BE STRONG INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Be Strong International
Representing leading South Florida business and community groups, the appointees will help grow the non-profit organization and extend its reach to help South Florida families.
Miami, FL (February 21, 2024) – Be Strong International, an award-winning non-profit serving South Florida families for more than 30 years, has appointed three new members to its Board of Directors. New members Laura Botero, Chad Delk, and Doug Skoke will help support Be Strong International’s mission of providing education programs that strengthen families in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
The eight-member board is dedicated to overseeing one of South Florida’s rising nonprofit organizations. Like the current members, the new appointees bring expertise and resources from influential South Florida organizations:
Laura Botero, Co-Founder and Managing Director at BTZL
Botero is a corporate finance professional with experience in business valuation, FP&A and corporate treasury. As the Co-Founder and Managing Director at BTZL, she works with business owners and management teams to help them plan and execute growth strategies with discipline, protecting their legacy and enabling value creation. She is passionate about innovation, teamwork, loves interacting with multiple stakeholders and serving as a liaison.
Chad Delk, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Chad Delk is an accomplished executive director at JP Morgan Private Bank, boasting a diverse expertise cultivated through various roles spanning marketing, strategy, finance, and business management within the firm. Leveraging his extensive professional background, Chad serves as a board member at Be Strong International, strategically guiding initiatives to advance the organization’s mission. His fervent dedication lies in empowering youth through education and support, fostering their development into productive contributors to both family and community.
Doug Skoke, Vice President of Benjamin Franklin
Meet Doug Skoke, a seasoned professional with a genuine commitment to community impact. Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Business Development at Benjamin Douglas, Doug specializes in helping high-growth companies in the SMB market. His dedication to ethical behavior and servant leadership aligns seamlessly with Be Strong International’s mission.
###
About Be Strong International
Be Strong International is an acclaimed nonprofit organization that delivers comprehensive educational services and resources to families residing in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Their mission is helping individuals and families achieve relationship breakthroughs and instilling Heart Skills®. Established in 1992 by Mrs. Althea McMillan, a retired Miami-Dade County Public Schools teacher, the organization is presently led by Michelle Shirley, CEO and Chief Heart Officer. In addition to Be Strong International’s Heart Skills® programs, which empowers families to make informed decisions concerning relationships, money, work, and family life, the organization offers family success coaching. These crucial offerings provide personalized support that addresses each family’s unique needs, ensuring a holistic approach to their wellbeing. Furthermore, Be Strong International collaborates with institutions to provide resources such as food drives and back-to-school supply drives. Known for its transformational workplace culture, Be Strong International has been selected as one of the Best Places to Work by the South Florida Business Journal and provides Healthy Culture trainings to corporations and universities.
New Board Members:
Laura Botero:
Chad Delk:
Doug Skoke:
To know more about Be Strong International’s Board of Directors, click here: Board of Directors – Be Strong International (bestrongintl.org)
Pictured: Be Strong International staff packing cars with nutritious food packages.
Grant Miller visits Be Strong International’s Food Drive
Grant Miller from Miami’s Community Newspapers visited Be Strong International’s food distribution at Demps Park where every month, over 500 families receive nutritious food packages in efforts to support those who may be suffering from food shortages. Families who are in need were provided with free packages of food that included dairy, protein, canned food items, bread, among other food items.
Thank you to Grant Miller and Miami’s Community Newspapers for covering this impactful event that serves our local communities.
See more here: Grant Miller visits Be Strong International’s Food Drive | Featured# (communitynewspapers.com)
Giving back: Philanthropy drives community development
Our wonderful CEO & Chief Heart Officer, Michelle Shirley was chosen to be amongst other incredible non – profit leaders at the annual South Florida Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropy Panel! As a panelist member, Michelle spoke about the needs in our South Florida communities, the work Be Strong International is doing to move individuals and families from brokenness to wholeness, and the importance of taking care of team members that are on the frontline serving our communities. Interested in finding out how the conversation with the panelist continued? Click the link below to find out!
