Morgan Pressel grew up in Boca Raton and has left an indelible mark on the community through her philanthropic efforts.
The 35-year-old former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour turned commentator earned over $8 million on the pro circuit.
Through the Morgan Pressel Foundation and her annual golf tournament Morgan and Friends, her foundation has raised in excess of $11.5 million to support breast cancer initiatives in South Florida in honor of her late mother.
“When I was 18, I started fundraising for breast cancer,” said Pressel, who at age 15 lost her mother Kathryn Krickstein to breast cancer. “I was barely out of high school, and I dreamed big. I wanted to help people.”
During the past 17 years, Pressel has received support from her peers on the LPGA Tour who donate their time, sponsors and the community of St. Andrew’s.
“It’s been amazing,” said Pressel, who will be the featured speaker as part of the Impact 100 Palm Beach County Speaker Series on Nov. 29 at BRIC Presentation Hall in Boca Raton. “I am so incredibly thankful for the tremendous support, especially from my St. Andrew’s family who really kicked it off 17 years ago.
“We are a very small organization, we have one employee that’s not me,” Pressel said. “It has been quite the roller coaster. We have been through a lot of things with the foundation; of course, COVID took a toll on lots of charitable endeavors and the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. We have been able to grow with the support of Boca Raton Regional Hospital as our primary beneficiary. They have really made an impact with women in South Florida.”
The Impact 100 Palm Beach County Speaker Series is a showcase featuring three leading women who have built impressive careers while prioritizing the importance of commitment to their community.
The Speaker Series will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Nov. 29, Jan. 17 and Feb. 20 at BRIC Presentation Hall, 5000 T-Rex Ave., in Boca Raton. In addition to Pressel, Dr. Kathy Schilling, a renowned board-certified diagnostic radiologist specializing in breast imaging will speak on Jan. 17, followed up by Ashley Whittaker, a distinguished interior designer based in New York on Feb. 20.
The events are free and open to everyone.
Impact 100 Palm Beach County connects, engages and inspires women to improve the community by collectively funding multiple $100,000 grants to nonprofits that implement high-impact initiatives in southern Palm Beach County. The Women of Impact 100 PBC has given over $6 million to the community since its inception in 2011.
Pressel has always broken barriers, playing 16 years on the professional tour before becoming a TV golf analyst. In 2001, she became the youngest woman to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open as a 12-year-old; in 2005, she won the US Women’s Amateur and was runner-up at the US Women’s Open.
She also captured three individual FHSAA Class 1A state championships while at St. Andrew’s from 2003-05.
In 2010, the Kathryn Krickstein Pressel Mammovan, under the direction of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital, became a reality. The travels throughout Palm Beach County provide affordable breast exams and health care to those who might not otherwise receive it.
“I have had a unique opportunity through the game of golf and the platform that I have had as a professional golfer to tell my story to just about anyone who will listen,” Pressel said. “Nothing should ever come in the way of taking care of your health, and this is a reminder…I know my name is on the foundation, but it really is a whole team of people who come together, and they believe in the work that we are doing as a foundation.
“There are a lot of people who knew my mother, and this is the 20th year since she passed,” Pressel said. “There are people that really believe in our dream that we are making a reality to help women detect breast cancer in South Florida and around the state.”
Pressel said she is looking forward to the event.
“Our Impact Talks Series reflects our commitment to uniting women and fostering positive change in our community,” said Jeannine Morris, co-president of Impact 100 Palm Beach County. “The journeys our esteemed speakers will share are a testament to the profound difference individuals can make when they are dedicated to creating meaningful impact.”
Added Pressel: “The LPGA family is incredibly philanthropic in giving and caring. I am so grateful, and the pros make it such a special event. Our guests really enjoy the interaction and especially the LPGA pros are so approachable. They are fun and really engaging. I am so grateful for their friendship and who they are as people. They are caring, giving people even more so than fabulous golfers.”
Visit impact100pbc.org.
