Our first-ever Inspiring Women of Health!

If the last year challenged us beyond measure and broke our collective hearts, it was also the year that served up much-needed promise and hope. As the world watched America elect its first woman Vice President, and as Miami-Dade followed suit by electing its first woman Mayor, we understood a groundbreaking shift was happening right before our eyes. Never have there been so many smart, inspired women taking charge—ascending as leaders, from the White House to City Hall, the corner office to the community clinic.

In the health world, where we as a foundation live, it’s happening too. Nearly 80 percent of all healthcare workers are women, and 83 percent of those who provide social support services are women too. It’s a dynamic we know well: this year we announced the appointment of our own first female President and CEO, Loreen Chant, along with our first Black, Latina Board Chair, Melida Akiti, who also serves as Vice President of Ambulatory and Community Services at Memorial Healthcare System.

Now, as our community finally begins to turn the corner thanks to promising vaccine news, we wanted to celebrate the South Florida women who, long before the coronavirus pandemic, have worked tirelessly, across industries and sectors, to make sure everyone in our community has the opportunity to live a healthy life.

So as Women’s History Month draws to a close this week, we present our first-ever edition of South Florida Inspiring Women of Health, spotlighting 20 Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe county women whose passion and dedication to the health of our region is nothing short of inspiring.

MEET OUR HONOREES…

GRETCHEN BEESING
Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Miami

Why she inspires us Because she understands there’s no health without wealth, and vice versa. As the leader of Catalyst Miami, a nonprofit that provides coaching and tools for families in low-wealth communities to meet basic needs, Beesing has helped thousands of people in our community access the healthcare they need. But beyond that, Beesing understands it’s the systems and policies that need to be addressed and her work advocating for change in both has been instrumental in our region. “We know that without the ability to be and stay healthy,” she says, “none of us would be able to thrive.”

COURTNEE M. BISCARDI
Executive Vice President of Urban League of Broward County / Central County Community Development Corporation

Why she inspires us Biscardi has dedicated her entire professional career to the nonprofit human service field. She brings passion, experience and resolve to the Urban League of Broward County, where she’s been instrumental to drumming up partnerships and awareness around the organization’s more than 20 primary programs and services, largely focused on education, jobs, housing and health. “I make a difference in ensuring a healthier community by creating access to financial and technical resources that aim to level the playing field for Broward’s most vulnerable small businesses and families,” Biscardi said. “Our team works to ensure that access meets opportunity every day for the people we serve.”

TINA L. BROWN
Chief Executive Officer of the Overtown Youth Center

Why she inspires us In normal times, Brown’s organization is all about supporting kids and families with after school, education and enrichment programs. But when the pandemic hit, she didn’t skip a beat and pivoted to exactly where her community needed her most: the beloved youth center began serving over 4,0000 meals a month to struggling families and people. They also partnered with the Marlins Foundation to bring a COVID-19 testing site to Overtown and, most recently, launched a pop-up vaccination site. “We’re committed to bridging, educational, social, emotional, health and economic gaps,” Brown says. “Throughout the course of this pandemic, our team of dedicated staff shifted to ensure that safety, health and wellness were the top priorities.”

CONSTANCE COLLINS
President & Executive Director of Lotus House Women’s Shelter

Why she inspires us As if leading South Florida’s largest women’s shelter wasn’t already a towering feat, Collins and her team at Lotus House outdid themselves in the face of 2020’s unthinkable challenges: throughout the pandemic, they never once shuttered their doors, instead adding beds and increasing support and resources. On any given night, some 500 women receive shelter at the Lotus house, with nearly 1,400 women and children having benefited last year alone. Not only does Lotus House provide a safe haven to women, youth and children, they also offer job training, education and the tools they need to rebuild their lives. “It’s a healing sanctuary,” Collins said. We think it’s that and so much more.        

