This past June 15th, the first ever Esperanza Awards to honor prominent Hispanic business women in Palm Beach County took place at a luncheon meeting in the Hilton Palm Beach Airport. The event was hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County.
Hispanic women are one of the fastest growing and most dynamic demographics within our business community. The Esperanza Awards is an initiative to recognize top leaders in Palm Beach County who are making a significant difference in our society.
[su_row]
[su_column size=”1/2″] In front of dozens of stellar Hispanic business women present at the event, Keynote Speaker Felicia Rodriguez —Co-Anchor at local WPBF 25 News— who graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Telecommunications, spoke about her road to success as a woman who decided to make great contributions to her community and the country as a Hispanic, a true testimony of a career spanning more than 18 years covering stories important to South Florida. Felicia, who grew up wanting to be a lawyer, eventually fell in love with TV News and journalism. She has also been honored at the Hispanic Women of Distinction Ceremony for her local contributions and making inroads in the leadership pipeline for a growing diverse America where Latina professionals are a social fabric. [/su_column]
[su_column size=”1/2″]
A very powerful testimony of the accomplishments of women in our country by Felicia Rodriguez at Esperanza Awards pic.twitter.com/ykbsXpJdMp
— Visit West Palm Bch. (@visitwpb) June 15, 2016
[/su_column]
[/su_row]
The 2016 Esperanza Awards Nominees were:
Liz Balmaseda. A twice Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who is the Food Editor and Dining Critic for the Palm Beach Post, she has led an eclectic 35-year career during which she has worked as a foreign correspondent, magazine writer, television producer and columnist. She has authored and co-authored several books and worked as a producer on HBO’s “For Love or Country”, a film about jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.
Samantha Conde. She coordinates educational programs and community engagement projects for WXEL-TV and serves on the Keiser University Advisory Board of Directors, the Board of Resource Depot, the Board of the Women Chamber and the Hispanic Education Coalition.
Mabel Datena. She is the Center Director of Luciano Martinez Child Development Center under Hispanic Human Resources and a past recipient of the “Dove Award” for outstanding community service.
Carmen R. Garcia. She is the Executive Director to Revival Community Outreach Ministries providing food, educational programs and guidance to extremely poor families and individuals in Riviera Beach.
Silvia C Garcia. She is the Owner of Garcia Insurance Advisors, Inc, a past President of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber, member of Palm West Hospital’s Board of Trustees, and member of the Gulfstream Goodwill and Clinics Can Help Directors.
Jeannett Manazanero, PHD. Dr. Manzanero is the director of the Global Education Center at Palm Beach State College. She is a blue ribbon panel member of the Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education where she was consulted to advise the White House Task Force on New Americans.
Denise Negron. Crowned Miss Model of Puerto Rico in 1991, Denise was Woman of the Year Nominee by Wellington The Magazine in April 2012 and was the Co-Chair for the Palm Beach Autism Speaks Walk for five years.
Virginia Savietto. For almost 13 years, Virginia has served the residents of Palm Beach County through Board of County Commissioners in the Public Relations Department. Now in the private sector, she provides effective and empowering creative functional design and marketing solutions and currently a candidate for the State House Representative.
Yvette M Trelles, Esq. She is an advocate for victims rights in Palm Beach County and within the Hispanic community. She has served the legal community as a Traffic Magistrate, Legal Aid volunteer, has held top-level leadership positions within the Palm Beach County Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association and presided as Chair of the Palm Beach County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Yvette has been recognized for her community involvement through the Hispanic Women of Distinction in South Florida, and The Blue Dove Award given by Hospice by the Sea of Palm Beach County among others.
