthcare System as the first Chief of Social Work for 34 years.
I served on the University of Central Florida, School of Social Work Community Advisory Board for more than 10 years.
I love travel and boating. I also have a passion for animal and children welfare.
I joined LCWA to meet like minded women and become involved in the Lake County community.
Dr. Sharon Kochlany
Webmaster
I was born in Niagara Falls, NY and moved to Rochester, NY in 1963. I was on the synchronized aquatic team and developed leadership skills at an early age as president of the United Synagogue Youth Group. It was in Rochester that I lived next door to Gene, a boy my age who had Muscular Dystrophy. We became close friends and he was instrumental in my decision to become a special education teacher. He passed away while I was at Bowling Green State University dual majoring in Elementary and Special Education.
After teaching primary educable mentally handicapped children for a year, I left to attend the University of Arizona to earn a Masters Degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Emotionally Handicapped. I taught 43 years in almost every grade level including middle school science. I decided to pursue a doctorate degree and earned an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Distance Education in 1999.
As part of those 43 years, I served as a Middle School Technology Specialist, a Technology Staff Development Coordinator, a Zone Staff Development Coach, and a Media Specialist. I conducted District technology workshops on weekends and after school. I also taught in a fast-tract teacher preparation program through Florida Atlantic University and I was an adjunct professor at Nova SE University.
I moved to Coral Springs, FL in 1978 and then to Apopka, FL in 2014 after I retired to be close to my children (a daughter and a son), and one granddaughter at the time. I was in the Apopka Garden Club, the Apopka Women's Association, and I became president of the Orange County Retired Educators Association, which I am still very active in. In 2018, we moved to Arlington Ridge. I am in the Knitting and Crochet group, Book Club, and I am the co-organizer of the Roanoke Drive FRIENDS activity street group. I bowl in the Lakers Bowling League and play bocce ball. I also love conducting research.
I have always looked for ways to give back to my local community while helping children. LCWA certainly fills both of these goals while providing an avenue to meet like-thinking and fun women.
Margie-Ann Feczko
Community Liaison and Fundraising
My husband Frank and I retired to Leesburg (Legacy) from Bayonne, NJ permanently in 2017. I am a retired RN, spending the majority of my career in the Operating Room. As my service continued, I went from Clinical Coordinator of Neuro and General surgery to Coordinator of Everything! My surgeons could count on me to get the job done. I always say, “Once a nurse, always a nurse. It’s like the Mafia, you know too much.”
Many of my friends know that I am a cat person, love Disney, and the color purple. Not necessarily in that order! Our lives are full here, as we joined clubs and committees in Legacy to make friends. I met Lu through the Tea Society of Legacy and was invited to a LCWA luncheon in Nov. 2021. After that luncheon, learning about LCWA, I knew I needed to become a member. I joined in Jan. 2022. I love being part of an organization that helps children in any way needed. I am willing to work hard and get results. I truly want to put a smile on a child’s face.