Three people killed and five injured after a graduation party outside a hookah lounge in Kendall. Three dead and 20 wounded outside a party in a northwest Miami-Dade County banquet hall. Nine wounded on Hollywood Beach. These are just a few of the many cases of gun violence that have occurred throughout South Florida in recent years.
It’s a tragedy that affects everyone, creating a climate of fear that affects all aspects of life. Gun violence has become a major concern for 49% of African-American families and 29% of Hispanics, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.
June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month, but Be Strong International is working all year to address this outrageous situation, knowing that people cannot begin to reach their potential until they feel safe in their community. It’s a massive problem. Gun-related injuries are the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens ages 1-19. In 2021, more Americans died of gun-related injuries than in any other year on record, according to the Pew Research Center, which cites research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reveals 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., including 3,142 in Miami-Dade County. The Miami Herald reports that of the 249 murders in Miami-Dade that year, 2023 – more than 81 percent – involved guns.
According to some alarming numbers from Pew’s research, the risks of gun violence are not just in the community outside but are also seen in the home. Children have shockingly easy access to guns in the home, leading to consequences. About one-third of American children live in homes with firearms, and 13 percent of households have at least one weapon stored dangerously – either unlocked and loaded or stored with ammunition.
When children tragically commit suicide with a firearm, 80 percent use a gun that belongs to a family member.
In the face of this heartbreaking problem, Be Strong International is working with community partners to create solutions by building a collective impact that addresses all aspects of the problem – from relieving poverty to addressing the hopelessness that can lead people to solve their problems with violence. We use our Heart SkillsTM education programs to help create alternatives, intentionally placing them in “hot spots” where the community is at high risk of gun violence. We bring residents and community leaders together to take action on critical issues that can lead to violence. At the same time, we help parents bond with their children to counteract negative outside influences.
“Heart SkillsTM are needed regardless of your ethnicity, financial background or culture,” says Be Strong’s CEO and Chief Heart Officer, Michelle Shirley. “The goal is to develop new patterns of thinking and behaving to strengthen relationships in all areas of life.”
Individuals can also take action against gun violence in their families and communities.
5 Ways Friends and Families Can Help Prevent Gun Violence
1. Know the Signs.
Having a mental illness does not automatically make someone dangerous to others; in fact, they are more likely to be a victim of violence than the attacker. But with 54 percent of gun deaths caused by suicide, according to the CDC, the risk of self-harm is great. The National Alliance on
Mental Illness says signs of suicidal behavior include withdrawal from friends and family, increased use of drugs or alcohol, sharp mood swings and reckless or aggressive behavior.
The same signs can warn that your loved one may try to harm others. Other indications of the desire to use a gun to hurt others include making online threats and committing acts of domestic violence.
2. Take Action.
If you suspect a loved one may harm themselves or others, seek immediate professional help – don’t try to fix the situation yourself or ignore it because you don’t want to get your friend or child “in trouble.” Seek immediate psychiatric help or alert school, healthcare or even law enforcement if your loved one seems to be at risk of committing violence with a gun.
In addition, you might be able to get the weapon taken away from the at-risk person. Florida is one of several states with “red flag” laws allowing law enforcement to remove weapons from people who are a threat to themselves or others. Florida’s law requires having a court hearing within 24 hours for a temporary risk protection order; if the judge grants the order, a home search is conducted and firearms and ammunition are removed.
3. If You Own a Weapon, Store It Safely.
Tragically, when most children shoot themselves or others, they use a family member’s gun. If you have firearms in your home, secure them with trigger locks and keep them somewhere your child can’t access them. Research has shown safe-storage laws successfully reduce accidental shooting deaths by children; the rate dropped by one-quarter in states with such laws.
Make sure the people your family interacts with outside the home also are storing their weapons safely – or at least be aware of what they do. You can’t make them lock up their guns and you may not want to forbid your child from entering those homes, but you must be aware for your family’s sake.
4. Talk about Gun Safety – and Listen.
Make sure all family members understand the importance of staying safe around firearms. More importantly, talk with them honestly – and frequently – about feelings they may try to resolve with violence. Have a clear, straightforward discussion with them at least once and whenever a gun tragedy is in the news. But don’t stop there. Stay open to signs that they’re at risk, and make sure they know they can come to you for answers without judgment.
