SFBW’s 2022 Excellence in Human Resource Honorees

Consumer Goods

Jason Williams 

Chief Human Resource Officer, Tabacalera USA

Jason Williams is a Human Resources executive with over 20 years of experience. He has held various leadership positions for several Fortune 500 organizations, receiving numerous awards for driving business results, building talented teams, and creating team cultures. Currently, he serves as the Chief Human Resource Officer for Tabacalera USA, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Williams is well studied in his profession. He holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Florida International University, an MBA from LaGrange College, two senior Human Resources certifications (SPHR and SHRM-SCP), and a global H.R. certification (GPHR). He also is a current Doctoral Candidate at Nova Southeastern University (Ed.D- Organizational Leadership).

 

Tedd C. Simmons 

Chief Human Recourses Office, National Beverage Corp

Tedd C. Simmons has over 25 years of business experience leading initiatives focused on leadership development, executive assessment, executive coaching, and team development. His background includes designing and leading solutions focused on talent management, succession planning, competency development and organizational design. He employs a highly consultative style combined with direct feedback, which enables individuals to better comprehend and identify solutions.

He has partnered and coached senior executives within fortune 500 companies providing oversight of due diligence, implementation, and coaching activities for international acquisitions and assimilation coaching for CEO, COO, and CFO transition. His business experience, training and ability to communicate effectively at all levels help encourage individuals and organizations to achieve their strategic focus. He has consulted with clients and coached individuals from a variety of industries, including financial services, consumer products, manufacturing, telecommunications, cruise, retail and healthcare. Simmons currently serves as the CHRO for National Beverage.

 

Education

Andrea Forino 

Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Endeavor Schools 

Forino has more than 20 years of proactive HR leadership experience in enhancing company culture, providing strategic human resources expertise, partnering with colleagues, and optimizing the employee experience. Her professional career has been primarily rooted in the healthcare industry, serving, in more recent years, as the Chief People Officer of Mission Health Communities and Vice President of Human Resources at Woundtech. Forino pivoted to the education sector, joining Endeavor Schools as the Executive Vice President of Human Resources in January 2020. At Endeavor Schools, Forino leads an HR and Recruiting team of 10 who support a company of over 2,000 employees. Forino’s career has developed her into an exemplary leader and professional. She graduated from Emory University and currently resides in Florida with her daughter.

 

Arnetta D. Pierce 

Managing Director, HR Business Partners and Strategic Initiatives at Nova Southeastern University 

Arnetta Pierce is a South Florida native with over 19 years of Human Resources experience. She graduated from Florida A&M University with a BS in Health Care Administration and from Nova Southeastern University with a Master of Business Administration and a concentration in Human Resources. Pierce enjoys working closely with her HR colleagues as well as members of the NSU community at all levels. She is proud to represent NSU as an employee, alumnus, and brand ambassador.

 

Sophia Galvin 

Vice President, Talent and Culture/Chief Human Resources Officer of Broward College 

Sophia Galvin has over twenty years of Human Resources functional experience, with ten of those years in leadership roles within retail, healthcare, and higher education. She currently serves the approximately 4,500 employees and 60,000 students of Broward College as the head of Talent and is responsible for the overall planning, operation, and evaluation of the College’s Human Capital planning, including Attraction, Selection and Retention, Culture and Employee Engagement, Performance Management, Labor Relations, Compensation and Classification, Benefits and Wellness, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategies. Galvin earned her Bachelor of Science from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from St. Thomas University. She holds several industry certifications, including the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

 

Healthcare

Angela Primiano

Vice President, Human Resources at Memorial Healthcare System

Angela Primiano is Vice President, Human Resources for Memorial Healthcare System, where she has been a member of the HR team since 2013. She brings over 20 years of HR experience to her position, previously holding HR leadership positions in the healthcare, consumer goods, and international development industries. Primiano serves as an Adjunct Professor for Florida Atlantic University, where she teaches in the Executive Master’s Program. She was appointed to the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) in 2020 by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Primiano was confirmed by the Florida Senate and is currently serving a four-year term. She was elected as Vice Chair of the Commission in October 2021. Primiano holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an M.B.A., and a master’s degree in Human Resources from the University of Maryland. She holds multiple certifications in HR and is also a certified mediator.

