Inspiring Women of Health  

Since 2021, the Health Foundation of South Florida has been recognizing Inspiring Women of Health for their outstanding contributions to community well-being in South Florida.

Each year, the Foundation is pleased to  acknowledge and celebrate women leaders from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties, shining a spotlight on their exceptional advocacy, activism, and innovative strategies to address health disparities. These remarkable women epitomize the unwavering commitment to achieving health equity, showcasing the belief that positive transformation is attainable for everyone.

Inspiring Women of Health emphasizes the diverse and impactful stories of past winners, offering a comprehensive view of the spectrum of individuals that have a healthier and more vibrant world. Please see highlights below from previous years !

2021 Honorees

Gretchen Beesing
Chief Executive Officer
Catalyst Miami

 

Courtnee M. Biscardi
Executive Vice President
Urban League of Broward County / Central County Community Development Corporation

Tina L. Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Overtown Youth Center

Constance Collins
President & Executive Director
Lotus House Women’s Shelter

Santra Denis
Executive Director
Miami Workers Center

Rosalyn Frazier
Chief Executive Officer
Broward Community & Family Health Centers

Dr. Deborah George
Executive Vice President & Chief Dental Officer
Jessie Trice Community Health System

Dr. Deborah George
Executive Vice President & Chief Dental Officer
Jessie Trice Community Health System

Jennifer Goldman
Chief of Primary Care
Memorial Healthcare System

Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor
Miami-Dade County

Annie Lord
Executive Director
Miami Homes For All

Sandy Lozano-Barry
Executive Director
Light of the World Clinic

 

Arianna Nesbitt
Chief Executive Officer
Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition

Susan Nyamora
President/CEO
South Florida Wellness Network, Inc. Recovery Community Organization

Susan Racher
NAMI Miami-Dade
President & Thriving Mind South Florida, Director, and Chair-Strategic Planning Committee

Nan Rich
Broward County Commissioner
District 1

Kerry-Ann Royes
President and CEO
YWCA South Florida

Monica Vigues-Pitan
Executive Director
Legal Services of Greater Miami

Sandra Veszi Einhorn
Executive Director of Coordinating
Council Broward and the Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward

Yesenia Villalta
Administrator/Health Officer
Florida Department of Health Miami-Dade County

Debbie Wasserman Schultz
US Representative

Alison Yager
Executive Director
Florida Health Justice Project

2022 Honorees

Kate Banick 
Executive Director
Good Health Clinic

Leah Carpenter 
Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer
Memorial Healthcare System

Melissa Dunn 
Vice Mayor
City of Lauderhill

Miriam Harmatz
Director of Advocacy & Founder
Florida Health Justice Project

Farzanna S. Haffizulla 
Chair
Department of Internal Medicine Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Cheryl Holder 
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity,Inclusivity & Community Initiatives
Florida International University

 Andrea Iglesias 
CEO/Executive Director
Urban Health Partnerships

Thamara Labrousse 
Program Director
Live Healthy Miami Gardens

Laura Naredo 
Senior VP & Chief Operating Officer
Thriving Mind South Florida

Claudia Navarro 
Co-Executive Director
WeCount!

Joanne Ruggiero 
CEO
Holtz Children’s Hospital

Rose Valcin 
President
Haitian American Nurses Association

2023 Honorees

Angela Aracena
Vice President
Adult Day Services at Easterseals South Florida

Nina Beauchesne
Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer
Memorial Healthcare System

Maribel Feliciano
Assistant Director
Office of Economic and Small Business for Broward County

Dr. Melanie Geddes
President and Chief Executive Officer
LifeNet4Familes

Dr. Lisa Gwynn
Medical director
Uhealth Pediatric Mobile Clinic and the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation School Health Initiative

Andrea Ivory
Founder and Executive Director
Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative

Nicole Marriott
President and CEO
Health Council of South Florida

Dr. Rosalind Osgood
President and CEO
State Senator/Mount Olive Development Corporation

Silvia Quintana
CEO
Broward Behavioral Health Coalition

Maya Ragsdale
Founder and Executive Director
Beyond the Bars

Cali Roberts
Executive Director
Womankind Key West

Dr. M Sandra Severe
Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
Jackson North Medical Center

Dr. Sara Turpel
Dean and Nursing Administrator a
Broward College

2024 Honorees

Kathleen Cannon 
President & CEO
United Way of Broward County

Dr. Tina Carroll-Scott 
Medical Director
South Miami Children’s Clinic

Barbara S. Effman, MPH 
Chair Broward
Regional Health Planning Council

Dr. Marie O. Etienne 
President
Florida Nurses Association

Monica Figueroa King 
Chief Executive Officer
Broward Healthy Start Coalition

Christine Frederick 
CEO
FLITE Center

Valencia “Vee” Gunder 
Co-Director
The Smile Trust

Anna Hoo, RN 
Director of Women’s Services
Jackson Health Systems North Medical Center

Charlotte Mather-Taylor
Chief Executive Officer
Area Agency on Aging of Broward County

Adriene McCoy 
Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer
Baptist Health South Florida

Brigitte Montes 
Director
Leon Home Medical

Tammy Tucker, Psy.D. 
Vice President
Behavioral Health Memorial Healthcare System