5. Help Build Healthy Relationships.
It’s not a guarantee, but connecting with supportive, positive people and groups can significantly reduce the likelihood that your loved one will turn to violence to solve their problems. Getting involved with sports, after-school clubs and community organizations exposes them to positive influences, fosters a sense of belonging and adds structure to their lives.
Programs like Be Strong International’s Heart SkillsTM education bring a needed sense of structure. The world is often a violent place. You can’t protect your children from everything. But you can give them the tools to be a little safer.
—
STATS
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm
Pew: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/26/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/
Pew: Americans’ views of the problems facing the nation in 2021 | Pew Research Center
Miami Herald: https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-dade-murder-rate-dropped-in-2021-by-nearly-15/2659716
If you learned you had diabetes, would you try to “just get over it” with willpower? If a friend broke her leg, would you tell her to stop feeling sorry for herself and get up and walk? Of course not. Diabetes is a medical condition that must be treated with medication, and walking on a broken leg can only make it worse.
But that’s how many people still see mental illness. It’s a character flaw you can fix by “getting over yourself,” or a problem you can solve with some determination and refusal to indulge in self-pity.
Although progress has been made in understanding mental illness, we still have a long way to go before we reach true understanding and acceptance. You can help remove some of the stigma by educating yourself and learning how to talk about mental illness – your own or a loved one’s struggle.
First, Know the Facts
Mental illness is a common occurrence, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). One in five U.S. adults experience some from of mental illness each year; one in 20 will suffer a serious disorder. Among youth ages 6-17, it strikes one in six. Among young people ages 10-14, suicide is the second leading cause of death.
Treatment is available and can bring relief, but reluctance to admit the problem keeps many from seeking critical help. The consequences of ignoring the problem can be dire: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, imprisonment, suicide. Even if the mentally ill person escapes those results, life with untreated depression, anxiety or another condition has little pleasure or fulfillment.
A variety of factors lead to mental illness. It’s often the result of a chemical imbalance in your brain that affects thinking, mood and behavior. Brain injuries have also been found to be connected to some mental conditions. According to WebMD, the disorders often run in families – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that if your parent suffered from depression, you will too.
Some mental illnesses may be triggered or made worse by psychological trauma that happens when you’re a child or teenager, such as severe emotional, physical or sexual abuse; a major loss early in life, such as the death of a parent; or neglect. Some disorders can be triggered by stressful events like death, divorce or job loss, and substance abuse can also aggravate mental disorders in some people.
Mental illness won’t automatically result from these factors, and feeling sad about losing a parent doesn’t mean you have depression. It’s important to know the signs of true mental illness so you can get the right help for yourself or a loved one.
10 Signs of a Possible Mental Health Disorder
The American Psychiatric Association cautions that experiencing a few of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mental illness, but you may need to be evaluated. If you are struggling with several for a prolonged period, or if any of them is causing serious problems in school or at work or in your general quality of life, you should see a physician or a mental health professional. If you have any concerns that you may need professional help, don’t hesitate to reach out.
- Changes in sleep habits – either sleeping a lot more or a lot less
- Changes in appetite – overeating or loss of interest in food
- Mood changes or mood swings – sudden shifts between emotional outbursts and withdrawal, and overreacting to setbacks
- Withdrawal from everyday life and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Problems with memory, speech or thinking
- Feeling disconnected from others
- “Magical thinking” – exaggerated beliefs about your power to affect the world around you (positively or negatively)
- Unreasonable fears about people or situations
- Sudden odd, unusual behavior
- Changes in school or work behavior — increased absenteeism, poor performance or problems getting along with others
Symptoms in Children
The signs of mental illness in children tend to be behavioral rather than internal, according to NAMI , who advises parents and other adults should watch children for these signals of a possible mental health disorder:
- Changes in school performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety
- Unusual resistance to attending school or going to bed
- Hyperactivity
- Frequent nightmares
- Frequent disobedience or aggression
- Frequent temper tantrums
How to Talk About Your Mental Illness
Like any difficult subject, talking about mental illness requires sensitivity and careful consideration before you begin. But don’t be afraid to start the conversation. You’ll do more harm by ignoring the problem. And you may find others are happy you opened up and asked for their help.
