12TH ANNUAL
MAXIMIZING THE POWER OF DIVERSITY August 6,7 & 8, 2021
www.browardsbshs.com
Index
"Maximize the Power of Diversity"
Pillars Conference Message
1
Pillars Conference Guest Speakers
2
Conference Day 1 Schedule
3-4
Conference Day 2 Schedule
5-6
Conference Day 3 Schedule
7-8
Keynote Speaker: Aundrea Paxton
9
Keynote Speaker: Carol Holland
10
Keynote Speaker: Dona Darius
11
Keynote Speaker: Ruth Meints
12-13
Pillars Conference Themes
14
Pillars of the Community Awards
15-18
Pillars Hotel Owner: Michael Landry
19-20
Pictures
21-22
Partners & Sponsors
23
MESSAGE Welcome to the 2021 Annual Pillars Conference. Pillars is part of a professional enhancement program that provides experiences for leaders to strengthen their sense of global purpose, personal well-being and individual resilience. This year’s theme is “Maximizing the Power of Diversity.” A wise man taught, “A cord of three is not easily broken.” Such sayings abound in most cultures, which point to an important truth: Diverse teams make us stronger. And more than
any other year, 2020 has taught us some crucial lessons. We have learned the degree to which the world is interconnected and interdependent. During difficult times, it is easy to allow dissension, often due to small and big misunderstandings and misuse of words, to destroy great teams. In ‘An Old Man and His Sons’ (An Aesop fable), a dying man addressed his sons who lived in constant dissension with each other. The father decided he needed to teach them a lesson in teamwork and diversity. So, he bound a bundle of sticks into one form and asked them to break it. When the bundle of sticks could not be broken, he separated them and broke them each individually. The morale of the story is: dissension dissolves greatness; however, unity in diversity is strength. “A cord of three is not easily broken.” I hope that you make the most of this year’s Pillars Conference, find strength in unity, and learn to maximize the power of diversity, Lulrick Balzora, PhD Dean of Social Behavioral Sciences & Human Services Broward College
The Pillars Guest Speakers Aundrea Paxton, PsyD
Associate Director of Clinical Training Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, Fox University
Her sessions examine the definition of diversity and explore how to Maximize the gains and minimize the pains of diversity.
Ruth Meints, MMus
Executive Director, Omaha Conservatory of Music
Her sessions will explore how to Maximize Diversity through nurturing big ideas that create the fertile grounds needed for diversity to thrive.
Dona Darius, PhD
President, L'Université Chrétienne du Nord d'Haïti
His sessions will explore maximizing diversity using lessons from overcoming the challenges of the developing world.
Carol Holland, PE, CCM Associate Vice-President, Dewberry CDR, United States Navy, Ret.
Her sessions will explore maximizing diversity through transformational and outcome based decision making.
DAY 1 FRIDAY AUGUST 6, 2021
Schedule
"Maximizing the Power of Diversity"
TIME
SESSION
7:00 pm - 7:15 pm
Evening Program
7:15 pm - 8:00 pm
Defining Diversity
Welcome and Introduction Audrea Paxton, PsyD Her session examines the definition of diversity and explores how to Maximize the gains and minimize the pains of diversity.
8:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Breakout Rooms
8:45 pm - 9:00 pm
Daily Wrap-Up
"A cord of 3 cannot easily be broken"
DAY 2 SATURDAY AUGUST 7, 2021
Schedule
"Maximizing the Power of Diversity"
TIME
SESSION
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Defining Diversity
Breakfast
Audrea Paxton, PsyD Her session examines the definition of diversity and explores how to Maximize the gains and minimize the pains of diversity.
9:30 am - 10:00 am
Breakout Sessions
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Maximizing Diversity
Lunch & Learn
Ruth Meints, MMus Her sessions will explore how to Maximize Diversity through nurturing big ideas that create the fertile grounds needed for diversity to thrive.
3:00 pm
Check in
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Group Discussion
DAY 3 SUNDAY AUGUST 8, 2021
Schedule
"Maximizing the Power of Diversity"
TIME
SESSION
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Nurturing Diversity Ms. Carol Holland Her session will explore maximizing diversity through strategic mentorships and sponsorships.
