Broadway or Bust premieres on Sunday, September 9, with new episodes airing September 16 and 23. The documentary tracks the real-life stories of America's top high school musical performers as they participate in the ultimate competition to find the nation's best young rising stars.
Part competition, part performance, and part non-fiction drama, the series starts with regional theater competitions, then moves to New York City, where the "best of the best" take part in grueling drama boot camp and then compete in the National High School Musical Theater Awards (a.k.a. The Jimmy Awards).
The Latin Fashion Weeks Council Designer Showcase featured some of Latin America's top emerging and established fashion designers. Liliana Montoya from Columbia showcased her swimsuit collection on the runway.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN by Ariel Dorfman
March 8 - April 1
At The Mosaic Theatre
Directed by Avi Hoffman
Tony Award winners Glenn Close, Richard Dreyfuss and Gene Hackman starred in the original Broadway production of this political thriller. Set in an unnamed country that is, like the author's native Chile, emerging from a totalitarian dictatorship, the play explores the after-effects of repression on hearts and souls. This white knuckle thriller is a riveting intellectual and emotional tug of war.
"Magnificent... One of those rare plays which... seem to grasp the pulse of the century." - London Financial Times
"A terrifying moral thriller which combines brilliant theatricality with clear thought and fierce compassion." - London Sunday Times
"Suspenseful, riveting... [and] movingly personal." - The New York Times
Stephen G. Anthony (Gerardo) is positively giddy to be for his third (!) production at Mosaic, having appeared previously in the scintillating Dirty Story, and the musical Make Me a Song. He appeared this past summer in balmy Houston, Texas in a revival of Hank Williams: Lost Highway, reprising the role which he created in an extremely successful run in New York City (teaming up with Playwrights Horizons to defeat The Producers for the Broadway softball league championship!) and subsequent U.S. tour. Those with reasonably long memories may recall Steve's Carbonell Award-winning performances in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, and Sylvia. Other local performances include: August: Osage County; Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing; James Joyce's The Dead; Faith Healer; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; and The Great American Trailer Park Musical, to name just a few. Not content being merely an actor/singer/musician, Steve is also an accomplished scenic carpenter, technical director, acting teacher, photographer, independent film producer, videographer, and woodworker. Oh, yes - and officially the Luckiest Man Alive, thanks to a very special lady named Ann. Maybe you know her...
Laura Turnbull (Paulina) is currently starring as Beatrice in Palm Beach Dramaworks hit production of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds. This is her second production with PBD having appeared in Jacques Brel in 2004 (with her husband Avi Hoffman). She has just completed a successful run of Lombardi starring Ray Abruzzo at the Mosaic Theatre. This past season Laura was fortunate enough to be in the critically acclaimed production of August: Osage County (Actors' Playhouse), the hugely popular, A Round-Heeled Woman, starring Sharon Gless, (GableStage), and the hit, world premiere, of Motherhood, the Musical (Miniaci Theatre). Her other recent credits include: The Cha-Cha of a Camel Spider (Florida Stage), Distracted (Caldwell Theatre) and Equus (New Theatre). She has worked in every professional theatre in South Florida and has been nominated for, and won, numerous Carbonell Awards as well as being honored with the Silver Palm Award for her body of work in 2010. Prior to making Florida her home, Laura performed on Broadway, Off Broadway, toured nationally, and worked regionally. She is proud to be a member of Actors' Equity Association, even more proud of her two incredible daughters!
Oscar Cheda (Roberto) is thrilled to be making his Mosaic Theatre debut in Death and the Maiden. Recent theatre credits include: 24-Hour Theatre Project (The Naked Stage), In The Heights (1st National Tour), Havana Bourgeois (Calvo/Actors' Playhouse), Adding Machine - A Musical (Mr. Zero/2009 Carbonell Award Best Actor- Musical), She Loves Me (Sipos/2009 Carbonell Nominee), Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (Man #3/ New Vista Theatre). Film/TV: Charlie's Angels (ABC), All Men Are Beasts (Coconut Palm Films), America's Most Wanted (Fox), McDonald's (Hispanic National Commercial).
