Category: SWFL - LATINTIMESMEDIA.COM

NEFTALI FELICIANO; 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage?
Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico (50/50)

What area of Florida do you live in?
SWFL- Fort Myers

What is your profession?
CEO of Cancer Alliance Network

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it.
Neftali: CEO for the Cancer Alliance Network, a non-profit organization that helps children and adults affected by cancer by providing financial assistance, resources, and support.

LIEUTENANT RICHARD CASTELLON: 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

Heritage : Cuban, I was born in Weehawken, New Jersey. We moved and I was raised Miami Florida.

Profession: Lieutenant / Law Enforcement

Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got in to it.

I started my law enforcement career back in 2003. I have twenty years on the job, I’ve worked as a patrol officer / deputy, a K-9 officer / trainer, and as a hostage negotiator.

YVETTE BENARROCH: 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

Hispanic Heritage
Puerto Rican

City: Marco Island, Florida

Profession
Small Business Owner

Tell us what you do for a living and how you got into it.
Yvette: My husband and I own a full-service landscaping company that serves the Naples-Marco Island Area. I have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, so the plan was to use those skills to help the business grow. Little did I know that God had other plans for us. In 2009 My husband was diagnosed with Stage Four Colon Cancer, and I had to run the business on my own while he was going through surgeries and chemotherapy treatments.

YISBEL BERA DAMIRON; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage?
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo

What area of Florida do you live in?
SWFL/Cape Coral, FL

What is your profession?
I have a bachelor degree in Business Management & Marketing. I am a Realtor, a certified coach and speaker/instructor & mentor.

GLORIA PADILLA: 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Mexican America

What area of Florida do you live in: Immokalee
What is your profession: Community Relations Manager

Latin Times Magazine:Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
Gloria: I have worked with RCMA for 42 years, I started as a part timer, to help pay for my college. I was looking to work in the fashion marketing world! But God had other plans for me, I grew up as a migrant farmworker my whole life, so when I started to work with RCMA, I saw the need for to advocate for the families, changed my fashion dream to social work.

MICHAEL RAMIREZ; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage?
Michael: Puerto Rican

What area of Florida do you live in?
Michael: Fort Myers, FL

What is your profession?
Michael: Education

OSCAR RUGIERO; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage? Oscar: Argentino

What area of Florida do you live in? Cape Coral

What is your profession? TV Producer

Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
Oscar: I am a television producer. I specialized in this area in my native Argentina. When I arrived in the United States, I noticed that the Latin community had to make its achievements visible, form solid networks, share experiences, and acquire tools. That is why I worked intensely to give them their broadcast space and that is how the TV show Power Latino emerged.

RICHARD SANCHEZ; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage? CUBAN /PR

What area of Florida do you live in? FORT MYERS

What is your profession?
BUSINESS OWNER/OPERATOR

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
I OWN AND OPERATE A FAMILY RUN, INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY SUPERMARKET. I’VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY MY WHOLE WORKING LIFE AND I LED THE GROWTH OF THE BRAVO GROUP I FLORIDA BEFORE GOING INTO MY OWN VENTURES.

PASTOR BENJAMIN FLECHA; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

Ben is the founder and Senior Pastor of Ministerio Un Paso de Fe/Step of Faith Ministries in North Fort Myers, Florida since 2002.

The church is now a bi-lingual church with more than 600 members. It was a way for the Puerto Rican pastor to help bridge the gap for one of the area's fastest-growing populations. Ben’s desire is for his church to be a place of hope. Ben has had the honor of being invited to preach God’s word internationally.

He is also the founder of Kingdom Business Men and Women (KBMW) a marketplace business ministry where he has been able to develop and encourage over 40 business owners.

DAYRA "DEE" DOMINGUEZ: 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage:
Dee: Dominican

What area of Florida do you live in?
Dee: SWFL

What is your profession?
Dee: Registered Nurse, Entrepreneur, Founder of “Against All Odds International” 501c3 nonprofit organization

October 01st, 2023

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Arandas, Jalisco. Mexico

What area of Florida do you live in:
Lucy: Cape Coral, Florida

What is your profession?
Lucy: Social Worker/Counselor

RAFAEL LOPEZ; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage? Cuban

What area of Florida do you live in? Village of Estero

What is your profession?
Village Councilman

Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it?
I am currently an elected Councilman, in the Village of Estero. After my retirement, I wanted to continue serving my local community. I volunteered for several organizations and eventually ran for the Village of Estero Council.

MARISSA GONZALEZ; 2023 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

10/1/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican

What area of Florida do you live in:
Lehigh Acres

What is your profession: Seriel Entrepreneur (Financial Literacy Educator, Residential Solar Representative and Advocate for HIV/AIDS)

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
Marissa: As an entrepreneur I have my hands in many things and they each have their own unique story of how I got started but it essentially boils down to not allowing life experiences to keep me down. I’ll start with where it began

PEDRO GONZALEZ; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

Co-Chairman, The King's Ministries International Fellowship
Pedro and Raquel Gonzalez have been planting churches in the Caribbean Islands, Central America, South America, and Haiti for years.