10:00 am - 11:30 am Globalizing Diversity Dr. Dona Rarius Her sessions will explore how to Maximize Diversity through nurturing big ideas that create the fertile grounds needed for diversity to thrive.
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Maximizing Diversity Ms. Ruth Meints Her sessions will explore how to Maximize Diversity through nurturing big ideas that create the fertile grounds needed for diversity to thrive.
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Group Discussion
Keynote Speaker
"Defining Diversity" Aundrea Paxton
Associate Director of Clinical Training Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, Fox University
Aundrea is an assistant professor of clinical psychology. Prior to that, she worked as a staff psychologist and adjunct professor at Biola University, where she supervised first practicum and advanced practicum students in the university’s counseling center. Before that, she was a registered psychologist at The Guidance Center in Long Beach, California, providing individual and family therapy to children, adolescents and their family members. She also worked at the same facility as a pre-doctoral intern. Dr. Paxton earned a doctor of psychology degree and a master’s degree in clinical psychology, both from the Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from George Washington University. She lives in Tigard with her husband, Kerry, and daughter Tiffany.
Keynote Speaker
"Nurturing Diversity" Carol Holland
Associate Vice-President, Dewberry CDR, United States Navy, Ret.
Carol Holland. PE, CCM, LEED AP is responsible for leadership, operations and client management as an Associate Vice President of Dewberry Engineers Inc. Carol has a proven technical and executive management track record that includes more than 30 years of experience in the Architect, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. A Navy veteran and Naval Academy graduate, Carol served her country through the provision of facilities engineering services throughout the world. Her assignments included Assistant Resident Officer-in-Charge of Construction (AROICC) at Marine Corps Air Stations Tustin and El Toro; Assistant Public Works Officer and Environmental Officer at Subic Bay Naval Station; Assistant Public Works Officer for Mare Island Naval Yard; Environmental, Fire and Safety Department Officer at Gulfport Naval Construction Battalion Center; C-Company Commander of U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVENTY-FOUR (NMCB 74); and Assistant Operations Officer, Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC). She completed her service in retiring with the rank of Commander. She showed transformational leadership while serving as the Deputy Program Manager for the Pentagon Renovation program, directly contributing to the on-time, on-budget renovation of one of the largest and historic office buildings following the deadly 9/11 attack. A sought-after expert in the AEC industry, Carol is a licensed professional engineer, a Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Professional, a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) serving on the Board of Directors of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). She earned a Master’s of Science in Environmental Engineering from University of California, Berkeley.
Keynote Speaker
"Globalizing Diversity" Dona Darius
President, L'Université Chrétienne du Nord d'Haïti
Jean D. Darius currently serves as president of the Université Chrétienne du Nord d’Haiti (HautLimbé, Haiti) and teaches in the schools of education, fine arts and theology. His scholarly interest is at the intersection of philosophy, literature and theology, as they relate to higher education, educational planning and international education. After doing doctoral-level work at Drew University (United States) and Université de Liège(Belgium, he‘s working on a dissertation on the “poetics of purpose in higher education in Haiti” in the Netherlands, an opportunity to pursue a lifelong passion for understanding the importance of vocation and purpose in the flourishing of individuals and communities. Prior to returning to his homeland of Haiti, Mr. Darius has worked and lived in the United States, France, Belgium. Among his different appointments, he has served for many years as Coordinator of the Diversity and Cultural Outreach Department for the Broward County School Board. Throughout his journey in different cultural settings, Mr. Darius has witnessed both the promises and challenges of diversity. His vision stems from what he sees as an urgent need in the “global public square” to not merely cohabitating with each other but more importantly to becoming more attentive to the narratives of our “neighbors”, particularly those in the South. The lessons to be learned from attending to the challenges and threats, both obvious and subtle, to human dignity in places around the globe, like Haiti, can help strengthen and deepen our vision of leadership.