- Use the communication you’re most comfortable with. It doesn’t have to be face-to-face; a letter or an email lets you think about want you want to say before you say it.
- Find the right time and place – a time when neither of you is busy or likely to be distracted; a quiet place where you can speak comfortably.
- Plan what you want to say. You can jot down some notes or just review what you want to say in your head.
- Be honest and open. Help the other person understand what you’re going through by telling them exactly what’s going on.
- Tell them how they can help you. Maybe you just want them to listen and support you. Or maybe you need them to help you find treatment. Chances are, they’re eager to know what you need and what they can do.
- Don’t expect too much from one conversation. The person you talk to may need some time to absorb what you’ve told them. They may not even accept what you’re saying at first. You may need to have another conversation, or a few more, before they really get it. Be patient – they’ll eventually come to understand.
Where to Turn for Help
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there are many ways to find help:
- Callor text 988 or visit org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Contact the NAMI HelpLine to find out what services and supports are available in your community.
- Get free, confidential help 24/7 from the National Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357)
###
Sidebar
Types of Mental Illness
These are some common forms of mental illness and how to recognize them, according to WebMD:
- Anxiety disorders: Responding to situations or objects with fear and dread, often expressed with rapid heartbeat or sweating.
- Mood disorders: Persistent feelings of sadness, exaggerated expressions of happiness; swinging from one mood to the other.
- Psychotic disorders: Distorted awareness, most commonly hallucinations and delusions.
- Eating disorders: Extreme attitudes about food, from binge eating to refusing to eat.
- Impulse control and addiction disorders: Inability to resist behavior that can be harmful to themselves or others, such as alcohol or drug abuse or other risky behaviors.
- Personality disorders: Extreme, inflexible personality traits that cause distress and can lead to problems in relationships with others.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to obsessively perform rituals that interfere with normal life.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: Lasting or frightening thoughts and memories of a traumatic event that keeps them from moving on from the harmful situation.
Sources
American Psychiatric Association
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/warning-signs-of-mental-illness
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
NAMI California
https://namica.org/what-is-mental-illness
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness
The new Be Strong On The Block program coordinates counseling and other resources for under-served children, youth and families in under-served areas of Miami-Dade County.
Miami, FL, May 12, 2023 – Be Strong International, an award-winning non-profit serving South Florida families for more than 30 years, has launched Be Strong On The Block, a new program to help under-served clients in parts of south Miami-Dade County find help for significant depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders.
The program directly helps families in the Goulds and Richmond Heights neighborhoods hit by poverty, crime, unemployment, community violence and trauma. It uses community connectors to find and enroll clients through door-to-door canvassing, outreach to local hotspots and referrals from neighborhood organizations. The community connectors serve as resource guides for client families, making them aware of available services and helping them to receive help.
“The ability to help everyone in the entire family is just an incredible gift,” said Michelle Shirley, CEO of Be Strong International. “We aim to bridge the gap between the amazing resources offered by community organizations and businesses and the children and families who need them the most.”
Following an initial screening, Be Strong On The Block staff address current barriers to mental well-being by connecting families to mental health providers and agencies that can assist with housing, utilities payment, tutoring, parenting classes, food and nutrition, legal services, jobs, GED assistance, bereavement support and after-school programs, among other resources.
The program is led by Dr. Delvena Thomas, who trained in medicine and psychiatry at the University of Maryland Medical Systems in Baltimore, Maryland. It is mainly funded by The Children’s Trust as part of its Family and Neighborhood Support Partnerships, with additional support from The Miami Foundation and Peacock Foundation.
Be Strong International has been instrumental in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, including coping with acts of violence. It partners with Miami-Dade County in implementing Project Peace, specifically serving Goulds residents with innovative youth and neighborhood virtual workshops, local leadership training, monthly free food drives and other connections to this high-risk, high-need community. It is dedicated to assessing their needs and creating a plan to meet them.
