In the Company of Women Awards

Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, in partnership with the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade and the Miami-Dade Commission for Women announce the winners of the 2024 In the Company of Women Awards, presented by Amerant Bank:

Mayor’s Pioneer Award:
Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, President and CEO, The Miami Foundation
Johanna Cervone, Chief of Staff, Office of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor’s Pioneer Award (Posthumous)
Jeannett Slesnick, Philanthropist, Realtor, Slesnick & Jochem
Arts and Entertainment Award:
Sandy Dorsainvil, Producer, Sounds of Little Haiti
Business and Economics Award:
Carolyn D. Donaldson, President & CEO, CMS Global Investments LLC
Communications and Literature Award:
Teri Arvesu Gonzalez, Senior Vice President of Social Impact & Sustainability, Televisa Univision; President, Univision Foundation
Communications and Literature Award (Posthumous)
Georgia Tasker, Journalist and Author
Education and Research Award:
Zinzi Bailey, Social Epidemiologist and Voluntary Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; and Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota
Government and Law Award – Elected:
Honorable Raquel A. Regalado, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 7
Government and Law Award – Non-elected:
Stephanie V. Daniels, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department
Health and Human Services Award:
Joanne Ruggiero, MSN, MA, NE-BC, CMSRN, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Holtz Children’s Hospital and The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial
Science and Technology Award:
Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Sciences
Sports and Athletics Award:
Jennifer Alvarez, Senior Vice President of Brand and Chief Creative Officer, Miami HEAT + Kaseya Center
Young Professional Award:
Marry Vuong, Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Community Spirit Award:
Honorable Marleine Bastien, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 2

Winners will be honored during the awards ceremony and dinner on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the Rusty Pelican, 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, FL, in honor of International Women’s Day and National Women’s History Month. Tickets will go on sale soon.

Join us as we celebrate these amazing women and recognize their contributions to this community!

In the Company of Women, presented by Amerant Bank, is made possible by the support of generous sponsors including Amerant Bank, Office of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Chairman Oliver Gilbert, III, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastien - District 2, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado - District 7, The Miami Foundation, Florida International University, Jackson Health System, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin M. Cabrera, District 6, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Senator Rene Garcia, District 13, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez, District 11, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, District 8, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kionne McGhee, District 9, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Micky Steinberg, District 4, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, District 12, Carnival Cruise Line, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, District 5, PortMiami, Miami-Dade County Vice Chairman Anthony Rodriguez, District 10, Univision Network, Zoo Miami, Brightline, Grove Bank & Trust, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, University of Miami, FCC Environmental Services, Florida Power & Light, Miami Marlins, United Way of Miami, Bacardi, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida and Guitars Over Guns.

Be a part of this special celebration by becoming a sponsor. For more information, email [email protected] or download the Sponsorship Brochure.
The In the Company of Women Award, celebrates women, Women's History Month, and Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department, the third largest parks system in the United States. Created in 1989 to promote community during a time when Miami-Dade County was experiencing significant transformations, the award was meant to bring our diverse community together. Local legends, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Yvonne Santa Maria, Athalie Range, Elizabeth Virrick and Alice Wainwright received the Pioneer Award, and were recognized for the role they played in paving new paths for women. During that inaugural event, Ann Bishop, Cheryl Brownstein-Santiago, Gloria Estefan, Gill Freeman, Carrie Meek, Queen Chiku N'gozi, Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin, Maria Elvira Salazar, and Pam Saulsby became the first set of honorees because of their professional development, contribution to women's progress and service to the community.