SANTRA DENIS
Executive Director of Miami Workers Center

Why she inspires us Denis worked at the intersection of public health, social services and advocacy for years before recently taking the helm at Miami Workers Center, a frontline action center that helps vulnerable communities organize and mobilize, particularly Black and Latina women and children. She also co-founded Avanse Ansam, a Miami-Dade and Broward civic engagement organization for Haitian American Millennials. “ I work to support and develop the leadership of working-class people,” Denis said. “So they can stand up, fight back, improve their lives and the lives of their neighbors, families, and coworkers.”

ROSALYN FRAZIER
Chief Executive Officer of Broward Community & Family Health Centers

Why she inspires us Frazier is devoted to caring for the health and well-being of her community. For nearly two decades at Broward Community and Family Health Centers she has helped the organization deliver affordable quality primary care and mental health services for Broward residents. At the start of the pandemic, Frazier and the center sprung into action, serving as a testing site for all persons ages 5 and up. Meanwhile, as the world shuttered down, they continued to provide primary, behavioral and oral health services via telehealth, health screenings and interventions. And as COVID-19 vaccines became available, they immediately began administering them to the most vulnerable people. “At BCFHC, we think of ourselves as your family doctor. Our entire staff plays an active role in making a difference in the lives of the families we serve,” Frazier said. “We’re proud to be the family doctor for so many of our neighbors, especially during this critically important time for the communities we serve.”

DR. DEBORAH GEORGE
Executive Vice President & Chief Dental Officer of Jessie Trice Community Health System

Why she inspires us Dr. George makes us smile. And it’s not just because she oversees the day-to-day operation of the comprehensive dental health program for one of South Florida’s largest networks of community health clinics. It’s also because of her passion for making sure people, regardless of income or status, can access high quality healthcare and education. A Jessie Trice employee for more than 25 years, she is “deeply committed to the public’s health,” Dr. George said. “I have the privilege of working alongside esteemed oral health care providers, medical, behavioral health care providers and teams whose mission is to achieve health equity for all.”

JENNIFER GOLDMAN
Chief of Primary Care, Memorial Healthcare System 

Why she inspires us Dr. Goldman has boldly championed the idea and practice of addressing the social and economic needs of patients in a healthcare setting. Why is that important? Because unless patients have access to a safe, stable home, healthy foods, a good education and a steady job, making healthy choices is almost impossible. Those are some of the very issues tackled by a Memorial Primary Care program Dr. Goldman implemented to match patients with legal services, like help with evictions or access to economic aid. The medical-legal program, in partnership with Broward Legal Aid and funded by the Health Foundation of South Florida, is a one of the first of its kind in our region. “Primary Care is the backbone of healthcare,” she says.“ And the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we in primary care are more responsible than ever for the well-being of the communities in which we live.”

DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA
Mayor of Miami-Dade County  

Why she inspires us She’s making history at County Hall now as Miami-Dade’s first woman Mayor, but Levine Cava has focused her nearly 40-year career on helping to improve the health and well-being of South Florida. Prior to her elected office, she served children with special needs and immigrants at Legal Services Greater Miami and represented children in the child welfare system. Her background in advocacy and as founder of social services agency Catalyst Miami most certainly helped to prepare her for her new role, even as the region grappled with an unprecedented health crisis. On day one as Mayor, she appointed the County’s first-ever Chief Medical Officer and since then she has worked to increase testing, and more recently to set an aggressive schedule for vaccinating all Florida residents. Her approach in this and in everything she’s done is to help people, from all communities, by meeting them where they are. Never has this been more important than now.

ANNIE LORD
Executive Director of Miami Homes For All

Why she inspires us Why is an affordable housing advocate on a list of women in health? Because, like Lord, we know that the ability to lead a healthy life starts…at home. If you can’t afford your rent, or not enough left over after paying it to buy food or medicine, making healthy choices is virtually impossible. That’s just one of the many things that’s driven Lord, one of Miami’s most well-known housing advocates, to spend the better part of two decades in community development. “I envision a Miami where every single person has a safe, stable place to call home,” Lord said. “When we do, we dramatically increase our ability to get an education, hold down a job, and maintain our health. Our community has a long way to go, but I am relentlessly committed to this vision.”

