In the Company of Women, presented by Macy’s and Enterprise Holdings, will celebrate its Silver Jubilee during an annual awards ceremony and reception recognizing 14 women who have helped shape the South Florida community through their artistic talents, business acumen, pioneering spirit, ingenuity and courage.
Timed to coincide with Women’s History Month, the 25th Annual In the Company of Women Awards Presentation will take place on Thursday, Mar. 7, 7 p.m., at the newly renovated Rusty Pelican, 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway. Local 10 News anchor Neki Mohan will serve as emcee.
The event is hosted by the Miami-Dade County Commission for Women and Miami- Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, in partnership with the non-profit Parks Foundation of Miami Dade, and made possible by the support of generous sponsors including Macy’s, Enterprise Holdings, Florida Power and Light, AT&T and others. Proceeds support parks and parks programming, including recreational scholarships for underserved children.
This year’s honorees include:
Mayor’s Pioneer Award — Marie Osborne, Esq., chief assistant public defender, Juvenile Division, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida; Arts and Entertainment — Rosie Gordon-Wallace, executive director/curator, Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator Inc.; Business and Economics — Gabriele Marewski, Founder and Owner of Paradise Farms Organic;
Communications and Literature — Anne Cruz, PhD, MA, AB, acting director, Center for the Humanities, University of Miami, Department of Modern Languages and Literature, College of Arts and Sciences;
Education and Research — Jacqueline Foster-Moody, opera singer and music educator at Coral Reef Elementary School;
Government and Law (elected) — Hon. Anitere Flores, Florida State Senator, District 38;
Government and Law (elected) — Hon. Lisa Walsh, Circuit Court Judge, Civil Division;
Government and Law (non-elected) — Katherine W. Ezell, Esq., Partner, Podhurst Orseck, PA;
Health and Human Services — Dr. Sonjia Kenya, assistant professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine;
Science and Technology — Susan Markley, PhD, chief, EECO Division of the Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources Department;
Sports and Athletics — Amy Deem, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Track and Field; head coach, University of Miami Track and Field;
Community Spirit Award — Constance Collins, Esq., president, The Sundari Foundation Inc., d/b/a Lotus House Women’s Shelter;
Community Spirit Award — Priscilla Dames-Blake, founder and president of Wingspan Seminars LLC, and
Posthumous Honors — Diana Cordova- Peña, Miami-Dade Police Officer from 2006 to 2012.
Tickets to the reception and awards ceremony are $50 ($60 at the door). Contributions of $250 and above also afford young women from Miami-Dade Park’s Girls Empowerment and Mentoring (GEM) Program and the Girl Scouts’ Get Real! Mentoring Program, an opportunity to attend the event. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.mdparks.org.
For more information, call Victoria Mallette at 305-755-7804 or Vivian Greer-Digon at 305-271-0812.