 

Christina Palmer 

Senior Human Resources Manager, Great HealthWorks

Christina Palmer is Senior Human Resources Manager for Great HealthWorks, one of Fort Lauderdale’s largest private employers. Palmer joined Great HealthWorks and its small group of 35 employees in 2009 and filled an Executive Assistant role. Shortly after joining the company, however, she accepted the challenge to form the company’s Human Resources department.

Palmer’s diplomacy, desire for fairness, a sense of urgency and a thirst for growth set the stage for a successful career in Human Resources. She is a consistent leader and recognized as a trusted business partner to executives and managers. Palmer is PHR Certified and SHRM-CP Certified. Palmer completed a Bachelor of Science degree with a focus on Human Resources. She will begin working on a Master’s degree in 2022. Christina’s ability to care for others while not losing sight of an organization’s goals and culture position her for continued growth as a Human Resources professional.

 

Kiran Virdee-Chapman 

Director of Human Resources, Lifespace Communities – Abbey Delray

Kiran Virdee-Chapman is an accomplished, hands-on HR leader with over 15 years of experience spanning multiple industries and a diverse set of companies ranging from tech startups to global brands like Apple and Club Med to a national nonprofit, Lifespace Communities.

Her specialty is nurturing and amplifying a people-first culture, driving data-driven decision-making and HR metrics reporting, and engaging with talent through mentorship and alliance. During her diverse career, she’s helped companies grow through innovative, creative, and inclusive action, led initiatives to build employee morale, and strengthened business processes.

She earned a BA in Retail Management from Bournemouth University (UK) and am SHRM-SCP and The Predictive Index certified and also served as Director of Membership for Diversity Advocates (D&I advocacy in tech) and as a volunteer for Black Tech Week Miami and BritWeek events.

 

Sonya Hinds

Chief People Officer at Water’s Edge/Riverchase Dermatology 

Sonya Hinds has over two decades of Human Resources and Staffing Operations expertise. Throughout her career, Hinds has been charged with developing and leading all aspects of Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and Training/Development departments and programs both domestically and internationally. She possesses a keen understanding of the U.S. workforce as it relates to talent attraction, best-in-class onboarding and proven retention strategies. Hinds is passionate about building and maintaining inclusive, high-performance, recognition-rich cultures with high levels of employee engagement. She is a proud U.S. Army Veteran of the Gulf War and serves on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

 

Hospitality

Ying-Wei Huang 

Vice President, Corporate Talent Management of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

As Vice President, Corporate Talent Management, Ying-Wei is responsible for Talent Acquisition and Development; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy; HR Management and Employee Relations; Talent Communication & Community Relations for the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings global office teams. Before joining Norwegian Cruise Line in 2010, Ying-Wei worked with local and national agency search firms focused on accounting, finance, and attorney placement.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Ying-Wei resides in Miami with her husband and son. Ying-Wei received her Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, and Juris Doctor from the University of Miami. She currently serves as President of the South Florida Chapter Advisory Board for the Florida Diversity Council. Ying-Wei is a proud Founding Member of Chief Miami, a private network of executive women leaders. She holds Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certifications.

 

Gina Losada

HR Director, Miccosukee Resort and Gaming 

Originally from Colombia, Losada has been working in Human Resources for over ten years in the hospitality industry and most recently in the gaming industry. Her experience also stems from corporate, private and transportation sectors while also working with unions. Losada is a graduate student from FIU with a bachelor’s degree in business management and is a Senior Certified Human Resources Professional accredited by SHRM.

 

Insurance

Yanin Hernandez

Director of Human Resources at JAG Insurance Group 

Yanin Hernandez was born and raised in Miami after her parents migrated from Cuba. She received her Master’s in Human Resource Management from FIU in 2014 and has worked in Human Resources for over seven years.