Today, In the Company of Women continues the legacy of honoring Miami-Dade County's most amazing women. While we celebrate these leaders during the awards ceremony, we also highlight the work and contributions of The Women's Park – a Miami-Dade Park which was created to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women who helped to improve our community's quality of life. It is the first park in the nation of its kind. In the early 1990s, pioneer feminist Roxcy O'Neal Bolton created a coalition of women leaders, including former Superintendent of Miami-Dade Parks, Silvia M. Unzueta, to lead the charge. The park was created in June 1992 with the help from the late Stephen Clark, former Miami-Dade Mayor and with the support of the Board of County Commissioners. The Women's Park stands as a result of the dynamic interaction of these diverse community leaders.
2023 Winners
- Mayor’s Pioneer Award - Retha Boone-Fye, Program Director, Miami Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board Rachel Silverstein, PhD, Executive Director and Waterkeeper, Miami Waterkeeper
- Arts and Entertainment Award - Alexandra Lioutikoff, President, Latin America and U.S. Latin, Universal Music Publishing Group
- Business and Economics Award - Pilar Guzman Zavala, CEO, Half Moon Empanadas
- Communications and Literature Award - Gayle R. Love, Senior Division Director, Public Information and Outreach Division, Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management
- Education and Research Award - Dr. Jennifer S. Durocher, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics; Director, University of Miami Center for Autism & Related Disabilities
- Government and Law Award – Elected - Danielle Cohen Higgins, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 8, Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners
- Government and Law Award – Non-elected - Aileen Bouclé, AICP, Executive Director, Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization Hydi Webb, Port Director & CEO, Port of Miami
- Health and Human Services Award - Alexandra Villoch, CEO, Baptist Health Foundation
- Science and Technology Award - Melissa Medina, Founding Executive and President, eMerge Americas
- Sports and Athletics Award - Kim Ng, General Manager, Miami Marlins
- Young Professional Award - Angelica Santibañez, Community Engagement, Public Policy Senior Manager, Amazon
- Community Spirit Award - Honorable Denise Lane, Founder/President, Sisters in Spirit of South Florida, Inc.
- Lifetime Achievement Award - Silvia Unzueta, former Deputy Director of the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department and founder of The Women’s Park and the In the Company of Women Awards
2022 Winners
- Mayor’s Pioneer Award – Penny S. Shaffer, PhD, Market President, South Florida, Florida Blue
- Arts and Entertainment Award – Marjorie Hahn, Musical & Executive Director, South Florida Youth Symphony
- Business and Economics Award – My “Maggie” Vo, CFA, Managing General Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Fuel Venture Capital
- Communications and Literature Award – Nancy Ancrum, Editorial Page Editor, Miami Herald
- Education and Research Award – Caroline A. Lewis, Founder & Senior Climate Advisor, The Cleo Institute
- Government and Law Award – Elected – Honorable Eileen Higgins, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 5
- Government and Law Award – Non-elected – Darlene M. Fernandez, P.E., Assistant Director of Traffic Services, Traffic Signals and Signs Division,
- Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
- Health and Human Services Award – Loreen Chant, President and Chief Executive Officer, Health Foundation of South Florida
- Science and Technology Award – Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, PhD, Director, John P. Hussman for Human Genomics and Executive Vice Chair, Dr. John
- T. Macdonald Foundation, Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami
- Sports and Athletics Award – Caroline O’Connor, Chief Operating Officer, Miami Marlins
- Young Professional Award – Loren Parra, Director of Public Affairs, The Miami Foundation
- Community Spirit Award – Kerry-Ann Royes, CEO, YWCA South Florida
2020 Winners
- Mayor's Pioneer Award - Darlene Boytell-Pérez, ARNP, Co-Founder, Pérez Art Museum Miami
- Arts and Entertainment Award - Maria Banda-Rodaz, Executive Director, Area Stage Company
- Business and Economics Award - Nancy Batchelor, Sr. Vice President, EWM Realty International
- Communications and Literature Award - Griselle Marino, Communications and Media Director, Office of Community Advocacy, Board of County Commissioners
- Education and Research Award - Suzanna M. Rose, Ph.D., Founding Associate Provost, Office to Advance Women, Equity & Diversity (AWED), Florida International University
- Government and Law - Elected Official Award - Honorable Jeanette M. Nuñez, Lieutenant Governor, State of Florida
- Government and Law - Non-Elected Award - Christina White, Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections
- Health and Human Services Award - Ana ''Teri''Busse-Arvesu, Elderly and Disability Services, Miami-Dade County Community Action and Human Services Department
- Science and Technology Award - Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh, Ph.D., Professor and founding director of the Biomolecular Sciences Institute and the Translational Molecular Discoveries program, Florida International University
