John Safranek has been named chief financial officer of the Miami Art Museum. With more than 15 years experience in financial management and accounting, he will oversee finance, operations, human resources and IT. Before joining the museum, he was vice president and chief financial officer of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, where he provided overall financial leadership, managing investment activities, financial policies/controls, budget and accounting. Before that, he was director of finance and human resources for the Miami City Ballet, where he supervised financial management, prepared the annual budget and implemented asset control policies.
Kate Goldman named director of strategic partnerships at United Way of Broward County
Kate Goldman has been named director of strategic partnerships at United Way of Broward County. She will work to develop new business for the agency's Workplace Giving Campaign, and expand existing relationships with the organization's corporate partners. She also will lead the agency's Women's Leadership Council, a group for women donors to become philanthropists and community leaders. Goldman has more than 15 years experience in project management, event planning, marketing and community relations. Before joining United Way, she worked as director, corporate community relations for Mahoney & Associates, a South Florida compensation and benefits consulting firm.
Legal Services of Greater Miami names Lance Harke president, adds new officers
Lance A. Harke has been named president of Legal Services of Greater Miami. He is managing partner of Harke Clasby & Bushman LLP, a Miami Shores-based commercial litigation and consumer class action firm. Legal Services also has added the following new officers: Carlos Canino of Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., as first vice president; Yanick Landess, representing FANM, an advocacy and social service agency for Haitian women, as second vice president; Jeffrey B. Crockett of Coffey Burlington, L.L.P., as treasurer; and Nancy Ciampa of Carlton Fields, P.A., as secretary.
Christopher Collings promoted to litigation partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Christopher J.M. Collings has been promoted to litigation partner in the Miami office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. He joined the firm in 2002 as a litigation associate. His practice will focus on products liability, toxic torts and mass tort litigation. Before joining Morgan Lewis, he was an assistant state attorney for Miami-Dade County.
Cheree Liebowitz named director of marketing at International College Counselors
Cheree Heller Liebowitz has been named director of marketing at International College Counselors (ICC), an international college advising company in Hollywood. She will be responsible for increasing market share and awareness of the company that helps students through the graduate and undergraduate college admission process. Before joining ICC, she was director of marketing at Special Needs Group in Dania Beach. She also has an event planning background and has created and produced events for American Express OPEN, Motorola, GE, IBM, AARP The Magazine, Major League Baseball and the American Cancer Society.
Belinda Gonzalez-Leon promoted to vice president at Education Management Corporation
Belinda M. Gonzalez-Leon has been promoted to vice president of academic compliance on the regulatory affairs and compliance team of the Education Management Corporation (EDMC), a provider of private post-secondary education that includes Brown Mackey College. She will be based in Miami and will lead in developing, implementing, and monitoring policies, procedures, practices, and processes for compliance of regulatory agencies specific to academic affairs/registrar. She has been with EDMC since 1997, when she was hired as the registrar for the Art Institute of Houston. Before her new promotion, she was vice president of registrar operations for EDMC in the student impact group.
Jesse Walters named executive director of Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce
Jesse Walters has been named the new executive director of the Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce. He also is a city councilman in Miami Shores. Before moving to South Florida, he was chief executive officer of the Chester County Convention and Visitors Bureau in suburban Philadelphia.
Former immigration judge Pedro Miranda named a partner at Pozo Goldstein Gomez & Miranda
Pedro A. Miranda, an immigration judge in Miami since 1994, has joined the South Florida-based law firm Pozo Goldstein Gómez & Miranda, LLP as a partner. He will work in the firm’s Coral Springs and Miami offices. The former judge presided over immigration court hearings as part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review. From 1988 until he became a judge, he was an attorney for the United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, representing the government in adversarial immigration proceedings. Before that, he was a partner with a well-established firm in San Juan, Puerto Rico, appearing before local courts, the U.S. District Court, and the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Carmen Rodriguez promoted to assistant vice president at South Miami Hospital
Carmen Rodriguez has been promoted to assistant vice president of perioperative services at South Miami Hospital. She joined the hospital in 1992 as a nurse manager and most recently served as director of surgical services. In her new role, she will be responsible for the development, implementation and administration of all patient care and business aspects of perioperative services, managing financial operations to ensure services meet established quality standards. She also will continue to expand the bariatric and robotic surgery programs, which she successfully developed and elevated to centers of excellence. South Miami Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida.
Ann Morales Olazábal named a vice dean at University of Miami School of Business
Ann Morales Olazábal has been named vice dean for undergraduate business education at the University of Miami School of Business Administration. She is a business law professor who has been on the school’s faculty for nearly 15 years. As vice dean, she will be responsible for oversight of the undergraduate program. Before joining UM's School of Business, she spent 10 years as an attorney, serving most recently as vice president and general counsel to Miami exporting firm EXKO Services Inc. Before that, she was a commercial litigator in private practice in Phoenix.