Jason Schupbach Director of Design with the National Endowment for the Arts, where he manages the NEA's grantmaking for design and the NEA's design initiatives, such as the Mayors' Institute on City Design as well as the Our Town initiative to provide funding in recognition of the role that the arts can play in economic revitalization and in creating livable, sustainable communities. Schupbach will speak on how art works to improve the lives of America's citizens in many ways. Communities across our nation are engaging design and leveraging the arts to create livable, sustainable neighborhoods with enhanced quality of life, increased creative activity, distinct identities, a sense of place, and vibrant local economies that capitalize on existing local assets. The NEA defines these efforts as Creative Placemaking.
In this clip Kim Cook, Arts and Culture Program Manager with Nonprofit Finance Fund joins Jason Schupbach Director of Design with the National Endowment for the Arts, where he manages the NEA's grantmaking for design and the NEA's design initiatives, such as the Mayors' Institute on City Design as well as the Our Town initiative to provide funding in recognition of the role that the arts can play in economic revitalization and in creating livable, sustainable communities. Schupbach will speak on how art works to improve the lives of America's citizens in many ways. Communities across our nation are engaging design and leveraging the arts to create livable, sustainable neighborhoods with enhanced quality of life, increased creative activity, distinct identities, a sense of place, and vibrant local economies that capitalize on existing local assets. The NEA defines these efforts as Creative Placemaking.
Jason Schupbach Director of Design with the National Endowment for the Arts, where he manages the NEA's grantmaking for design and the NEA's design initiatives, such as the Mayors' Institute on City Design as well as the Our Town initiative to provide funding in recognition of the role that the arts can play in economic revitalization and in creating livable, sustainable communities. Schupbach will speak on how art works to improve the lives of America's citizens in many ways. Communities across our nation are engaging design and leveraging the arts to create livable, sustainable neighborhoods with enhanced quality of life, increased creative activity, distinct identities, a sense of place, and vibrant local economies that capitalize on existing local assets. The NEA defines these efforts as Creative Placemaking.
Art Miami maintains a preeminent position in America's contemporary art fair market. With a rich history, it is the original and longest-running contemporary art fair in Miami and continues to receive praise for the variety of unparalleled art that it offers. As acclaim for Art Miami grows, the fair continues to attract the participation of affluent collectors and high-quality galleries from all over the world. It is the "can't miss" event for all serious collectors, curators, museum directors, and interior designers providing an intimate look at some of the most important work at the forefront of the international contemporary art movement.
The fair commenced on November 29, 2011 with Art Miami's highly anticipated Opening Night Preview Party benefiting The Lotus House Women's Shelter, a quiet enclave in downtown Miami offering a sanctuary where the minds, bodies and spirits of homeless women and infants most in need are supported and nurtured. Last year, Art Miami attracted 7,200 collectors, curators, artists, connoisseurs, and designers during its Opening Night and 46,000 attendees over a six-day period. As Art Miami continues to attract the participation of affluent collectors and high quality galleries we are expecting to exceed these numbers for 2011.
Art Miami was held in a state-of-the-art 125,000 square foot pavilion that will feature European style cafes serving delectable cuisine as well as an exclusive VIP lounge.
Need to Know anchor Scott Simon goes with author David Simon to Baltimore's inner city to talk to young men with little or no work, who often simply hang out on the street. Though they are rarely counted and rarely talked about, they are among America's chronically unemployed. Need to Know airs Fridays on PBS.
Watch full episodes of Need to Know on the WPBT2 Video Player: http://video.wpbt2.org/program/1458405365/
Correspondent John Larson travels to Cuyahoga County in northern Ohio for an in-depth look at America's job crisis. Even some of those with work there are feeling extraordinarily insecure, struggling to pay their bills, as their pay stagnates, and their hours and benefits decline. Need to Know airs Fridays on PBS.
Watch full episodes of Need to Know on WPBT2's Video Player: http://video.wpbt2.org/program/1458405365/
They are America's heroes, veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who are joining forces at the Miami Veterans Hospital in a battle against age-related illnesses like heart disease, obesity and diabetes in a life-transforming fitness program that is a model for veteran's facilities around the country.
On Obama's inauguration day, all of Top Secret America was on hand to protect the incoming president. Coming to PBS 9/6.
In the years after Sept. 11, FRONTLINE produced more than 45 hours of award-winning films documenting the 9/11 attacks and America's response to them. Now on the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, FRONTLINE producer Michael Kirk (Bush's War, The Torture Question and Cheney's Law) teams up with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dana Priest, to investigate the dramatic changes that have reshaped America in the last decade. The program examines the history of the secret side of America's "war on terror." From the creation of black site prisons abroad and super-secret facilities here in America, to targeted killings and covert wars waged by special forces, and the creation of a multibillion-dollar terrorism-industrial complex, FRONTLINE and Dana Priest ask how a decade of fighting terrorism has reshaped the country and whether it has made us any safer.
