The University of Miami has long championed women, since well before its history-making decision 1973 to become the first major institution in the country to offer athletic scholarships to female athletes. Today, the University boasts powerhouse women in leadership positions, and its alumnae have gone on to make impacts in every profession and walk of life.
Every March, the National Women’s History Alliance challenges us to use Women’s History Month as an opportunity to recognize women’s achievements in all facets of life, offering a lens to appreciate these accomplishments through annual themes.
This year’s theme, “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” honors “the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and [is] a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.”
Celebrate women and their accomplishments all month with these stories of University of Miami alumnae making strides in their communities, driving positive change while offering hope and/or healing in the process.
Caring for caregiving kids - Julia Belkowitz, M.D., M.P.H. ’16
By recent estimates, there are more than five million children under the age of 18 who provide significant or substantial care for relatives or household members. For the most part, they do it without recognition or support.
Julia Belkowitz, M.D., M.P.H. ’16, assistant dean for student affairs and associate professor of pediatrics at the Miller School of Medicine, wants to change that.
Belkowitz is a longstanding advisor to the American Association of Caregiving Youth, the only national organization to recognize caregiving children.
The AACY aims to provide skill sessions, support groups, respite camps, and more to enable caregiving kids to decompress and to adjust to a life many never expected. It also lobbies for recognition and financial assistance for this growing population.
Belkowitz is a champion of children and through her work, she enables children to flourish.
To read more about Belkowitz and her work, click here.
Hope for the homeless - Sabrina Hennecke, third-year M.D./M.P.H. candidate
Sick and forgotten, a woman experiencing homelessness sat at a bus stop in downtown Miami. That image stayed with Sabrina Hennecke, a third-year M.D./M.P.H. candidate at the Miller School of Medicine, to the point that she wrote an impassioned op-ed piece that was published in the Miami Herald, speaking to the health care plight of the homeless.
Hennecke had previously worked with nonprofits that largely centered around neglected issues and populations outside of the U.S., including snakebite envenoming in East Africa, access to medical care in South America, and human rights issues facing asylum seekers. Hennecke realized the bulk of her work has always touched on the issue of homelessness.
Upon realizing that all these issues disproportionately impact unsheltered individuals, Hennecke went on to become a founding leader of a student-run organization called Miami Street Medicine.
Miami Street Medicine aims to directly address the unique needs of Miami’s homeless population through its free clinic providing medical care.
Hennecke exemplifies the transformational power that women can have in their community. Her accomplishments provide healing and hope to many by advocating for the sick and downtrodden.
To read more about Hennecke and her work, click here.
Champion of her community - Alina T. Hudak, B.B.A. ’82, M.P.A. ’84
Alina T. Hudak, B.B.A. ’82, M.P.A. ’84, is a trailblazer. She became the first woman to serve as a director of a large operational department in Miami-Dade County, the first Hispanic woman appointed assistant county manager, and the first woman to serve as county manager—a role in which she oversaw more than 27,000 employees and an $8 billion budget. Currently, Hudak serves as city manager for Miami Beach.
During her three decades of public service in the Miami-Dade County government, Hudak oversaw six Super Bowls and the largest debris cleanup in county history. She also negotiated millions for the construction contract of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
Hudak has been integral to Miami Beach’s COVID-19 pandemic response, from initiating a full lockdown at the pandemic’s onset to guiding the city through its phased industry reopening plan and vaccine rollout. She was responsible for coordinating with federal, state, and county officials to establish an alternate care facility in Miami Beach, as well as several COVID-19 testing sites throughout the urban island.
Building a stronger community for a better tomorrow – Rochelle Lewis, B.A. ’10, M.P.A. ’11
Rochelle Lewis, B.A. ’10, M.P.A. ’11, is a recognized leader and community champion. She has been recognized as one of Miami’s 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow of 2021, and South Florida’s 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow of 2012.
Currently, Lewis serves as chief of staff for the city of North Miami, where she works closely with the city manager to oversee municipal operations, acts as the primary point person for the city’s department directors, and aids in the execution of community directives issued by the mayor and council. In 2021 she earned a doctorate in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
She has served as director of corporate initiatives and government affairs for Jackson Health System, the largest public health institution in the region. As the health system’s government affairs leader, she presented on health care issues before the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and other government agencies.
Lewis has also served her alma mater as director of alumni engagement, working to foster community among ’Canes. And in all her various roles, her passion for nurturing her shared communities remains a constant.
Healing on the mind - Teshamae Monteith, M.D. ’04
For Teshamae Monteith, M.D. ’04, associate professor of clinical neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and chief of UHealth Headache Division, her passion stems from a sense of purpose and determination to give her best in all areas of her life.
Neurologist, headache specialist, researcher, podcaster, writer, educator—these are just a few of the hats Monteith wears daily.
Whether she’s diagnosing and treating patients or performing procedures at UHealth’s Headache Clinic, Monteith is always looking for opportunities to offer her expertise to wider audiences.
Monteith spends her free time recording a podcast for the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), collaborating with her fellow program directors on the American Headache Society, and working alongside her editorial board colleagues for the AAN’s Brain & Life magazine.
As a headache specialist, Monteith is continually challenged and inspired by the compounding specialties that intersect with her work, whether it be oncology, neurology, or women’s health.
To read more about Monteith and her work, click here.
A voice for individuals with disabilities – Haley Moss, J.D. ’18
When Haley Moss was nine years old, her parents told her she was like Harry Potter – different, but a hero, nonetheless. It was their way of explaining to the young Moss that she had autism spectrum disorder while never making her feel like there was something wrong with her.
“My mom told me different is neither better nor worse,” Moss said. “It’s just different, and different could be extraordinary.”
And that’s exactly the message that Moss, a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, who is known as the first openly autistic attorney in Florida, wants to share.
As an educator, speaker, artist, and author, Moss also advocates for individuals with disabilities and promotes awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity – the idea that cognitive differences, like those seen in people with autism spectrum disorder, are normal and should be recognized and respected like any other human variation.
To read more about Moss and her work, click here.
A leader and advocate for Haitian-Americans - Theresa G. Therilus, B.B.A. ’01
An experienced attorney and recently appointed city manager for North Miami, Theresa Therilus has been a leader and role model her entire professional life and she is passionate about making a difference. In her current role, she serves as the top administrator responsible for the city’s operations and provides oversight for the city’s $196 million operating budget.
Therilus is the first Haitian-American city manager for North Miami, where a significant percentage of residents are Haitian or Haitian-American. In 2017, Brickell Magazine honored Therilus as one of the Top 20 under 40 Professionals. She is also a 2018 Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals honoree for her experience in government and sports management.
Therilus also serves on the board of the Cliff Avril Family Foundation, which provides educational support and opportunities to youth in Haiti, along with various community-based organizations in U.S. cities.
