Professor at University of Miami
Norma Sue Kenyon, Ph.D. is Vice Provost for Innovation at the University of Miami and Chief Innovation Officer of the Miller School of Medicine. Under her leadership, the U Innovation team, including the Office of Technology Transfer and the Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research has successfully increased the number of licensing agreements and startups emanating from faculty innovations across the university’s 11 schools and colleges. The Launch Pad and Launch Pad Med provide mentoring for emerging student, alumni and faculty entrepreneurs throughout the university community, and Kenyon is leading establishment of the ‘Cane Angel Network to provide investment opportunities to all startups connected to the university. Together with community partners, Kenyon is working to grow the Converge Miami innovation district (previously known as the UM Life Science and Technology Park), and as part of the university’s roadmap initiative, is heading up planning for a hemispheric innovation hub at the U.
The Martin Kleiman Professor of Surgery, Microbiology & Immunology and Biomedical Engineering at the Diabetes Research Institute, Dr. Kenyon and her research team have focused on ways to transplant insulin producing islet cells, in both clinically relevant transplant models and in clinical studies, without the need for life-long anti-rejection drugs. Key accomplishments include development and sharing of methods for islet and islet/bone marrow transplantation, demonstration of insulin independence and long-term islet survival and incorporation of stem cells to enhance islet engraftment and survival. Kenyon has received research funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation and several industry collaborators. She has served as a member of both the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Disease Council and the NIH Council of Councils. Kenyon was a scientific advisor to the Food and Drug Administration, spending half her time at the FDA for a year and has participated in several panels involving islet transplantation and stem cells.
Kenyon earned her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by post-doctoral positions at UCLA and the University of Miami. Subsequent to post-doctoral training, Kenyon was a Senior Scientist and Lab Head at Coulter Corporation, holding positions in both research and product development.
Professor at University of Miami
Mayor of Miami-Dade County
Carlos A. Gimenez is the Mayor of Miami-Dade – Florida’s most populous county. He is Miami-Dade’s highest-ranking elected official and chief administrator, who oversees a metropolitan government with 28,000 employees, an annual budget of approximately $7.4 billion, and serving 2.7 million residents.
Since assuming office in 2011 after a special election, Mayor Gimenez has continued to consistently hold the line on tax increases and to date, the average homeowner has saved approximately $1,400 in property taxes. He championed and secured approval for the largest tax cut in County history six years ago, and collectively Miami-Dade taxpayers have saved approximately $2 billion during his tenure.
Gimenez was re-elected as Mayor in 2012 and again in 2016 for two consecutive four-year terms. He brings with him over 40 years of public service experience.
Among the County’s 25 departments are the two largest economic engines in South Florida – Port Miami and Miami International Airport – as well as the public safety departments, Miami-Dade Police, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, Corrections, and the Medical Examiner’s office. Collectively, between our airport and seaport, Miami-Dade welcomes over 50 million passengers a year, and the two facilities supports either directly or indirectly approximately 600,000 jobs throughout South Florida.
From May 2000 to January 2003, Mayor Gimenez was Manager of the City of Miami and was credited with helping restore financial stability and integrity to that organization. As Miami’s chief administrative officer, he was responsible for an annual budget of $500 million, a 4,000-employee workforce and provision of services to almost 400,000 residents. During his tenure as Manager, the City’s bond rating went from “junk” to investment grade and the tax rate dropped to its lowest level in 50 years. At the same time, Miami was able to establish more than $140 million in reserves.
Born in Cuba, Mayor Gimenez and his family moved to the United States in 1960. He has been a Miami-Dade County resident ever since. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and earned his bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Barry University. In 1993, he completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Mayor Gimenez is married to the former Lourdes Portela. They have three adult children – Carlos, Julio and Lourdes – and six grandchildren.
Mayor of Miami-Dade County
Mayor, City of Hialeah
Carlos Hernandez was born in 1961 in Camaguey, Cuba. He grew up in Hialeah, playing in the City’s parks and studying in its public schools.
