Lori Capullo | 4/1/2011

Jennifer Valoppi
Founder/president/CEO, Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program, Miami

In 1997, after a career as a TV host, producer and Emmy Award-winning journalist, Jennifer Valoppi decided it was time to put her experience and influence to use by helping at-risk girls in south Florida public schools. So she founded Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program, which pairs accomplished professional women with small groups of female students and provides them with academic scholarships. The program began with 23 mentors in six schools; today, 250 mentors visit 98 schools, and the organization is looking at expanding nationally.

In her spare time, Valoppi writes novels. Her first, "Certain Cure," which she describes as an "end-of-days thriller that bridges the gap between science and religion," was a National Best Books 2008 finalist. Now Valoppi is at work on the sequel.

Who knew? "I've always been somewhat of an amateur biblical scholar, and I've always loved advanced science. I was intrigued by how futuristic ancient biblical prophecies sounded so I decided to put them in a modern world."

Is full-time writing in her future? "Not sure. But I would love to sit in an isolated ski house on a mountain somewhere with my family and just write and ski and drink wine for the whole winter."

What she reads: "As a kid, I loved to read Alfred Hitchcock, and right now rereading all his books is on my list. I love all Dan Brown's books and Michael Crichton's. Paul Levine is a great read and a good friend, and he's from Miami."?

Next page: Meet Florida author John Manrique.