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The Deering Estate Foundation welcomed four prestigious newly elected directors and celebrated the appointment of President and Vice President of the organization’s Board of Directors at their January meeting.
Fellow Board members, trustees, community leaders and collaborating partners welcomed two new members to join the Board of Directors in fulfilling the Foundation’s mission to preserve and protect the Deering Estate’s education and research initiatives, cultural arts programming, environmental conservation efforts, and historic preservation.
The Foundation celebrated the appointment of the President and Vice President of the Deering Estate Foundation Board of Directors.
Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja, President
Suzanne Gottlieb Calleja is the Associate Head of School for Communications and Strategic Partnerships at Palmer Trinity School, an independent college preparatory school in Miami. She began at Palmer Trinity in 2005 as the School’s director of communications and community relations, where she initiated strategic brand building and strengthened relationships within the community as well as with the media.
Prior to moving to Miami and joining Palmer Trinity in 2005, Gottlieb Calleja worked in the entertainment industry for more almost two decades. She began as an assistant producer and later producer for Walter Cronkite’s independent documentary company, Cronkite Ward & Company (CWC), located in Washington, D.C. and New York City. CWC produced international documentaries for the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, A&E and PBS. In 1995, Suzanne worked with producer Lou Arkoff on the Disney film Gone Fishin’ starring Joe Pesci and Danny Glover.
Gottlieb Calleja also worked on several films and documentaries for Fox, Paramount Pictures, Miramax, MGM Studios, and the Hallmark Channel. She later became the executive director for a digital animation/live action entertainment company formed in Los Angeles, Moon Crescent Studios. Before transitioning to the education sector, Gottlieb Calleja produced special edition DVD documentaries with the entertainment marketing company Blue Collar Productions for films including The Stepford Wives, Network, Deep Impact, Raging Bull and Clueless.
Active in the community, Gottlieb Calleja is an amateur cellist and has played with the Alhambra Orchestra, a local chamber group. She is a board member of the Palmetto Bay Business Association; was a steering committee member of the 100 Ladies of Deering; is a member of Smith College Club of Miami; and was a board member at Temple Beth Am Religious School. She has also been a commissioner on the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Marketing Commission.
Gottlieb Calleja holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree in strategic communications. She is fluent in French and Spanish. She and her husband, Jose, have one son.
Jeffrey M. Flanagan, Vice President
Jeff Flanagan is managing shareholder of The Flanagan Law Firm in Coral Gables, Florida. Jeff received his B.A degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island in 1993 and his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law where he graduated cum laude in 1997.
Jeff has over 20 years of experience representing clients in a wide range of matters focused around Land Use, Zoning and Planning, Real Estate Law, Government Affairs and Corporate Law. Mr. Flanagan served nine years on the Coral Gables Planning & Zoning Board, including as chair. He is currently a member of that City’s Code Enforcement Board and was previously a member of the city’s Property Advisory Board and of the School and Community Relations Committee.
As an avid sailor, Jeff is a member of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club where he volunteered in various roles, including as Commodore, Vice-Commodore and on the Board of Directors (currently serving a 3rd term) together as a member of several committees at the Club (including the Property Committee, Nominating Committee, Budget Committee, Mooring Field Committee, Protocol Committee (currently serving as Chairman) and Long Term Lease Committee (currently serving as Chairman). Jeff used to race sailboats in Biscayne Bay and has sailed or delivered boats to Bimini; from Tampa; and did an offshore non-stop trip from Miami to Newport, RI.
He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Animal Welfare Society of South Florida – the area’s only non-profit, low-cost full service animal hospital and has been a Director for over 15 years. Jeff’s additional current volunteer activities include serving as a Director for the Beta Theta Pi Foundation, as a member of the University of Miami Citizen’s Board and the Coral Gables Community Foundation.
Jeff has previously served as a Miami-Dade County Commission appointee to the County’s Development Process Advisory Committee; to the South Miami-Dade Watershed Study Advisory Committee; and to the Melrose Task Force.
Jeff has also been a member of, and served in various roles with, the Builder’s Association of South Florida; the Industrial Association of Dade County; the Latin Builder’s Association; the Miami River Marine Group; as a member of the South Miami Hospital Associates, and the City of South Miami Landscape Committee.
He is licensed to practice law in Florida and Jeff served several years, including as Vice-Chair, of a Florida Bar Grievance Committee.
The Foundation welcomed the following new members of the 2026 Board of Directors:
Charles C. Harper, Esq.
Charles Harper is an attorney and consultant with over four decades of experience in securities law, enforcement, and financial investigations. He began his career with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1974, ultimately serving as Associate Regional Administrator of the Miami office, where he oversaw major enforcement actions in Florida and Puerto Rico. For his leadership and integrity, he received the SEC’s prestigious Irving M. Pollack Award (1986) and the Distinguished Service Award (1989).
Following his service at the SEC, Charles held senior roles at PaineWebber Incorporated, including Associate General Counsel and Senior Vice President, and later served as a director at Navigant Consulting. Since 2003, he has led his own practice, Charles C. Harper, P.A., providing expert counsel, testimony, and consulting in securities, financial fraud, and regulatory matters.