He graduated from Saint Thomas University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.
Before being elected to public office, Mayor Hernandez served the community as a police officer in the Hialeah Police Department for over twenty-two years. He retired as the Commander of the Sector 4 Sub-station.
Mayor Hernandez has served the City of Hialeah as a Council Member since 2005. He was elected by his peers on the City Council in 2007 to serve as Council Vice President and in 2009 to serve as Council President, a leadership position he held until he was appointed Mayor of the City of Hialeah on May 23, 2011.
On November 15, 2011 Carlos Hernandez was elected by the citizens of Hialeah to continue serving as their Mayor.
Carlos Hernandez was re-elected as Mayor of the City of Hialeah on November 5, 2013.
Mayor Hernandez lives with his wife Nancy, and their children, Kayla and Hunter.
the University of Florida. He and his wife, Monique, have 2 children under the age of seven.
http://www.hialeahfl.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=214&lang=en
Mayor, City of Hialeah
Mayor of City of Miami Beach
Born on Miami Beach, Dan Gelber was raised to believe in public service and the importance of community. His father, respected former Miami Beach Mayor Seymour Gelber, and his mother, Beach High foreign-language teacher Edith Gelber, were models of that service.
Dan lived these principles through service as a federal prosecutor for nearly a decade, handling public corruption prosecutions, complex economic crimes, and eventually becoming a decorated top deputy. Dan was then appointed by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn as the Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the prestigious U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations – a position previously held by Bobby Kennedy – where he worked on counter-terrorism issues and combated fraud and waste in government.
Dan returned home and served Miami Beach as a Florida State Representative and Senator, where he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to be their House Democratic Leader. While representing Miami Beach in the legislature Dan was a leading voice on strengthening public schools and improving public safety and public corruption laws. He led the battle against windstorm insurance rate hikes and was recognized as a relentless champion for LGBT rights. Today, Dan is considered to be one of Florida’s most respected voices on Florida public policy.
Dan has also always been devoted to helping his community, especially those who need a hand. Dan joined the Big Brothers program and was matched to 6-year old Travis, who he has stayed with for over 25 years and is now a practicing dentist. When he was just 26, Dan co-founded a camp for kids with cancer where he has spent most of his summers as a volunteer counselor.
Dan practices law with the firm of Gelber Schachter & Greenberg PA in Miami and is listed in Best Lawyers in America, and Chambers. Dan is married to Joan Silverstein, a career federal prosecutor, and they have three teenagers and a dog named Buddy they are still trying to train (the dog not the teenagers).
Dan graduated from Tufts University magna cum laude and the University of Florida Law School where he was a national Truman Scholar.
Mayor of City of Miami Beach
Mayor, City of Miami
Francis X. Suarez serves the City of Miami as Mayor, working diligently to raise the standards of the community where he was born and raised. He currently also serves as Vice-Chair of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization, tasked with approving federally required plans and transportation policies, and as President of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities.
The oldest of four siblings, Mayor Suarez was born into a family where, as he describes, “being socially conscious was a kind of requirement.” Mayor Suarez is dedicated to elevating the quality of life of the residents he serves by way of focusing on transportation and connectivity issues within the city and beyond, nurturing the growth of a tech-based economy in the area and, by extension, job creation and international opportunities with Latin America. His priorities also include affordable housing, tackling the poverty pandemic and, as a corollary, reducing crime.
Mayor Suarez graduated from Florida International University where he majored in finance and graduated in the top ten percent of his class. He went on to law school at the University of Florida Frederic G. Levin College of Law, graduating cum laude. Prior to running for public office, Mayor Suarez founded a successful real estate firm. He is also a practicing attorney with the law firm of Carlton Fields, specializing in real-estate and corporate transactions.
Mayor Suarez is married to Gloria M. Fonts. They have one child – Andrew Xavier – and consider themselves proud and blessed to be raising their family in the City of Miami.