Watch full episodes of Frontline on WPBT2's Video Player: http://video.wpbt2.org/program/1154485580/
New Yorker writer and FRONTLINE correspondent Atul Gawande reports on a doctor in Camden, N.J., who actually seeks out the community's sickest — and most expensive — patients.
Dr. Jeffrey Brenner is a local physician who some believe might have the model to solve one of America's most intractable problems: lowering the cost of health care. While analyzing medical billing data in Camden, N.J., he mapped out "hot spots" of the impoverished city's high-cost patients. By targeting unique care -- including home visits and social workers -- at the city's most costly patients, he developed a program that he argues has both lowered health care costs and provided better care in Camden. But can his model work for the rest of the nation?
Dr. Brenner's organization, the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers (http://www.camdenhealth.org/about/history/), and other similar models were the subject of a January 2011 feature in The New Yorker by journalist and physician Dr. Atul Gawande (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/01/24/110124fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=all)
Watch full episodes of Frontline on WPBT2's Video Player: http://video.wpbt2.org/program/979358040/
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA
PRESENTED THE ANNUAL "BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING AWARDS" MARCH 24, 2011
The Jewish Museum of Florida presented the winners of the annual "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Awards" for six inspiring women who have been successful in fields generally dominated by men. The Award Reception and Ceremony featured presentations made by the honorees describing the obstacles and inspirations they encountered on their individual journeys to success.
2011 Glass Ceiling Honorees
Judy Genshaft was appointed President and CEO of the University of South Florida System in July 2000, a position achieved by few women, and even fewer Jewish women in Florida. With a $1.6 billion budget, the USF System has campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland, serving more than 47,000 students in more than 232 degree programs on the undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. Dr. Genshaft has created a synergy of academia, business and community which strengthens Tampa Bay.
During Dr. Genshaft's presidency, the USF System has been nationally recognized as a top-tier national research university. From 2000 - 2007, no university in the country grew its research funding as fast as USF. It has established signature programs in diabetes, neuroscience and sustainable communities.
President Genshaft has also established herself as a leader for economic development, especially related to high-technology and bioscience. She has focused on partnering university research with corporate and entrepreneurial partners. Last October, Dr. Genshaft was the only university president from the U.S. to speak at the prestigious Global University Presidents Summit in Seoul, South Korea. Her presence there was an important step in the ongoing globalization of the USF System.
In addition, the board of the National Collegiate Athletic Association has recently elected Dr Genshaft to serve as its Chair, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Jacqueline Hodes is among the few female attorneys in prominent ranks in
the private equity and mergers and acquisitions arena. She is currently a partner at the firm of McDermott Will & Emery, and she was the youngest associate promoted to partner within her firm. On average, women represent only15% of the partners at the largest law firms in the country, but the number of women who are merger and acquisitions attorneys is only 7%, and those who run private equity transactions are almost non-existent. This is largely due to the challenges women face when they choose to practice in this space, which often leads to them opting out of this type of law, or sometimes even opting out of practicing law at all. Anecdotally, less than 2% of the decision makers at private equity firms are women. She has been recognized and featured in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in her field. In addition, she was honored for her unwavering efforts in assisting Holocaust survivors seeking reparations from the German government, both locally and nationally. Jackie serves as a mentor to summer interns and new associates and she is active in numerous Jewish, professional and community organizations. She continues to strive to achieve more, accomplish more and pave the way for other young Jewish women to join her in succeeding.
Dr. Fleur Sack's entire career has been a template for "breaking the glass ceiling," and she has ignored arbitrary, gender-defined limitations all along the way. She was the first female chair of a Baptist Hospital medical department, the first female physician appointed to the hospital's medical board, and, she was only the fourth female to serve as president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians in its 55-year history. At the start of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Sack was one of the first Miami physicians to treat HIV/AIDS patients, and recognizing the risk for females, she authored one of the first texts addressing HIV prevention for women. In 2001 she was the recipient of the prestigious Florida Family Physician of the Year Award. In 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed her to the Governor's Task Force on Access to Affordable Health Care. Dr. Sack is currently one of the few physicians at Miami Veteran's Association Healthcare System who offers female veterans a comprehensive women's health program. She is a lead physician in a nationwide pilot project developing a Patient-Aligned Care Team. Dr. Sack serves as a role model and mentor for female medical students and she also devotes time to the Jewish community, including serving as a board member of the Israeli Medical Association and a volunteer physician on March of the Living trips.