 

Legal

Jeffrey Kramer 

Chief Human Resources Officer, Anidjar & Levine, P.A.

Jeffrey Kramer is a passionate and trusted global Human Resources Executive known for building strong partnerships across an organization and being an instrumental contributor to solving critical business decisions. Kramer is a solutions-oriented leader with deep functional knowledge and experience in turnaround and growth environments in both high-tech and manufacturing organizations. He has a well-established track record of acquiring and developing talent, building high-performing teams, mentoring executives, and successfully aligning business strategies with human resources approaches.

 

Marine, Aviation, & Automotive

Mario E. Byrne 

HR Director, Rybovich Boat Company

Mario Byrne was the Human Resources Director for Rybovich Superyacht Marina, overseeing HR for locations in West Palm Beach and Riviera Beach, Florida. He joined Rybovich in 2006 during a transformative growth and expansion plan under the ownership and vision of Wayne Huizenga Jr. He was promoted to Assistant General Manager after the company was sold to NYSE listed Sun Communities in 2021 and renamed Safe Harbor Rybovich.

Mario is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR, SHRM-SCP). He is engaged to be married in 2022 and currently lives in Jupiter with his fiancée, four dogs and two cats.

 

Marketing, PR & Media

Wayne Bishop

Vice President of Human Resources, Dolphin Entertainment

Wayne Bishop is a graduate of Florida International University and a veteran HR professional. He started his management career at JCPenney, entering their Mgt. Training program for Merchandising. His career path led to Personnel and Operations several years later as his entry into Human Resources. This was followed by several years at Air Jamaica Vacations, Crispin Porter and Bogusky and The Related Group, The Community and today at Dolphin Entertainment, where he is continuing his work as an HR Evangelist. Over the years, he has attained the SHRM HR Certification as well as completed a DE&I certificate for Human Resources from Cornell University and says he loves his job.

 

Tiffanie Francillon

Director of Human Resources, ISG

 

Monica Silverstein 

Chief Human Resources Officer, Hemisphere Media Group

Monica Silverstein is a visionary senior executive who has focused her career on advancing startups, re-engineering HR operations and elevating HR functions in global organizations. She is known for aligning people strategy to the organizational goals impacting workplace cultures in order to deliver impressive business results. Silverstein’s career trajectory started in retail/consumer goods and has evolved to the media and entertainment space.

Silverstein is the CHRO of Hemisphere Media Group—the only publicly traded pure-play Spanish-language media company in the United States’ high-influence U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Silverstein’s focus has been developing and implementing innovative talent management strategies that attract and develop a best-in-class, diverse talent pipeline to support continued business growth and success. Silverstein is a strategic partner and leader that has developed and executed aggressive business plans spanning organizational design, M&A, employee relations, coaching, international union and non-union employment agreements, and regulatory matters.

 

Nonprofit & Government 

Ercilia Krempler

Director of Human Resources and Risk Management, The City of Lauderhill

Ercilia Krempler is a dynamic, multi-disciplined Human Resources Professional with diverse experience and a proven record of accomplishment and leadership. As the Director of Human Resources at the City of Lauderhill, she brings innovative and creative ideas to ensure the City’s strategic goals are achieved through high-quality customer service. As an honors graduate of Florida Atlantic University, she dual majored in Criminal Justice and Political Science and went on to obtain a Master’s in Public Administration from FAU. Not long after, she returned to school and obtained a second Master’s Degree in Leadership from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

 

Josybel Martinez

Senior Director of People & Culture, YoungArts

Josybel Martinez is a Leadership Coach and HR professional, who works with executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs, as they navigate personal and professional opportunities and challenges, by creating a safe space to help them explore the tools and support they have available to empower themselves and accomplish their goals.

Josybel has nearly 20 years of Human Resources experience, from building teams in start-up environments to serving most recently as HR Business Partner supporting over 260 employees across 13 countries for a global, multinational company.