Mayor, City of Miami
Representative at Miami-Dade County Legislation Delegation
Holly Raschein is a member of the Florida House of Representatives, elected in 2012 to represent the 120th district, which includes Monroe County and southern Miami-Dade County. Originally from Alaska, Holly attended Florida State University, where she graduated with a degree in political science in 2003. She then moved to the Keys, where she worked as a District Aide and then Legislative Aide for Representatives Sorensen and Saunders. Holly serves on six committees in the Florida House, including Chairing the Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. In 2017, Representative Raschein received her Master’s in Public Administration from Florida International University. She is also active in numerous organizations including the Florida Defense Support Task Force, National Foundation for Women Legislators, Florida Council on Arts & Culture, National Conference of State Legislatures, and the American Flood Coalition.
Representative at Miami-Dade County Legislation Delegation
Mayor of City of Homestead
Mayor Jeff Porter was elected to a two-year term as Mayor of Homestead in November of 2015. He was previously elected to a two year term as Mayor in November 2013. Before that, he served on the Homestead City Council for 10 years from 1997-2007 and served as Vice-Mayor from 1997-1999.
Mayor Porter currently serves as a board member on the following organizations:
During his years of public service to the City of Homestead, he served as:
Mayor Porter was born in Homestead and moved to Mississippi when he was ten years old. He returned to Homestead when he was 18 and attended Miami Dade College. He lives in the villages of Homestead with his wife Cindy, with whom he has been married for over 21 years. He was the Vice-President of Mitchell Hardware in Homestead, where he was employed for over twenty years. He is now the owner and president of World Wide Supply Solutions in Homestead, a supplier of building materials, which he founded twelve years ago.
Mayor of City of Homestead
Attorney, Akerman
Jose Felix Diaz was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Jose developed a love for public service as student body president of his high school and college. While at the University of Miami, Jose was selected as Florida’s College Student of the Year. Soon thereafter, Jose went on to Columbia Law School where he received several notable distinctions including the American Bar Association’s Silver Key. Upon graduation, he returned to Miami to join the law firm of Akerman LLP, and was appointed to the American Bar Association’s legislative body, the House of Delegates.
With a decade of legal experience at Akerman LLP, which was ranked among the top 100 law firms in the U.S. by The National Law Journal, Jose has represented various individuals, nonprofit organizations, and entities throughout South Florida. He was recognized as one of the “Best of Miami’s Legal Leaders for 2014” by Miami Today.
In 2010, Jose was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and he has dedicated himself to serving the needs of South Florida communities. As Vice-Chair of the Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation, he led the way in legislation that created $500 million of tax relief for middle-class families and championed the largest funding of education in Florida’s history.
In 2013, Will Weatherford, Speaker of the Florida House, appointed Jose to represent Florida on the Board of the Southern States Energy Board, the National Council of State Legislators’ Nuclear Energy Working Group, and the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Infrastructure.
Jose also plays an active role in events and organizations that provide opportunities for abused and neglected children in Miami. He serves as a Board member for various child advocacy organizations, including CHARLEE Homes for Children. In 2011, Our Kids of Miami-Dade awarded Jose with the Outstanding Legislator Award, and Voices for Children awarded him with the MVP Leadership Award in 2012.
Attorney, Akerman
Shareholder at Carlton Fields
Josh Markus represents U.S. and non-U.S. companies in international and domestic corporate transactions including joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, public private infrastructure partnerships, and multi-jurisdictional international projects. He also regularly provides contractual advice and counseling on commercial matters including electronic commerce, distribution of goods and services, supply contracting, intellectual property licensing, direct marketing, advertising, entertainment oriented matters, sports broadcasting rights marketing, cable and satellite television, and wholesale and retail consumer products distribution and sales.
Mr. Markus is board certified in International Law by The Florida Bar. He speaks French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Mr. Markus is the Honorary Consul for the State of Florida of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Shareholder at Carlton Fields