Emma Frost ’17 has always embraced new challenges with confidence. From the softball field to the family business and now the world of construction, she continues to build a career that reflects both her resilience and her drive to lead.
Alumni Update: Emma
For Emma Frost ’17, Carrollwood Day School was more than just a place to learn, it was home. A "lifer" who attended CDS from toddlers to 12th grade, Emma looks back on her years here with gratitude. A student-athlete on both the varsity softball and soccer teams, she embraced every opportunity to learn and grow within CDS’s close-knit community.
"As a lifer, my overall experience at CDS was invaluable. CDS truly created a supportive and family-like culture, where the teachers and staff wanted each student to succeed not only at CDS but also in their future endeavors."
After graduation, Emma continued her athletic career at Florida International University, playing Division I softball while pursuing a degree in business administration and management. Following her junior year, she made the decision to step away from collegiate athletics and transferred to the University of South Florida, where she completed her degree in 2021.
Reflecting on the skills that helped her through both college and her career, Emma credits the foundation she built at CDS.
“CDS provided me with numerous valuable tools that helped me succeed as a Student-Athlete in college and in my career. The importance of time management, organization, study skills, and attention to detail are elements that set me apart from the rest.”
Her career path began in the family business. For forty years, the Frost family owned and managed McDonald’s franchises, and Emma stepped into the McDonald’s Next Generation Program—a fast-track leadership program preparing future owner-operators. Though her family sold the restaurants in 2023, she stayed on for a time before deciding to reimagine her future.
That decision led her to Stansell Properties and Development, a commercial construction company specializing in fast food builds and remodels. She joined as a human resources specialist, gaining experience in a new field while staying connected to the world she grew up in. By 2025, she took another step forward, becoming a partner in her family’s new venture, Frost Leadership, LLC, while also beginning a role as a project manager with Elite Construction Services.
Now, Emma is leading residential construction projects, including a development in Seminole, and preparing to take the NASCLA exam to earn her general contractor’s license. Her motivation is clear. Because there are so few female-owned contractor companies in Florida, she wants to change that.
While Emma is focused on building her career today, she continues to look back on her time at CDS as some of her most treasured years, especially the moments she shared as a student-athlete alongside her teammates.
“I have nothing but great memories throughout my time at CDS. However, my favorite memories stem from my time as a student-athlete. From all the teammates I had on the softball or soccer field, to the great coaches who supported me, I wouldn't trade those times for anything.”
She fondly recalls the days spent at Coach Woodrich’s home for “Day at the Lake,” an annual tradition she always looked forward to. Coach Woodrich’s warmth and positivity left a lasting impression, and while she is deeply missed by many, the memories created during those gatherings remain a source of gratitude.
Today, Emma is carving out a career that blends her business background, her construction experience, and her drive to lead. Just as she once did on the field, she continues to push boundaries, embracing new challenges with the skills and confidence she developed at CDS.
We love sharing our CDS alumni achievements and are delighted to share Emma's updates with the alumni community. If you are a CDS Alumni and would like to share your accomplishments, please contact our Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Carli Gauthier Mianne '16 at cmianne@cdspatriots.org and let us know what you have been up to since leaving CDS. We look forward to hearing from you!