For more information about Be Strong On The Block, or if you are a resident of Goulds or Richmond Heights, please visit https://bestrongintl.org/be-strong-on-the-block/
To donate, please visit https://bestrongintl.org/donate/
For more information and updates, follow Be Strong International on social media @bestrongintl or through the website https://bestrongintl.org
###
About Be Strong International
Be Strong International is an award-winning nonprofit organization that provides holistic educational services and resources to families in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, bringing them from brokenness to wholeness by helping them develop healthy relationships and positive life skills. Founded in 1992 by Mrs. Althea McMillan, a retired Miami-Dade County Public Schools teacher, it is now led by Michelle Shirley, CEO and Chief Heart Officer. Be Strong International’s Heart Skillstm programs teach families how to make better decisions about relationships, money, work and family life. In addition, Be Strong International partners with other institutions to offer events that will directly help the communities it serves, such as food drives and back-to-school supply drives. Known for its transformational workplace culture, Be Strong International has been selected as one of the Best Places to Work by the South Florida Business Journal.
Making Our Community Stronger Award 2023 Honorees
The Making Our Community Stronger Award is the highest honor community leaders can receive by a local nonprofit organization. With this award, Be Strong International honors local leaders who have been deeply committed to bringing lasting value and opportunities for youth and families in their time of need.
The individuals who have been presented with this honorable recognition are those with a great ambition to take proactive steps to make communities stronger. Be Strong International is grateful for the recipients of this award and proud to highlight these individuals who have gone above and beyond to help improve the outlook for broken families in the community.
The individuals who are being honored this year are the following:
BALDWYN RODRIGUEZ ENGLISH JR.
External Affairs Manager – Miami Dade County, Florida Power & Light
Baldwyn is an External Affairs Manager with Florida Power & Light in Miami-Dade County. In this role, he is responsible for establishing and maintaining constructive relationships with local government, businesses, and civic leaders.
Baldwyn became familiar with the utility sector as the Chief Advisor to Commissioner Ronald
Brisé at the Florida Public Service Commission. At the Commission, he was tasked with utilizing his business and legal background for the benefit of Florida utility ratepayers. He also helped to develop the Supplier Diversity Toolkit and had an instrumental participation in the development of the Telecommunications Act Modernization Task Force. Prior to entering the public sector, Baldwyn worked as an attorney at a leading law firm in Houston, Texas.
Baldwyn earned his law degree from Texas Southern and was a member of law review, Chief Justice of the Board of Advocates and Chief Justice of the Honor Court. His undergraduate business degree was earned at Florida International University.
When not at work, Baldwyn continues in his leadership responsibilities as a mentor to local youth organizing activities such as camping trips, sports leagues and a robotics club. He volunteers with several local non-profits, including United Way Miami (co-chair Community Impact Committee), Miami Union Adventist Academy (Board Chair), ChamberSOUTH, South Dade Economic Diversity Council, South Dade Chamber of Commerce and several others.
Baldwyn is married to Dr. Shirley English and they have two teenagers, Trey and Morgan.
GRANT MILLER
Executive Editor/Publisher – Miami’s Community Newspaper
If there is one thing that best characterizes Grant Miller, clearly it is his character – and that he is one, too! Through all his daily interactions, Grant’s personal and professional brand makes him one of the most recognized and adored personalities in all of South Florida.
Early on, Grant was greatly influenced by his teachers at Palmetto High School, Miami-Dade College, and ultimately Florida International University. They impressed upon him the importance of education, of course. But through their expertise and example, he also learned the power of commitment to making life better – not just for oneself, but for all those around us.
In 1982, Grant launched his career in newspaper production at the family’s South Miami-based newspaper. Today, he is the Community Newspaper’s executive editor, together with his brother Michael Miller as the executive publisher. In another aspect of his life, he has a profound love of sports. He has served and volunteered in several softball and football associations, coaching youth, and children over the past 40 years.
In addition, Grant has had the honor of serving with multiple civic organizations, as a trustee of Chamber South, the Aventura Marketing Council, the Doral Chamber, and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (former trustee). He is also the founder of the Pinecrest Business Association, the Palmetto Bay Business Association, and the Cutler Bay Business Association.
