Photos of South Florida Business Leaders at Prestigious Event
Four business and community leaders from Miami-Dade County were honored on January 31st at the Council for Educational Change’s prestigious Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award luncheon. The luncheon celebrated the honorees’ dedication to improving K-12 public education in South Florida and across the state. At the event, the Council also honored four school principals whose leadership skills have improved the academic performance of their students.
The business leaders recognized include Armando Codina, Chairman of Codina Partners; Ambassador Charles E. Cobb Jr of Cobb Partners; T. Willard Fair, president & CEO of the Urban League of Greater Miami; and Dr. Malou C. Harrison, president of Miami-Dade College North and InterAmerican Campuses. Each of them has contributed to the success of the Council’s Partnership to Advance School Success (PASS) and Executive PASS programs, which pair business and community leaders with school leaders to address school challenges.
Middle: T. Willard Fair, President and Chief Executive Officer, Urban League of Greater Miami, Inc. On either side: Students from Liberty City Elementary School.
(L-R): Ana-Marie Codina Barlick, Chief Executive Officer, Codina Partners, LLC; Armando Codina, Founder and Executive Chairman, Codina Partners, LLC
(L-R): Douglas A. Harrison, Assistant City Attorney, City of Miami; Steven Wasserman, Executive Vice President, Colliers International South Florida
(L-R): Ambassador Charles E. Cobb, Chief Executive Officer and Senior Managing Director, Cobb Partners, Ltd.; Noah Breakstone, Managing Partner, BTI Partners
(L-R): Richard Finkelstein, Legacy Sponsor of the Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award; Dr. Elaine Liftin, President and Executive Director, Council for Educational Change
(L-R): Dr. Elaine Liftin, President and Executive Director, Council for Educational Change; Dr. Malou C. Harrison, President, Miami Dade College’s North and InterAmerican Campuses; Belkys Nerey, Television News Anchor, WSVN Channel 7
Ambassador Charles E. Cobb Jr.
“The impact of this program has worked to benefit both the business leader and the school leader. The business leader learns the challenges, dedication and selflessness it takes to lead a school. The principal garners business experiences that provides an alternative approach to resolve school problems. I commend the Council for its efforts over the past 20 years. The PASS, Executive PASS, as well as other leadership development programs have made an incredible difference in schools throughout Florida.”
Armando Codina
“Participating in the PASS Program was one of the most rewarding things I have done in the community. Working with Principal Bart Christie of Bent Tree Elementary was eye-opening. It was particularly interesting to observe how a small amount of help and resources, combined from the private sector, helped remove bureaucratic obstacles that principals face on a daily basis. I experienced first-hand the enormous impact that a great school administrator can have on a child’s life. Years later, when my daughter and I founded the Downtown Doral Charter Elementary, I knew we had to be a PASS school. Our partnership with Ms. Acevedo-Isenberg has led to one of the most successful schools in the State of Florida. The partnership’s greatest honor was when she became the first charter school principal to receive the Leonard Miller Principal Leadership Award.”
T. Willard Fair
“Education is the cornerstone of the change and building a community. Schools are at the heart of the community. Community engagement is a powerful tool for uplifting and supporting the schools in Liberty City, and the community it serves. The Council for Educational Change is aligned philosophically with the tenets of the We Rise movement. The Council is a catalyst for change and a connector of resources.”
Dr. Malou C. Harrison
“I became a supporter and liaison between Miami-Dade College and Miami-Dade County Schools with the Council for Educational Change’s Executive Partnership program, Executive PASS. As a result of this engagement, every Miami-Dade College Campus has fully operation executive partnerships with Miami-Dade County Schools.”
Photos courtesy of Citybizlist.com