SANDY LOZANO-BARRY
Executive Director of the Light of the World Clinic

Why she inspires us Just look at her numbers. Since 2001, when she became executive director of the Oakland Park clinic that provides free access to primary and specialty care to families across Broward, she’s expanded the number and levels of service by nearly 400 percent. Today, the clinic offers services in 16 areas of medical specialization, and has served more than 263,000 families over the years. “Our founder firmly believed that healthy families are vital to a healthy community,” Lozano-Barry said. “And I couldn’t agree more.”

ARIANNA NESBITT
Chief Executive Officer of Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition

Why she inspires us This is a woman who talks the talk and walks the walk. Not only does she lead the an organization that works with pregnant women and families with young children to keep young kids in Monroe County healthy and safe, she’s also an advocate for maternal and child health, especially the underserved—and she’s a foster mom. “From the strength of the midwives who originally delivered babies in our community to the tenacity of those women who gave birth to our Coalition, I am one in a long line of passionate women who believe that health and well-being are the birthright of all,” Nesbitt said. “This coupled with the strength and resilience of the women and families I serve steels my resolve to continue this work.” We’re just happy we get to walk alongside her.

SUSAN NYAMORA
President/CEO of South Florida Wellness Network, Inc. Recovery Community Organization

Why she inspires us As a passionate advocate for the recovery movement, Nyamora brings strength and hope to a vulnerable population that is too often overlooked. She has helped hundreds of families transition from treatment to maintenance through prevention plans, and she consistently advocates for individuals to receive services that promote self-reliance, independence and minimize homelessness and incarceration. During the year that tested us all, Nyamora recognized the people she works with everyday had critical needs that couldn’t be ignored: “Being on the front line of behavioral health challenges during a global pandemic, South Florida Wellness Network, Inc. has remained vigilant in their service delivery to ensure that individuals and families receive the support they need,” she said.

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

Why she inspires us Racher turned a challenging personal family mental health experience into an opportunity to help others overcome their own mental health battles and thrive. As a leader of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Miami-Dade, she has helped expand the nonprofit’s free, peer-to-peer support and education programs, and extended vital safety nets provided by Thriving Mind South Florida to the region’s uninsured residents. “A healthy community is sustained by the mental wellness of the individuals and families who live there,” said Racher. “For the more than 250,000 people in our county who live with mental health/substance challenges, mental wellness requires access to excellent clinical care and social support for the individual and their families.” We couldn’t agree more.

NAN RICH
Broward County Commissioner, District 1

Why she inspires us Let’s just say we see exactly why she’s been inducted into not one, but three halls of fame: Broward County Women’s Hall of Fame, the Broward County Senior Hall of Fame, and the Miami Beach High School Hall of Fame. A two-term senator in the Florida House of Representatives, she was the first woman to be elected Senate Democratic Leader, a position she held until she was term-limited in November 2012. Then, in 2016, she was elected to serve as the Broward County District 1 Commissioner, where she currently serves. Whichever seat she’s occupied, though, she’s always pushed legislation protecting women’s health and reproductive rights, and expanding services for children, the elderly and the disabled. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s been instrumental in helping increase testing, and in driving awareness and acceptance of the vaccines all across the community. For that, and everything else she does to ensure the well-being of South Florida, we’ll hold a spot for her in our hall of fame too.

KERRY-ANN ROYES 
President and CEO of YWCA South Florida

Why she inspires us Royes has not only brought forth much-needed conversation around race and social justice to the table, she’s also given us the tools to navigate our own discussions at home, school and work. Last year, with Royes at its helm, YWCA launched the 21-Day Racial Equity & Social Justice Challenge as a way to educate, and encourage discussion, action, and change in our community. “With social justice in our DNA, YWCA South Florida has long understood why structural racism is a public health crisis,” said Royes. “From ensuring access to healthcare resources, such as breast and cervical cancer screenings and education, to economic mobility driven by educational attainment, better employment, safer homes, and financial education, YWCA South Florida has helped improve public health by tackling the systems that perpetuate disparities in the Black community. We will continue to do so until the world sees women and people of color the way we do—equal, powerful, and unstoppable.”

