TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — March is National Women’s History Month, and WFLA is celebrating some of the most remarkable women in the Tampa Bay region. A panel of judges selected four finalists from nearly 200 essays written by people who know and admire them.
The first finalist we’re highlighting is Judy Cornett. She was nominated by a long-time friend who says Judy’s strength and dedication as a child advocate is nothing short of remarkable.
Judy is the founder of Safety Zone Advocacy. The nonprofit is dedicated to the education, prevention and intervention of sex crimes against children.
Judy founded Safety Zone Advocacy in 2005. Every year, her organization holds dozens of safety training programs in communities across Tampa Bay. The goal of the interactive programs held at parks is to empower parents and children by giving them the necessary tools to help stop bullying, abuse, assaults and abductions.
“So here’s one of the ID kits we give the families,” said Judy, holding a pamphlet as she set up for a Safety Zone program.
She also created the program ‘Predator Patrol’ where volunteers on their motorcycles visit Tampa Bay neighborhoods to inform families of the registered sexual offenders living nearby. As part of this same program, Judy and her volunteers also take kids to events and give out presets during the holidays in an effort to ensure children that they are loved and supported.
Judy’s passion for protecting the most vulnerable is very personal. Her son survived the unimaginable at just 11 years old. In 1992, he was kidnapped while riding his bike, assaulted and left for dead at the side of a Tampa road.
Judy says he has struggled his whole life with what happened that day and so has she. But through the heartache and the trauma, Judy found the strength to fight for her son and fight for justice.
“Every day I had to get refueled, I had to look at my baby and see how his life had changed and that gave me the motivation,” said Judy.
The motivation to go through countless court hearings and fight to put her son’s abuser behind bars wasn’t easy. Judy knew nothing about the legal system, but she juggled a full-time job with taking care of her two sons and learning everything she could about the court process to achieve justice.
Predator Patrol volunteers hand out Christmas gifts in a Tampa Bay neighborhood. 
Judy and Predator Patrol volunteers at an educational event.
“I got him off the streets. It took a long time but I had to learn how to do it. I had to learn how to fight the system, I had to learn the laws,” she said.
Judy took what she had learned and passed it down to other families going through the same nightmare, traveling across the country to advocate for families in high-profile abuse and murder cases. To this day, she has remained committed to pushing for longer sentences for sexual predators and offenders.
“We’re responsible for 21-plus sex offenders being arrested,” said Judy.
Safety Zone Advocacy operates solely on donations and dozens of volunteers who share Judy’s passion for protecting children.
Lori Ladelfa is one of those volunteers and says Judy’s compassion and dedication to empowering families is helping make our world a safer place.
“That’s why her organization is so big. She is – she has inspired a lot of parents, children. I mean, everyone in the community really, really looks up to her and she’s inspired lots,” said Lori. “The way she deals with people, her strength, her courage, her friendliness, her determination, her passion for justice, really.”
Judy’s wish is to expand Safety Zone Advocacy beyond Florida and help families everywhere fight for justice, always in honor of her son and other children who suffered abuse.
“If I can just spread some positive to change somebody’s life, I needed that back in the day when I was struggling and I had to find it by myself and I don’t want people to have to do that. I want them to have somebody there that’s there to help them,” said Judy.
Judy’s passion to pay it forward makes her a remarkable woman.