He was told he had within him the ability to truly make positive and long-lasting impacts in his community and that is what he set out to do. These very lessons he later imparted upon his two sons.
MICHAEL MILLER
Publisher – Miami’s Community Newspaper
Michael Miller serves as the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers, a position of prominence in Miami-Dade County that he has held for more than 40 years. Michael’s life mission is his inherent ability to connect people. Be it those in high office and big business, or everyday working people, educators, and activists, Michael sees everyone for who they are – and in the process, taps right into the heart of the community.
Mirroring his dad’s ability to pivot, adapt, survive, and thrive, Michael has the grit it takes to face great change and challenging times. Today, joined by his brother Grant Miller, who serves as the company’s executive editor, it is truly a family affair – a massive media organization directly serving 15 local communities and connecting hundreds of thousands of readers and viewers every day.
A graduate of Palmetto High School and then Florida International University with a Nursing degree in his hand, Michael initially homed in on a career in importing exotic birds and other animals – an avocation he still enjoys to this day. By 1982, he and his brother started working with the senior Miller at the family’s growing publishing and media company in South Miami, providing inclusion, connection, interaction, and community.
Michael presently lives in Horse Country, less than 10 miles due west of the Community Newspapers offices in South Miami. He and his wife, Jan – who has also led a life of community service – have two children, and two grandchildren.
PATRICK G. MORRIS
Director of Civic & Philanthropic Partnerships – Office of the Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
Pat Morris is a recognized non-profit and community leader with more than thirty plus years’ experience in both worlds. He is often called on to speak with companies about their Corporate Social Responsibility. He is a trusted advisor to many non-profit CEO’s in South Florida. Pat recently accepted a new position as the Director of Civic and Philanthropic Partnerships for Miami- Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. In this new role he has been working with the business, nonprofit and philanthropic funding community on community building initiatives.
Previously, Pat was the Community Affairs Officer in South Florida for Wells Fargo, Vice President of Community Affairs at Vista Health Plan and was the Vice President for Business Development at Sabadell United Bank. He also was the founder and CEO of Hands On Miami.
Active in community service, Morris serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of the Coral Gables Good Government Initiative, among others. He has served on several local, state and national nonprofit boards, in prominent institutions such as Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, and many more. Pat is a past member of the Leadership Miami and Leadership Florida programs.
He holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from The American University in Washington, DC. He attended the Governing for Non-Profit Excellence program at Harvard Business School and the Stanford University Center for Social Innovation Workshop for Non-Profit CEO’s. Pat lives with his wife Stacy and two children in Coral Gables, Florida.
ANGELA RAMOS
Director of Community Empowerment – Univision Local Media Miami
Angela Ramos is Director of Community Empowerment at Univision-23/UniMás69, Univision Communications Inc. She currently oversees the development of community service campaigns and initiatives, as well as producing the community service programming for the station. These include Univision›s education, health, financial and civic engagement empowerment platforms.
She started her career at Univision-23 in 1985 as an Assistant in the Programming Department and then went on to become a producer and subsequently a Production Manager at the station for several years and has been leading the community service initiatives in her current role since 1993. She has produced various award-winning television programs and specials as well as community events which include concerts, resource fairs, town hall meetings, telethons, weekly public affairs programs and specials, as well as public service campaigns.
Angela has a steadfast commitment to helping improve the quality of life of South Floridians and has a passion for helping those less fortunate. She truly believes that there is help for the majority of people in need in our wonderful community and support for those that are determined to succeed. For over 37 years she has made it her mission to connect viewers through Univision with organizations that have helped families navigate issues concerning education, health, civic engagement and financial awareness, as well as provided our viewers with essential services during times of crisis.
ANGELICA SANTIBANEZ
Community Engagement Liason – Amazon
Angelica “Angie” Bertot Santibañez leads community engagement efforts for Amazon Public Policy team in the South Florida region, working closely with local community stakeholders to support policy objectives. She was in the Social Impact Fundraising space for 10 years before transitioning into Corporate Social Responsibility arena, particularly with CRA and Community Development initiatives in the banking industry.
