Gigi Zilo ’26 Honored with the 2024 Boca Chamber Pearl Award

Angelina “Gigi” Zilo ’26 was named the 2024 Pearl Award recipient at the 2024 DIAMOND Award Luncheon hosted at the Boca Raton Marriott on Friday, February 16. The Pearl Award is an honor given to a young woman who is a graduate of the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA). Gigi was honored alongside Jennifer Jolly, General Manager and COO of Boca Grove, who was the 2024 recipient of the DIAMOND Award.

Gigi’s entrepreneurial spirit began in Lebanon at the age of five when she began picking gardenias from her grandfather’s garden to create face mists for her family and friends. Other innovative businesses included selling bracelets, raising money for the Malalala Foundation, and creating slime, to name a few. Gigi and her sister, Melania ’19, moved back to Boca Raton when Gigi was starting fourth grade. 

On August 4, 2020, the Beiruit port explosion upended her family’s world. Gigi was heartbroken for all that her Lebanese family members were going through but did not lose hope. Out of this tragedy, she and her cousin co-founded Cali’s Angels. Cali's Angels, a female-owned retail business that celebrates femininity, strength, and beauty. The business offers a wide range of handcrafted products that promote self-care, confidence, and empowerment. During Gigi’s speech, she explained her reasoning behind why she continues to be so passionate about her business. “We want to inspire little girls from the Middle East, just like us, to know that their dreams matter too. I want to be the inspiration that I wish I had when I was younger growing up in America.”

Saint Andrew’s School is proud that Gigi was recognized for her game-changing attributes by the Chamber of Greater Boca Raton and looks forward to seeing her thrive as an entrepreneur. 

Click here to watch Gigi's speech.