She is currently working at YoungArts as Senior Director of People and Culture.

Josybel’s formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Psychology, and she attended the Professional Coach Program at the University of Miami.

 

Professional Services

Ilene Rosenberg 

Director of Human Resources at KSDT

Ilene Rosenberg has over 25 years of experience in HR handling employee relations, retention, performance management, policy setting, campus, and experienced recruiting plus benefits. Rosenberg’s greatest passion at work is seeing a new hire grow into a successful professional.

Her team members are her firm’s greatest asset and she works with a committee to plan fun activities throughout the year. Rosenberg helps foster an environment where people feel appreciated, at ease asking questions and where the response to “I made a mistake” is always “let’s fix it together” rather than finger-pointing. Rosenberg also has a BS in Economics and an MBA.

 

Kat Evansen, PHR, SHRM-CP

Human Resources Director, Southeast at Marcum

Kat Evansen oversees the human resources function for Marcum in the Southeast. In her role, she works collaboratively with senior leadership to ensure a strategic approach to managing, training and engaging professionals at every level of the organization. She works to foster a high-performance culture that emphasizes empowerment, quality, productivity, goal attainment and the ongoing development of a superior workforce.

Evansen has a thorough understanding of compliance with federal and state employment law and compliance including, but not limited to, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), workers compensation, unemployment, and other statutes and programs affecting personnel administration.

 

Susan Kaplan

HR Director, Fuoco Group LLC

After a long career working for well-known international brands in manufacturing and retail, Susan Kaplan left the New York metro area for sunny South Florida. After a brief retirement, she entered the accounting and CPA world and became committed to using her diverse skills in Human Resources and operations management to advocate for diversity in the workplace, family and female-friendly policies, as well as mentoring and leadership advancement for working Moms. To combat pervasive harassment in a traditionally “male” environment, she championed anti-harassment policies in employment handbooks years before the “Me Too” movement.

Then Susan bought a camera—and began spreading the word about other businesses and nonprofits making a difference in the community, and the rest is history. She supports other women instead of competing with them and believes in building a network where the water lifts all boats.

 

Cara B. Critchlow

Chief Human Resources Officer, EDSA, Inc. 

Cara B. Critchlow is dedicated to enhancing the firm’s culture and employee engagement by providing strategic oversight on matters related to employee welfare, professional growth, and career fulfillment. Responsible for implementing and managing policies and programs, she champions an employee-oriented, high-performance culture that emphasizes empowerment, quality, creativity and goal attainment. Critchlow serves as the primary resource for leadership development, talent acquisition, and team retention.

 

Raymond Saller

CHRO, Daszkal Bolton LLP

Raymond Saller is an experienced Chief Human Resources Officer with a demonstrated history of working in various industries. His primary responsibilities at Daszkal Bolton include the strategic development, recruitment and retention of the firm’s professionals. Saller also manages the firm’s employee benefits and compensation models, ongoing employee engagement initiatives, and the firm’s policies and procedures for all matters related to human capital. He has more than 25 years of experience in human resources. Before joining Daszkal Bolton, he oversaw human resources in Florida for a national public accounting firm for eight years. Other professional experiences include a series of progressive roles in human resources with one of the nation’s largest providers of private security services. Additionally, Saller has experience with integrating corporate cultures through merger and acquisition activity, targeted recruitment at experienced and executive levels, development of a performance evaluation process, and various employee relation initiatives.

 

Real Estate & Construction 

Jermaine Moncur 

Vice President of HR, Atlantic Pacific Companies

Jermaine Moncur is a seasoned human resource professional with over 20 years of success supporting people, projects and operations. Moncur professional focal points include budgeting, organizational development, written/verbal communications, interpersonal skills, competency modeling, talent acquisition, contract negotiation, employee orientation, individual/group instruction, benefits administration, business succession, public relations, project management, customer service, documentation and change management.

