The Florida Center for Early Childhood Named a 2025 Top Workplace by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The Florida Center was one of just 10 organizations honored in the 100-199 employee category and one of only 33 organizations recognized overall.

(August 28, 2025) For the second year in a row, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been recognized as one of the 2025 Sarasota-Manatee Top Workplaces by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Energage, a national research and consulting firm specializing in organizational health and employee engagement. The honor was announced at an awards celebration on August 13, at The Ora in Sarasota.

The annual award celebrates regional employers who excel at creating a workplace culture where employees feel valued, supported, and connected to a shared mission. The Florida Center was one of just 10 organizations honored in the 100-199 employee category and one of only 33 organizations recognized overall.

Winners are selected based entirely on employee feedback collected through a confidential survey conducted by Energage. The survey measures 15 research-based “culture drivers” proven to predict organizational success, including leadership, communication, alignment, and employee appreciation.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes directly from our staff,” says Dr. Kristie Skoglund, CEO of The Florida Center. “We work with children and

families facing serious challenges. To know our team feels proud, supported, and connected to our mission means everything.”

More than 125 Florida Center employees participated in the survey, offering insights into what makes the organization a rewarding place to work. Responses emphasized The Florida Center’s collaborative environment, compassionate leadership, and deep commitment to the families it serves.

Founded more than 45 years ago, The Florida Center provides early education, developmental therapies, mental health counseling, and support services to more than 4,500 children and families each year. With locations in Sarasota, Orlando, and Pensacola, it is recognized statewide for its leadership in early childhood development and family support.

“Our people are the heart of our work and this award affirms that,” Skoglund says. “Their dedication is what allows us to make a lasting difference in the lives of children.”

Photo captions:

• Dr. Kristie Skoglund, CEO of The Florida Center for Early Childhood, receives a 2025 Sarasota-Manatee Top Workplace at the annual awards celebration on August 13 at The Ora in Sarasota.
• Florida Center for Early Childhood staff celebrate being recognized a 2025 Sarasota-Manatee Top Workplace at the annual awards celebration on August 13 at The Ora in Sarasota. Standing (from left): Denise Grolly-Case, Juan Redmon, Jeremy Hurley, and Katia Valentino. Seated (from left): Melissa Bradley, Kimberly Treharne, Dr. Kristie Skoglund, and Tracie Keller.

About The Florida Center for Early Childhood

For more than 45 years, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been the leading provider of therapeutic services, early education, and healthy development for young children in southwest Florida, offering a seamless delivery of services for the whole child and their family. Today, the agency is nationally recognized for its early childhood expertise in various specialties. The Florida Center provides developmental therapies, mental health counseling, Starfish Academy preschool, the Healthy Families home-visiting program, and the state’s only Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic, with locations in Sarasota, Orlando and Pensacola.