Apostles/Prophets Pedro and Raquel has planted various churches in Cuba, Haiti, Chile,Bolivia and also in Colombia.

Currently engaged in The Kingdom Training Center with a major emphasis on the Kingdom and also The school of the Prophets teaching those who have been called to the prophetic.

VICKY GUIDI; 2023 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

10/1/2023

DAVID ACEVEDO: 2022 Top Lideres Awards; SWFL

3/19/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rican

Latin Times Magazine: What area of Florida do you live in?
David Acevedo: Cape Coral, FL

Latin Times Magazine: What is your profession? David Acevedo: Visual Artist, Art Gallery owner, Entrepreneur and Office Manager (Government)

VANESSA M. CHAVIANO: 2022 Top Lideres Awards; SWFL

3/19/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Cuban American

What area of Florida do you live in:
Vanessa: Cape Coral, FL

What is your profession:
Vanessa: Marketing & Business Operations, Nonprofit Business Leader

Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it

SHERIFF CARMINE MARCENO; 2022 AMIGO AWARD; SW Florida

3/19/2023

Sheriff Carmine Marceno
Sheriff 2018-Present

Sheriff Carmine Marceno was elected Lee County’s 13th Sheriff on November 3, 2020. He was appointed Sheriff of Lee County in 2018 by then-Governor Rick Scott.

Sheriff Marceno began his law enforcement career in Suffolk County, New York before moving to Southwest Florida where he joined the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

March 19th, 2023

3/19/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage: Puerto Rico

What area of Florida do you live in: Fort Myers, FL

What is your profession:
Claribel: Dental Office Manager/Community Leader

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
Claribel: I am an office manager in Ft Myers Florida with a passion to empower young women.

Latin Times Magazine: In your industry, what would you say separates you from your competition
Claribel: Compassionate care and Transformational Leadership.

VANESSA CHAVIANO; 2022 Top Lideres Awards: SW Florida

3/19/2023

What is your Hispanic Heritage:
Cuban American

What area of Florida do you live in:
Cape Coral, FL

What is your profession:
Marketing & Business Operations, Nonprofit Business Leader

JORGE ALMODOVAR: 2022 Top Lideres Award; SWFL

3/19/2023

The SWAGmodovars_
What is your Hispanic Heritage:
Jorge: Puerto Rico

What area of Florida do you live in:
Jorge Almodovar: Cape Coral

What is your profession: Influencer

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it
Jorge Almodovar: We got into the TikTok Platform almost 2 years ago our daughter asked us to create a TikTok account and once we did we noticed that in 1 month we got 100K followers.

We knew we had something with the type of content we were delivering.

In less than a year we got to 1 million Followers.

LIZA KING: 2022 Top Lideres Award; SWFL

3/19/2023

Chief Deputy Court Administrator

I currently serve as the Chief Deputy Court Administrator for the 20th Judicial Circuit. I started my career in the justice system 29 years ago at the tender age of 18!

I’ve always had a passion for criminal justice and making a difference in our community.

NOEMI Y. PEREZ: 2022 Top Lideres Awards; SWFL

3/19/2023

What is your Hispanic heritage:
Mexican

What area of Florida do you live in: Lehigh Acres

What is your profession: President and CEO, The Immokalee Foundation

Latin Times Magazine: Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it.
Noemi Perez: I lead an organization that is very near and dear to my heart.

For more than 30 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in Immokalee—from kindergarten to postsecondary education. I began as a "Student Advocate" (counselor) in 2008. In 2016, I was promoted to Program Director, and in 2018, I was appointed President and CEO.

SILVIA BEATRIZ DIEZ; 2022 Top Lideres Awards; SW Florida

3/19/2023

Conduccion PowerLatino at PowerLatino.tv/Univision
January 18, 2023 - Present
Programa de interés general para la comunidad que está queriendo conocer y aprender a cómo emprender.

CEO at Mujeres Emprendedoras SWFL By Silvia
2001 - Present·Fort Myers, Florida
Compañía dedicada al networking empresarial

IVETTE GALARZA: 2022 Top Lideres Awards; SWFL

3/19/2023

Tell us about what you do for a living and how you got into it

Ivette Galarza: Ivette was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY to Puerto Rican parents. Her mom and dad were both from Moca, PR. At a young age Ivette watched her mother with a 7th grade educational level advocate on behalf of a community of tenants that were at the verge of being evicted. Ivette firmly believes that watching her mother walk through this multi-year journey is what birthed the passion within her to dedicate 27 years of her life to working on behalf of vulnerable children, families and communities.