904-977-5701 info@girlsofvirtue.org

Our Board

Della Sellers, Founder

A native to Tallahassee, Florida who made Jacksonville her home in 2011. She has worked in the automotive industry for over 17 years and now owns an automotive consulting company, called Virtue Consulting. Della accredits this career choice and the mentors she met along the way as a major piece of what changed her life forever. As a child she experienced many challenges from an unstable home, to substance and physical abuse, a broken home, and overall poverty.

Her passion for life, determination to succeed, and faith provided her the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her family. Her vision is every young woman should know the future is limitless, regardless of where you come from or what your current circumstances are. This vision created the nonprofit, Girls of Virtue, which was launched April 2020. Girls of Virtue is a program for young women ages 14-22 empowering them to be grounded spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially. The provide vocational licensing, mentoring, leadership and group activities, and additional resources to young women in the North Florida/South Georgia area.

Della Sellers, Girls of Virtue Founder
Katherine Way

Katherine Way

Executive Director

Katherine Way has accepted the Executive Director position at Girls of Virtue after a successful career in the retail, fashion, merchandising and consulting business.
Katherine Way is CEO of Katherine Way Design & Consulting, LLC, a consulting and design firm that focuses on small to medium size companies in strategic marketing, product development and execution in the golf, food, law enforcement, franchise and apparel industries.

Katherine served as the Vice President, Retail Sales & Marketing for Naples Soap Company while building three of their four stores back from Hurricane Ian and expanding their footprint with four new Florida stores in 2023.

Prior to her time with Naples Soap, Katherine served as CEO and Founder of Katherine Way Collections, a resort lifestyle apparel line, made in the USA and based in Jacksonville, FL, with a mission to dress everyday women to both look and feel great, with her full line of dresses and separates available in more than 350 boutiques and 175 golf club resorts in the U.S., Canada, and The Caribbean. The Katherine Way Collections were featured in the U.S. Open merchandise tents from 2016-2018 at Oakmont, Erin Hills, Wisconsin, and the Shinnecock Hills, Long Island, NY, as well as at other PGA Tour golf events including the Honda Classic, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo, Valspar Championship, Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational, Charles Schwab Colonial Invitational, John Deere Classic, 3M Open, and Sanderson Farms. Katherine Way continues to hold the contract with CBS Sports for Womenswear and 17-Time Dottie Pepper wearing her product on and off the course.

Way and her partner sold Katherine Way Collections in August 2022.

Way is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and after a successful corporate career in brand development launching products for Fortune 500 companies, developing consumer strategic branding including Turner Broadcasting System, Great American Cookies, Mrs. Fields, The Honey Baked Ham, The BAE Systems/Safariland Group, and Natural Life.

Katherine serves on several boards including Lifework Leadership, Cup of Job and Legacy Trust Family Wealth all located in Jacksonville, FL.

Charles Johnston

Charles Johnston

Vice President

Charles Johnston is an accomplished digital marketing expert with a passion for helping businesses grow and thrive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. As the founder and owner of HeartWired Digital Solutions, Charles brings over a decade of experience in digital marketing strategy, website design and development, SEO, PPC, and social media marketing to his clients.

In addition to his work at HeartWired Digital Solutions, Charles is an active member of the digital marketing community and a sought-after speaker on topics ranging from website design and development to social media marketing and SEO. He is committed to staying on the cutting edge of digital marketing best practices and regularly attends industry conferences and seminars to continue his education and expand his skill set. He also is a consultant, board chair, and advisor for several nonprofit organizations.

After being involved in the new Girls of Virtue website project and having the opportunity to witness firsthand the mission and heart of its founder. Charles felt compelled to continue his service on the Girls of Virtue board and be a part of the generational change that we are creating for the future generations.

Samantha and Andrew

Samantha and Andrew

Co-Vice President

Samantha and Andrew serve on the executive board as joint Vice President. They have three wonderful children that bring all the joy and challenges that life has to offer. Samantha is currently an operating room nurse, while she attends the University of Florida to complete her Bachelors of Science Nursing degree and continue her education in whatever path God leaders her down next. Andrew is a financial officer for a commercial development company, with a Bachelors from High Point University. Aside from spending most days at youth sporting events and doing loads of homework, they have a love for food, health and wellness, and most anything outdoor activity related. They have a passion for serving others and giving back to the community in their spare time. Being apart of Girls of Virtue has been something they have prayed over with Della from the beginning. “Our mission is to ensure that we support Della, Girls of Virtue and it’s values, and most importantly, the young women in our community. To provide our next generation of women with the tool and resources to navigate this crazy world. To be strong and successful in all aspects of life, centered around God’s word”.

Adam B. Edgecombe

Adam B. Edgecombe

Governance Board Chair

Adam B. Edgecombe is a partner with Cobb Gonzalez, PA, practicing commercial and business litigation,with a focus on construction law.

Adam is a proud (almost) native of Jacksonville, having lived here for over 40 years. He grew up in the San Jose neighborhood and graduated from The Bolles School, where he attended from kindergarten through 12 th grade, and he also holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Florida. Adam received his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2009, where he graduated in the top 12% of his class and was a member of editorial board of the Florida Coastal Law Review.