Samantha Steinberg left a lucrative career in advertising to serve her community as a Forensic Artist for the Miami Dade County Police Department. Samantha co-founded the Miami-Dade Police Department's Forensic Art Unit, and in 1999 she became the first person in the county to hold the title of "forensic artist." She is highly respected as one of the top forensic artists in the country, running one of the busiest units. She is often called upon by police departments and federal agencies nationwide and internationally to assist in identifications. Samantha has created a book, the Steinberg Facial Identification Catalog, which makes it easier for other forensic artists to accurately transform a victim's memory into a drawing. This book is used by police agencies around the country. She has been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The Today Show and America's Most Wanted and in numerous magazines. She also produced a series of drawings for the hit television show "CSI." Samantha's work has impacted countless lives, not just by helping identify a criminal to give closure to a victim or their families, but also by helping place criminals behind bars so they cannot prey on others. She also helped form a foundation to provide resources and support for families of missing persons.
Anita Stiles earned her degree in Mortuary Science at New England Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Boston, MA. When she was young, her father worked in a Jewish Funeral Home in Detroit to earn his social security credits, and she used to go with him to work at night. When she was in high school she wanted to be a coroner, but her grades were not high enough, so her counselor suggested she become a funeral director. As a woman, she faced challenges all along the way, since her family did not own a funeral home. She began her career at a non-Jewish funeral home in Michigan, where the owner's mother was the first female licensed in the state of Michigan. She moved to Florida to work for Riverside-Gordon Memorial Chapel, where she worked her way up the ladder at their various locations in Delray Beach, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. She has been the funeral director of Beth Israel Memorial Chapel in Boca Raton since 2001. There are few Jewish women who are licensed funeral directors, and even fewer who are not married to the owners. Anita finds that most men are doubtful that women can handle the hours or the tasks of heavy lifting and cleaning.
LIFETIME ACHIEVING AWARD
Marcia Jo Zerivitz, Founding Executive Director and Chief Curator, Jewish Museum of Florida has been "breaking the glass ceiling" in the Florida Jewish community for nearly 50 years. When the first National UJA Young Women's Leadership Cabinet was formed in 1974, Marcia was selected. In 1978, she was one of the earliest female presidents of a Jewish Federation (Greater Orlando).
Marcia traveled alone around Florida for eight years in the 1980s to retrieve the unknown Jewish History of Florida. She then led the evolution of the MOSAIC traveling exhibit project into the Jewish Museum of Florida in 1995, the first museum to document a state's ethnic history. Marcia Jo's primary goal has been to help ensure Jewish continuity by strengthening Jewish memories and Jewish identity. All of her energies have resulted in bringing pride to the entire Jewish community of Florida from the history that she discovered, documented, compiled and interprets.
In 2003, she led the effort to create Florida Jewish History Month, passed by the Florida Legislature and proclaimed for each January. This is a first in the nation. Marcia presents a lecture on the "History & Triumphs of Florida Jewish Women," which is the first compilation of this information, and is used as a curriculum for Florida Jewish History Month. In 2005, Marcia initiated the effort to create Jewish American Heritage Month, passed by the U.S. Congress and proclaimed for each May- another first. Marcia has served as a role model for other women in the Jewish communal and museum fields, where she continues to conduct workshops, write, lecture and mentor others: "Women in leadership positions - a daunting and achievable goal. Yes! You can!"
Sponsored by Isabel Bernfeld Anderson, Carolyn J. Kurtz, Joyce Pinn Fox and Cantor Rachelle Faith Nelson
During PBS’ BLACK IN LATIN AMERICA presentation at the Miami International Film Festival, executive producer, writer and presenter Henry Louis Gates, Jr. met with uVu producer Jessy Schuster to discuss Gates’ journey to uncover Latin America's African roots through the three parts documentary series “Black in Latin America” that will premiere on April 19th on WPBT2 at 8 pm.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker comments on whether he's hopeful for America's future.
