Geraldine Thompson serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, to which she was elected in 2018 to serve House District 44.
ORLANDO, FL, November 06, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Geraldine Thompson with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Ms. Thompson celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dedicated to preserving history and working to strengthen communities, Ms. Thompson serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, to which she was elected in 2018 to serve House District 44. In her positions, she serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee as, PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee, Civil Justice Subcommittee, and the Joint Committee on Public Counsel Oversight. Previously, she was elected to the Florida Senate, where she served between 2012 and 2016. She lent her expertise to the Florida House of Representatives as a member for District 39 from 2006 until 2012. Earlier in her career, Ms. Thompson worked in education as a teacher in Orange County for six years and as an assistant to the president of Valencia College for nearly 25 years.
In a career filled with highlights, Ms. Thompson is especially proud of having saved a historical property in the Orlando inner city which opened in the late 1920s. The black-owned and operated hotel, The Wells'Built Hotel, was on the brink of being demolished. This is one of the things that motivated her to pursue her elected positions, and she has since been able to save the property, which is now operated as an African American cultural museum. Additionally, she was able to obtain compensation for a man named James Joseph Richardson, who was falsely accused of killing his children and spent 22 years in prison. Ms. Thompson lobbied for him to be compensated for his unlawful arrest and incarceration. Another standout of her legislative career was filing legislation between 2012 and 2014 that helped to exonerate four black men known as the Groveland Four, who lived in the town of Groveland and had been accused of rape in 1949.
An expert in her field, Ms. Thompson holds an Associate of Arts from Miami-Dade Community College, which she earned in 1968. Two years later, she completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Miami before attending Florida State University in pursuit of a Master of Science.
She was awarded a Doctor of Humanities degree from Cornerstone University in 2016. In order to remain aware of changes in the field, she affiliates herself with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Association to Preserve African American Society, History, and Tradition, Inc., where she sits as founding president. A steadfast community advocate, she has also devoted her time to Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the Orlando Children's Trust, the Holocaust Memorial and Education Center, and the Central Florida YMCA. Looking forward, Ms. Thompson intends to continue lobbying for those who do not have a voice. Her contributions have earned her the Onyx Magazine Women On the Move Award and the Metropolitan Orlando Urban League Lifetime Achievement Award.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to her profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Gerladine Thompson has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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