LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jillian Gaygan was nominated by the Florida State School Counselor Association.

Ms. Gaygan has exhibited amazing leadership with all school stakeholders through her current role as counseling director and school counselor. She has developed beneficial relationships with community partners that have netted implementation of student-centered programs, such as her school's first career mentoring program through a partnership with the Florida Panthers and Big Brothers Big Sisters. This program focuses on Piper High School students with promising futures in Career, Technical, Adult, and Community Education (CTACE). It also complements the Big Brothers and Big Sisters high school / middle school mentoring project that Piper students also participate in based on a "paying it forward" mentality. As part of this project, the high school students visit the middle school to lead and advise the younger students, as well as improve their academics and self-esteem.