A frequent speaker at national conferences and training programs, Charles has testified before Congress and worked extensively with federal, state, and industry regulators. He holds a B.B.A., J.D., and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Miami, and is admitted to practice law in Florida and the District of Columbia.
Charlie has also participated in Deering Estate events, including Mistletoes & Martinis and Chef’s Table. About the Estate, he says: “The Deering Estate is a special place for me. For many years, until recently, I would bring a chair and a book and sit under the Black Olive Tree near the Stone House to read. I was often at the Deering Estate, at least three or four days a week.”
Katharine McDonald
Katharine McDonald is a seasoned strategic leader with extensive experience in corporate governance, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement. She served as President of Global Specialty at Assurant, Inc. from 1987 to 2022, leading diverse product and sales teams, optimizing profitability, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Her expertise spans risk management, advocacy, and public affairs, with a record of creating innovative strategies that drive organizational growth.
Katharine has served on several boards, including Zoo Miami Foundation (Board Member & Corporate Representative, 2009–Present), where she chaired the Membership and Finance Committees and supported multiple capital campaigns, and the American Property & Casualty Insurance Association (Board of Governors & Audit Committee, 2017–2022). She also participated in Assurant’s Management Committee (2018–2022), collaborating with executive leadership to shape corporate strategy.
Katharine has actively supported the Deering Estate, participating in the 2025 Seafood Festival and making financial contributions to the Foundation. She states, “I am passionate about raising awareness of the Deering Estate’s history, beauty, and the importance of the surrounding ecosystem.”
She holds a Master of Science in Taxation from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Florida and is a retired Certified Public Accountant. A native of Miami, Katharine cherishes the natural beauty of South Florida and enjoys spending time on the water with family and friends.
Howard Tendrich
Howard Tenderich has served as President of Heritage House since 1968, leading the company for over 57 years. Under his guidance, Heritage House has grown into a recognized retailer of fine men’s clothing, with an expanded presence online at www.boyssuits.com.
In addition to his business accomplishments, Howard has been actively involved in civic and philanthropic initiatives. He served as Councilmember for District 2 in the Village of Palmetto Bay from 2008 to 2012, dedicating four years to public service. Howard has also served as Chairperson of the Committee for Wine on Harvest Moon for the Deering Estate Foundation and has led his committee for the Foundation’s Seafood Festival.
Howard earned his BBA in Accounting from the University of Miami Herbert Business School (1958–1962).
Howard was the past president of the Deering Estate Foundation Board and has been a loyal Director and Trustee for many years.
Roger Trombino
Roger Trombino has over 24 years of experience serving on Boards of Directors for both non-profit and for-profit organizations. He served on the Board of Directors of Bon Secours Hospital & Villa Maria Nursing Center in North Miami from 1982 to 1995, acting as Chair from 1982 to 1988, and on the Board of Directors of Bon Secours Health System in Baltimore, MD, from 1988 to 1989. From 1995 to 1996, he served on The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Fundraising Council and on the Executive Committee for the Miami Centennial Birthday Celebration, where he was Chair of the Finance Committee. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Marex Inc., a NASDAQ-listed technology company, from 1996 to 2000, serving as Chair of the Finance Committee. From 2004 to 2007, he served on the Board of Directors of the Morningstar Renewal Center, appointed by the Archbishop of Miami as part of the first Board after the property’s acquisition.
He has also served on several committees appointed by the Board of Directors of Riviera Country Club. His business career includes joining Ernst & Young in Chicago in 1962 as a junior accountant and auditor, where he was promoted to Audit Manager in 1969. From 1973 to 1986, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Norin Corp., a Fortune 500 food company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He later acted as Executor of the Norris Family estate and advisor to family businesses from 1987 to 1995. In 1996, he co-founded Independent Purchasing Cooperative, Inc. (IPC) in Miami, FL, serving as Chief Financial and Operations Officer until 2013; IPC handled all product and service purchasing for 30,000 Subway restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. He continued as a Senior Advisor to IPC’s Board of Directors from 2013 to 2017 before retiring in 2018. Mr. Trombino graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in 1962 with a B.S. in Business and Economics, became a CPA in 1965, and completed the Executive Management Summer Program at Stanford University in 1981. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Financial Executives International.
In his own words: The Deering Estate is South Dade County’s roots.
About the Deering Estate
Deering Estate is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida, and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. Deering Estate is designated as one of seven Miami-Dade County “Heritage Parks” which have a vital role in our community’s history, environment and in providing recreational and cultural experiences.
About the Deering Estate Foundation
For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, the Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate. Through these efforts, the foundation fulfills its mission to uphold the legacy of Charles Deering’s cherished 1920s-era property, to provide funding for the cultural, educational and recreational experiences it offers, as well as its significant scientific and archaeological endeavors to conserve its diverse flora, fauna and the eight native ecosystems that thrive on its 450 acres, and to ensure its longevity as a prized American heritage site. Established in 1989, The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. is a community-based charitable 501(c)3 Florida Corporation and the philanthropic partner of the Deering Estate.