MONICA VIGUES-PITAN
Executive Director of Legal Services of Greater Miami

Why she inspires us Vigues-Pitan has dedicated her career to ensuring access to health justice. For years, her legal work has focused on ensuring access to health care for Miami-Dade’s most vulnerable residents. And, as executive director of Legal Services of Greater Miami, she has played a pivotal part in developing and launching the Health Foundation of South Florida-funded Medical-Legal Partnership Miami-Dade project, which integrates legal services into a healthcare setting to address low-income patient social needs. “Access to justice can be a tool for achieving equity—including health equity,” Vigues-Pitan said. “I am proud to lead an organization that takes an expansive view of its obligation to advocate for its clients and achieve access to justice and equity for all members of our community. For those we represent, our advocacy ensures access to stable housing, healthcare, quality education, and income—all of which promote a healthier community.”

SANDRA VESZI EINHORN
Executive Director of Coordinating Council of Broward and the Nonprofit Executive Alliance of Broward

Why she inspires us Einhorn has mastered the art of bringing people together to do good and ensure people have a place to call home. Most recently, Einhorn successfully advocated for a ballot measure that established an Affordable Housing Trust Fund which provides funding source for housing-related projects. That means more dollars for essential rehab and repair, plus down payment assistance as well as new affordable housing units in Broward. “ In my roles at the CCB and NEAB, I focus on the three C’s: communication, coordination and collaboration,” Einhorn said. “Working to make Broward healthier to me means leveraging resources and expertise, working together and ensuring that collectively our work brings about positive impact to everyone.”

YESENIA VILLALTA
Administrator/Health Officer for Florida Department of Health Miami-Dade County

Why she inspires us We can credit Dr. Villalta for helping residents in Miami-Dade County’s vulnerable communities get greater access to testing and vaccines during the pandemic. A seasoned public health professional and trained clinician (she majored in chemistry at Miami Dade College and has a bachelor, master and doctorate in nursing from University of Miami) who’s also worked in the private sector, she brings a unique perspective that’s helped her form alliances between local governments and community organizations to get things done. “The work of the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County under my leadership has made an impact on the health of our community by following the core mission of the agency. Our goal is to work with our partners to protect and improve the health of our community through collaborative efforts,” said. Dr. Villalta. “Our team has been tested this past year, and they have shown great resilience and dedication to the work in public health.”

DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ
US Representative

Why she inspires us In 1992, Wasserman Schultz, , became the youngest woman (at the time) to be elected to the Florida Legislature. After battling breast cancer in 2009, Wasserman Schultz introduced a bill into Congress called EARLY Act (Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act), a piece of legislation that directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and implement a national education campaign about the threat breast cancer poses to young women and the particular heightened risks of certain ethnic, cultural and racial groups.  Wasserman Schultz is intensely focused on issues key to the success of families from all walks of life: expanding access to health care and lowering costs; improving the quality of life for children and families; protecting women’s reproductive freedom; safeguarding Social Security and Medicare; standing up for equality for all and ensuring that our brave service men and women and first responders have the support they need to do their jobs.

ALISON YAGER
Executive Director of Florida Health Justice Project

Why she inspires us Yager—an attorney with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors—is relentless when it comes to advocating on behalf of women, children and marginalized individuals. She came to Miami from New York, where she championed healthcare access, particularly for low-income mothers, as a director for New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She’s expanded on her work here as Executive Director of Florida Health Justice Project, where her goal is achieving health justice in Florida by keeping it top of mind. “By bringing a health equity lens to every advocacy effort, every report we write, every media interview, I and others at Florida Health Justice Project are ensuring that the conversation about healthcare access is also a conversation about addressing inequities and disparate outcomes.”