In 2021, Adam was appointed by the mayor to the City of Jacksonville’s Public Nuisance Abatement Board, a quasi-judicial board that handles problematic commercial properties within the City of Jacksonville. Adam currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Public Nuisance Abatement Board. Adam is also a longtime member and supporter of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, having served on its ImpactJax board for several years and currently sitting on the board for the Chamber’s Downtown Council. Adam, his wife Laura Phillips Edgecombe, and their son reside in Jacksonville’s Miramar neighborhood.

Adam was excited to join Girls of Virtue due to his background as a former teacher in the Duval County Public Schools system. He has observed firsthand the challenges many of Jacksonville’s youths face in navigating life and the transition to adulthood. That experience, coupled with an upbringing where service, volunteering, and helping those less fortunate than himself were emphasized, has motivated him to give his time to Girls of Virtue and support its mission.

Sandy Durham, LMHC

Sandy Durham, LMHC

Board Member

My name is Sandy Durham and I provide Mental Health support for Girls of Virtue. I have the honor and privilege to provide mental classes in local high schools and on the Empowerment center. Joining the team has been a blessing because Girls of Virtue and its founder, Della Sellers, embodies the vision I have on both professional and personal levels.

I wear many hats in addition to being a board member for our organization. It has been an honor to be the mom of 3 amazing little humans, Amaya, Andre, and Amar’e. I’m also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private practice based in Jacksonville, Fl. In addition to supporting my community with mental health needs, I conduct current research and educate local groups, companies, and organizations on breaking the stigma related to mental health on topics such as spirituality based interventions, crisis support in the community and self-care

LaShaundra Sawyer, PMP

LaShaundra Sawyer, PMP

Board Member

With over 10 years of leadership and project management experience, LaShaundra is known for her proven record of building relationships, managing projects from formation to finalization, and building cross functional teams to meet organizational goals. LaShaundra is a Jacksonville native and a proud graduate of Ribault Senior High School and the University of Phoenix, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Project Management.

Moving to the non-profit sector in 2022, LaShaundra decided to dedicate her life to service and helping others. Professionally, she currently uses her skillset at the United Way of Northeast Florida in the Volunteer and Community Engagement department where she is connecting people, resources, and ideas to abolish racism and poverty for good.

With the support of Jesus Christ, her husband, and her 4 children LaShaundra joined Girls of Virtue in 2023. Girls of Virtue connects with her personal endeavors to empower women through “Godfidence”. Which is the confidence to know that even before the foundations of the world God has pre-ordained our steps that prepares us to walk into His purpose according to what He has called us to be. Godfidence is the imperishable foundation for women to thrive spiritually and live productive lives despite what the world has given women to carry.

Guzman Castro

Guzman Castro

Board Member

Guzman Castro is an independent Financial Planner at Wahby Financial Group in Jacksonville Beach, FL.

His deep belief that God makes us all perfectly in His image motivates Guzman to confidently, carefully, and humbly guide his clients in improving their financial paths. He believes that nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.  He proves he cares about each of his clients by taking the time with each client to understand, clarify, and prioritize THEIR financial goals; whether the primary goal is to minimize taxation and efficiently manage generational wealth or getting on the right side of retirement goals.

He is an actively engaged resident of Jacksonville Beach Community where he lives with his wife Jenny Castro (aka. Best Banker in Town) and four children.  He remains actively engaged in his community through the Oceanside Rotary (whom, among many things, funded the Atlantic Beach Skate Park.) and Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce-Beaches Division. He also volunteers with organizations such as Beaches Habitat, BEAM, the USO, Beaches Boys and Girls Club, Beaches Community Kitchen, etc.

Fun facts you may not know about Guzman:

  • He was born in Uruguay as the youngest of three kids.
  • His family was transferred to Miami in 1975 (he was one) by his father’s employer
  • At the age of four he won the “Macho Man Contest” at his daycare (in Miami where he grew up), ironically by wearing a rather glamourous costume and performing a dance as if nobody was watching.
  • In the third grade he crushed vocals at the Talent Show singing a song about Uruguay’s national soccer team winning the South American championship
  • At his all-boys high school he Chaired the Spirit Committee and was the 1st Chair Alto Saxophone player in the non-marching band. He also captained the Soccer Team and was the leading goal scorer in Miami-Dade County his senior year, and recently inducted into his high school Athletic Hall of Fame due to his high school soccer performance.
  • He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree (in Graphic Design) from Drexel University while on a 4-year Division 1 soccer scholarship.
  • After college, he backpacked alone through western Europe and Scandinavia for four months.
  • Then he spent 18 years in the wine industry where he started two distributors (Miami and Chicago), a national importer and a brand development division that created the 2nd largest brand from Argentina in the USA within 3 years of launch; and landing distribution agreements for said brand in Iceland, Singapore, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
  • Two time recipient (Florida and North Carolina) of the “National Businessman of the Year Award” by the National Republican Congressional Committee
  • He remains active playing soccer, golf, RV’ing and fishing