- Sports and Athletics Award - Kerry Gruson, Co-founder and co-chair, ThumbsUp International
- Young Professional Award - Claudia Prado, National Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Empowerment, Univision Communications Inc.
- Community Spirit Award - Honorable Marie P. Woodson, Florida Representative, District 101, Miami-Dade County Administrator (retired), and former Chair of the Miami-Dade Commission for Women
2019 Winners
- Mayor’s Pioneer – Barbara Falsey, Ph.D, Retired Miami-Dade County Division Chief and Planner; author, editor, and architecture critic
- Mayor's Community Spirit – Ana VeigaMilton, Esq., President, Jose Milton Foundation
- Arts and Entertainment – Colleen Stovall, Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Florida Shakespeare Theater
- Business and Economics – Janet Kyle Altman, Marketing Principal, Kaufman Rossin
- Communications and Literature – Lissette Gonzalez, Meteorologist, CBS4
- Rising Star Community Spirit – Sabrina Cohen, Founder-President, Sabrina Cohen Foundation
- Education and Research – Ora L. Strickland, Ph.D., MSN, RN, FAAN, Dean, FIU College of Nursing & Health and Sciences
- Government and Law (Elected Official) – Honorable Ana Maria Rodriguez, Representative, Florida House of Representatives, District 105
- Government and Law (Non-Elected) –
  - Delma K. Noel-Pratt, Chief, City of Miami Gardens Police Department
  - Susan R. Windmiller, Government Affairs Analyst, Miami-Dade Police Department
- Health and Human Services – Rochelle A. Baer, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Director of Leadership Training Initiatives, Mailman Center for Child Development, UM Miller School of Medicine
- Science and Technology –
  - Ranu Jung, Ph. D., Wallace H. Coulter Eminent Scholar Chair in Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University College of Engineering and Computing
  - Tatjana Rundek, M.D. Ph.D., Scientific Director of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute and Evelyn F. McKnight Chair for Learning and Memory in Aging at the UM Miller School of Medicine
- Sports and Athletics – Isabella Rojas, Founder of Doña Pan (women’s cycling group) and Purchasing Manager, No Boundaries Sport, Coral Gables
- Young Professional – Maxeme Tuchman, CEO & Co-Founder, Caribu Inc.
2018
- Mayor's Pioneer – Honorable Enid Weisman, Mayor, City of Aventura
- Arts & Entertainment – Silvia Cubiñá, Director and Chief Curator, The Bass Museum of Art
- Business & Economics – Lakitsia Gaines, President, Lakitsia Gaines Insurance Agency, Inc.
- Communications & Literature – Sandra Peebles, Anchor & Broadcast Journalist, Univision 23
- Education and Research – Joanna Lombard, Architect/Professor, University of Miami School of Architecture; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Public Health Sciences
- Government and Law (Elected Official) – Honorable Shelley Kravitz (Aug. 9, 1953 - Jan. 2, 2018), Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge, County Civil Division
- Government and Law (Non-Elected) – Aliette DelPozo Rodz, Litigation Attorney/Partner, Shutts & Bowen LLP
- Health and Human Services – two winners: Catherimarty (Cathy) Burgos, LCSW Division Director of Operations, Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department; and Dr. Giselle Guerra, Medical Director of Transplant Services and Living Donor Kidney Program, Miami Transplant Institute; Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
- Science & Technology – Veronique Koch, Producer/Filmmaker, Vero Productions/South Florida PBS/Frost Science Museum
- Sports & Athletics – Caron B. Schiffman, Physical Education Instructor/Coach, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School
- Young Professional (New) – Honorable Patricia D. Fairclough, Vice Mayor, City of Homestead
- Community Spirit – Marile Lopez, Philanthropist, Miami Children's Hospital Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross and others
2017
- Mayor's Pioneer - Carol Kruse, director, Zoo Miami
- Arts & Entertainment - Nannette Zapata, COO and art curator, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
- Business & Economics Patricia Nelson, regional head of strategic accounts, AvMed
- Education and Research - Dr. Lenore Rodicio, executive vice president and provost, Miami-Dade College
- Government and Law (Elected Official) Honorable Nushin Sayfie, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court judge, Criminal Division; and Honorable Angelica Zayas, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court judge, Juvenile Division
- Government and Law (Non-Elected) - Dr. Emma Lew, director and Medical Examiner, Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department
- Health and Human Services - Annie Neasman, MS, RN, president and CEO, Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Inc.
- Science & Technology - Dr. Yesim Darici, director, FIU Center for Women's and Gender Studies
- Sports & Athletics - Leslie Nixon, J.D., Ed.D., director, Government and Community Affairs, Miami Dolphins LTD/Miami Dolphins Foundation.
- Posthumous - Julie Kay, journalist, Daily Business Review
- Community Spirit - Maria M. Blet, chair of the Women's Leadership Council, United Way Worldwide / United Way of Miami-Dade
List of all past winners