She is driven by a desire to inspire and help those in need in the local Miami community. Angelica is very active in the community, serving on a number of committees of civic, non-profit, and charitable organizations, including the United Way Miami Women United Executive Council where she serves as Vice Chair, the Chapman Partnership NextGen Executive Committee, Philanthropy Miami Board Member, and sits on the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
Angie is born and raised in Miami, FL. She graduated from Miami Dade College with her Associate of Arts, then received her bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and her MBA from Florida International University. She is a 2013 Leadership Miami graduate, received the 2021 ICBA’S 40 Under 40 Emerging Community Bank Leaders Award and the 2022 SFBW Up and Comer Honoree Award. She is a proud wife, mother of two children, and lover of college football (Go Canes!), wine, and traveling.
INCREASING ACCEPTANCE
Be Strong International has and teaches Heart Skills and healthy relationship education to everyone — from young people with their parents, to adults with family and co-workers. We all need to learn how to avoid toxic situations and avoid risky behaviors.
Heart Skills are the essence of what Be Strong International is all about. The effects of growing up in a broken home impacted Be Strong CEO & Chief Heart Officer Michelle Shirley’s life into early adulthood. “My parents’ divorce and exposure to domestic violence at an early age shaped my fear of being loved during my adolescent years,” she says. “I would bring this cycle of negative patterns into my relationships. After she began working at Be Strong International, she took interest in the concepts behind healthy relationship education. “The realization of its impact on my own wellbeing led me to change the way I communicated and connected with those closest to me,” she says. “My drive to master the skills learned gave birth to the concept behind Heart Skills. Today, as the CEO of Be Strong International, I’m dedicated to sharing this mindset with others to support the transformation for individuals from brokenness to wholeness.” The organization’s goal is to share this holistic approach with broken families, youth and businesses and serve as a catalyst to helping them deal with relationships through every stage of their lives. Be Strong was recently chosen as one of the best places to work by South Florida Business Journal, demonstrating the success of Heart Skills in action; BeStrongIntl.org.
Thank you to Key Biscayne Magazine for the feature.
BETTER COMMUNICATION
Be Strong International’s Heart Skills are needed regardless of ethnicity, financial background or culture. Their goal is to develop new patterns of thinking and behaving to strengthen relationships in all areas of life, including the workplace.
Heart Skills are the essence of what Be Strong International is all about. The effects of growing up in a broken home impacted Be Strong CEO & Chief Heart Officer Michelle Shirley’s life into early adulthood. “My parents’ divorce and exposure to domestic violence at an early age shaped my fear of being loved during my adolescent years,” she says. “I would bring this cycle of negative patterns into my relationships. After she began working at Be Strong International, she took interest in the concepts behind healthy relationship education. “The realization of its impact on my own wellbeing led me to change the way I communicated and connected with those closest to me,” she says. “My drive to master the skills learned gave birth to the concept behind Heart Skills. Today, as the CEO of Be Strong International, I’m dedicated to sharing this mindset with others to support the transformation for individuals from brokenness to wholeness.” The organization’s goal is to share this holistic approach with broken families, youth and businesses and serve as a catalyst to helping them deal with relationships through every stage of their lives. Be Strong was recently chosen as one of the best places to work by South Florida Business Journal, demonstrating the success of Heart Skills in action; BeStrongIntl.org.
Thank you to Brickell Magazine for the feature.
Inner Strength
When Michelle Shirley began her professional career at Be Strong International back in 2005, her life came full circle. “I was dealing with the effects of growing up in a broken home, and the impacts it had throughout my life into early adulthood,” she says. “Through my work, I began to realize the importance of understanding the negative patterns certain relationships have on our lives, especially those that are abusive.” That personal discovery eventually led to the creation of Heart Skills, a holistic approach to breaking generational trauma and a catalyst to helping anyone deal with relationships through every stage of their lives. Today, as the CEO of the organization, the community and her peers affectionately call her “Chief Heart Officer.” “Volunteering your time and sharing your skills is an invaluable support for nonprofits in the community,” she says. “Whether you can donate a couple of hours a month or offer your professional services to a nonprofit, it’s a tremendous gift you are providing the community as a whole.”; BeStrongIntl.org.
Thank you to Brickell Magazine for the feature.