Exhibiting Her Super Powers

As a Scholar and Business Consultant, I help students and busy professionals quickly learn valuable business principles allowing them to launch their ideas faster and compete better without having to spend a lot of time and money.

As a Wellness Coach and Entrepreneur, I support ambitious women by providing a community and a hub of wellness resources allowing them to prioritize themselves and their health without feeling burnout or like they've neglected other responsibilities.

dryvettemaureen.com theAMARAwoman.com

Honoree 2023

SUPERPOWER

Empathy

SOMETHING

Russell Benford

Vice President Government Relations, Americas Royal Caribbean Group

Russell Benford is a highly respected leader who has served in significant roles in the public and private sector. He has also distinguished himself for years in community and civic affairs. In his current role with Royal Caribbean, his professional footprint and responsibilities has expanded internationally into the Caribbean.

Russell Benford currently serves as Vice President of Government Relations, Americas, for Royal Caribbean Group. Russell is responsible for the Group’s government relations throughout North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean.

Russell’s professional experience includes more than 20 years in government. Most recently, he served as Deputy Mayor of Miami- Dade County. During his six-year tenure, he had direct oversight of Police, Fire Rescue, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Medical Examiner, Public Housing and Community Development, Community Action and Human Services, and Juvenile Services.

Before his role at Miami-Dade County, Russell held several leadership roles within Florida, including City Manager of the City of North Miami and City Administrator of the City of West Park. Mr. Benford also served as Village Manager of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois.

Russell is actively involved in community organizations, serving on the Board of Directors of the Jessie Trice Community Health System Foundation, FIU Center for Leadership, Achieve Miami, and the Bahamas Feeding Network. He is also a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, 100 Black Men of South Florida, and the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence Project.

PERSON(S)

Awards Organizations

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College and a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin, where he concentrated on Public Administration and Management. He was named a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy and International Studies Fellow.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Have a vision of excellence, a dream of success, and work like hell.”

-Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook

Honoree 2023

President & CEO E-RoadMap Corporation

Inspired by fantastic business mentors, she quickly developed a passion for personal self-development and empowering others to succeed. This resolve stuck with her, leading to the 2007 idea launch of a nonprofit organization, E-RoadMap, with an intent to have an active role in shaping the minds of youth.

E-RoadMap Corporation (ERM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to enriching and empowering young minds to build sustainable and community-based solutions that work to eradicate food deserts in low-income and marginalized communities.

E-RoadMap has four focus areas as we strive to improve various suppression conditions. Entrepreneurship- youth entrepreneurship boot camps teach youth how to make a profit from their passion; Etiquette- etiquette academies teach a myriad of skills from table setting, conversation starters, proper posture, and more; Financial literacy- financial courses created to teach youth how to understand best what to do with a dollar, household budgets, digital currency, and debt; Health and Wellness- our flagship initiative Operation No Food Gap works to create sustainable solutions to help eradicate food deserts in marginalized communities.

Through Veleke’s dedication and relentless pursuit to succeed, ERM’s work today catalyzes viable change that has driven individuals to become self-reliant, own and elevate their situation, develop a healthy relationship with food, and share learned knowledge with their children and others. ERM takes a transformative approach to address food inequality and insecurity issues for BIPOC throughout Florida.

Veleke’s work centers around philosophies, principles, and practice. These pillars govern her approach as she strives to create capable, confident, compassionate youth and communities working together using skills to solve problems not just for themselves but for the world.

WORDS THAT INSPIRE ME:

“Service to many leads to greatness ”

-Jim Rohn