Currently, as the Vice President of Human Resources with Atlantic Pacific Companies, he is responsible for developing and retaining top-performing employees, with direct supervision on all HR functions. Colleagues describe Moncur as a progressive, driven, down-to-earth, analytical and managerial expert who can be relied on to optimize operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, business profitability, team performance and employee satisfaction.

 

Wanda Perez 

Vice President Human Resources, The Altman Companies 

Wanda Perez brings over 20 years of experience as a Human Resources professional with a wealth of experience providing strategic leadership in the planning and implementation of quality-based, integrated human resources programs. Her progressive growth in the HR arena led her to serve in several increasingly senior HR leadership roles in a wide range of HR disciplines. She began her career with American Express in Learning and Development, segued into Compliance at JM Family Enterprises and oversaw Corporate Ethics for Jarden (Newell-Rubbermaid) Corporation. Perez utilized her vast corporate HR knowledge and understanding to build HR processes for startup and medium-size companies by successfully working and building with the executive management team, the development and execution of a business and culture transformation strategy and making the companies more competitive in the market and scale for growth. Perez holds an MBA from Southeastern University and is a PHR certified HR professional.

 

Tammy Catwright 

Human Resources Director, Westbrook Partners

Tammy Catwright is an SHRM-SCP certified HR leader with over 15 years of progressive experience in human resources. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Florida Atlantic University. Tammy’s HR career started towards the end of her 12-year tenure at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. She has since worked in HR leadership roles in the aviation and financial services industries. Her current role is the HR Director at the Global Financial Control and Operations office of Westbrook Partners in Palm Beach Gardens, a privately-owned, fully integrated real estate investment management company with offices in New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Palm Beach, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo.

 

Sports & Entertainment

 

Shannon Lesovoy

Head of People & Culture, Florida Panthers Hockey Club 

Shannon Lesovoy has had an unconventional career in sports. She graduated with a degree in Event Management from the University of Central Florida in 2014. Lesovoy has been with the Florida Panthers since interning over eight years ago and has been fully employed with them for over seven years in various roles; Conversion Crew Supervisor, Event Coordinator/Manager. During the pandemic, Lesovoy realized her career path truly didn’t serve her purpose. Over the course of the years, Lesovoy became invested in the people that she worked with and wanted to make an impact in their lives, hence the move to HR.

 

Jacqueline Medford 

Director of Human Resources, BallenIsles Country Club

Jacqueline Medford was born and raised in Jupiter/Tequesta, where her children and family continue to live. They truly love our beautiful community. Medford’s first career opportunity was with FPL Group, where she was introduced to the Human Resources profession. She immediately knew she had found her passion and pursued a Bachelor’s degree from Barry University with a concentration in Human Resources Management. Medford accepted the Director of Human Resources position with BallenIsles Country Club in 1993. The organization has valued the Human Resource profession through the years by involving Medford in infrastructure development, community association management, real estate sales, estate management as well as country club management at the senior management level. She has found my career at BallenIsles Country Club to be rewarding as she feels that she has made an impact on our culture, associates, business and industry.

 

Eva Talianova

Director of Human Resources, PopStroke

Eva Talianova has worked in the Human Resources profession since 2008 and has an extensive background in leading a full spectrum of HR programs in the luxury hospitality market. As the Director of Human Resources at PopStroke, a national leader in golf entertainment, Talianova is responsible for providing strategic guidance and leadership for all aspects of the human resources function and furthering the vision and direction of core human capital, programs, policies and services.

Before joining PopStroke, Talianova served as the Director of Human Resources at The Colony Palm Beach, Florida, for four years and as the Human Resources Manager at Gurney’s Resort & Spa for nearly ten years. Talianova has demonstrated success in working across the business at all levels, developing trust and building effective partnerships while building a strong culture. She is an expert in creating an involved workforce and an environment of continued growth.

 

Technology

Yesenia Alvarez-Chamberz 

Vice President, Human Resources at Magic Leap

Yesenia Alvarez-Chamberz is a human resources professional who has dedicated over 25 years of her career to the field of Human Resources, working across most areas of HR, including Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Talent Management, and HR Business Partner in addition to her roles in leading HR. She has demonstrated strength in her ability to partner with leadership teams to meet the business goals while serving as an employee advocate and ensuring programs are in place which promotes employee career growth. She has led teams in North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions, all while living and giving back to our South Florida community.

 

Robert Aroyo

HR Business Partner, ModMed 

Bob Arroyo is an HR Business Partner for ModMed. Originally from New York, he graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with an MBA in Business Administration. Prior to joining ModMed, he worked at Tellabs International as Senior HR Manager for Latin America, Citrix as a Senior HR Business Partner for Engineering, and Pollo Tropical as a Director of HR Operations.

He also served as a member of the United States Air Force in HR, Flight Safety, Aircraft Accident Investigation, and as an Instructor of Aircraft Maintenance. While in the Air Force he was deployed and served in Operation Desert Storm. Bob and his wife enjoy traveling,  playing golf, and spending time with their grandchildren and dog, Sammy.

 

Andrea Maizes 

Chief People Officer, United Data Technologies (UDT)

Andrea Maizes leads the Human Resources team at UDT and is tasked with shaping the employee experience for our employees. She drives strategy and execution for talent acquisition, career development, HR service delivery, diversity and inclusion and HR policies. Her central focus is creating a meaningful and rewarding experience for every colleague throughout their journey with UDT.

Prior to joining UDT in October 2021, Andrea amassed a broad base of experience through 30 years of HR experience spanning BPO technology, finance and consulting sectors. She is dedicated to creating a positive culture where employees are empowered and inspired to be the best version of themselves.

 

Transportation & Logistics

Brittney Canter-Barbe 

 

Connie Diaz 

Director, Talent Management at Ryder System, Inc.

Connie Diaz is a Talent and Organizational Development leader with over 15 years of experience within the HR and Talent Management field. She is a subject matter expert in all aspects of the talent cycle, including selection, engagement, learning and development. She is currently leading enterprise talent management programs for Fortune 500 organizations.

 

Alex Solla 

Head of HR Operations, Amerijet International Airlines 

Alex Solla is a highly engaged, results-driven Human Resources Leader with a proven track record in establishing productive business relationships and resolving critical human capital business issues. Throughout his career, he’s been passionate about workplace engagement, increasing productivity, workplace inclusion/diversity of thought, customer and employee satisfaction, and aligning human capital with the business needs of today and the future.

Through effective communication, strong interpersonal and organizational skills, Solla has been able to implement and manage change at all organizational levels with Turner Construction and in prominent South Florida based companies such as One Blood, AutoNation Inc, Bluegreen Vacations and most recently as the Head of HR Operations at Amerijet International Airlines.

 

Utilities & Communication

Horace O. Porrás 

Vice President Human Resources, Latin America at American Tower Corporation

Horace Porrás currently leads the transformation of the Human Resources function and of the Latin America organization, to rapidly align to the Company’s expansion and growth, as well as to serve its customers with agility, while enabling its digital transformation and a strong focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Sustainability.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Porrás also lived and worked in Brussels (Belgium), Milan (Italy), Bucharest (Romania), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Minnesota and for the past several years, Miami.

Porrás has over 25 years of global experience in Human Resources, holding different international roles, such as Head of Human Resources for Continental Europe, or Head of Global Mobility (7,500 expatriates in 80 countries), in several multinational companies such as Schlumberger, the world’s leading supplier of technology, integrated project management and information solutions to customers working in the oil and gas industry.

 

Marlene De Freitas

Human Resources Business Partner, Hotwire Communications 

Marlene De Freitas is currently a Human Resources Business Partner at Hotwire Communications. She has over 15 years of experience in different areas of Human Resources, such as leave of absence, workers’ comp, employee relations and performance management. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management as well as advanced HR certifications [PHR, SHRM-CP]. De Freitas believes that teamwork and positive thinking in the workplace are the way to go. She enjoys running, traveling and visiting the happiest place on earth, Disney World!