Keynote Speaker
"Maximizing Diversity" Ruth Meints
Executive Director, Omaha Conservatory of Music
Ruth Meints has been the Executive Director of the Omaha Conservatory of Music (OCM) since 2005 and authored the String Sprouts curriculum launched in 2013. String Sprouts enrolls over one thousand preschoolers from underserved areas and provides an instrument for all five years of instruction at no cost to the families. She currently teaches violin and viola at OCM and conducts various workshops around the country in violin/viola pedagogy and music education, integrating current neuroscience findings into music teaching. While at OCM, she has developed many music education programs, such as OCM’s Summer Institutes, Winter Festival Orchestra, a full music program at the St. Augustine Indian Mission School, as well as the Inside the Mind of the Artist recital and master class series. Her teaching experience has included head of the string department at Azusa Pacific University and faculty at Biola University in the Los Angeles area, as well as faculty at San Jose Talent Education, Omaha Talent Education, and Artist-Faculty at the Omaha Conservatory of Music. In 2016, Ruth was given the Governor's Arts Award for excellence in arts education sponsored by Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. In 2019, she also presented a TedXOmaha talk entitled "Music, Preschoolers, and Poverty." Ruth received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Suzuki pedagogy from Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville with John Kendall, pioneer in bringing the Suzuki philosophy to the United States.
In 2013, the Omaha Conservatory of Music launched an innovative new program called String Sprouts aimed at creating equitable access to the arts for young children growing up in under-resourced areas. The curriculum, authored by Ruth Meints, is based on foundational tenets from both the Suzuki and the El Sistema philosophies. Children enroll in the program at 3 and 4-year-old and caregiver involvement is mandatory. Instruments are provided for each student at no cost to the families for all five years of the program. The group class lessons are held exclusively in underserved areas. It’s a communitywide initiative to give all children the opportunity to learn a stringed instrument with a ready-to-use curriculum and engaging new repertoire by composer Dryden Meints. (String Odyssey available at meintsproductions.com) If you would like more information about how to start your own String Sprouts program or register for String Sprouts teacher training courses, please contact the Omaha Conservatory at www.stringsprouts.org.
2010 Maximize through "LEADERSHIP" Maximize through 2011 "SERVICE" 2012 Maximize through "MINIMIZING EXCUSES" Maximize through 2013 "DISCIPLINE OF FOCUS" 2014 Maximize through "REVIEWING YOUR VISION" Maximize through 2015 "TRUTH TELLING" 2016 Maximize through "THE ART OF SIMPLICITY" Maximize through 2017 "THE ART OF NEGOTIATION" 2018 Maximize by "LEADING CHANGE" Maximize by 2019 "MASTERING SOFT SKILLS" 2020 Maximize through "PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT" Maximize through 2021 "TEAMWORK & DIVERSITY" 2022 Maximize through "CONFLICT RESOLUTION" Maximize through 2023 "NETWORKING" 2024 Maximize through "MANAGING RISK" Maximize through 2025 "PURPOSEFUL LIVING"
AWARDS STUDENT | ALUMNI | FACULTY | COMMUNITY
This award honors individuals or organizations for outstanding service to their community. These service efforts take many forms, including volunteer time, charitable giving and for doing visionary work to solve pressing challenges, build opportunity and equity, and create a brighter future for Broward College students and alumni.
STUDENT PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AWARD
Diego Abad
Broward College Student
Diego is the Seahawk outstanding leader of the year and the founding President of the Project Stay Gold Club, which fights human trafficking. He is a source of inspiration and a Pillar of the Broward College Community.
ALUMNI PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AWARD
Violeta Rivera
Broward College Alumna
Violeta is one of the founding leaders of the Pillars Conference. Her visionary leadership led to expanding the PEP Program to the Broward College International Centers. She is a Pillar of the BC local and global community.
Brenda Morrison Broward College Alumna
Brenda is the President of the Urban League Young Professionals Network of Broward County. She is a servant leader who has made a difference in the lives of many Broward College students and the community at large.
FACULTY PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AWARD
Laura Rambarose
Broward College Psychology Professor
Laura is committed to excellence. She spends countless hours mentoring students. Through her steady leadership and consistent service,, she has made an impact in the BC community and the community at large.
THE PILLARS OF T Mildred Duprey DeRobles Department of Justice Community Relations Service
Mildred Ivette Duprey de Robles joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service, as a Conciliation Specialist. Prior to her current assignment, Mildred served and practiced in the fields of human relations and conflict resolution for 29 years. Mildred also served as a commissioned officer with the US Air Force as a Personnel Officer and Mission Support Squadron Commander. Shortly after her retirement from active duty, she joined the ‘Troops for Teachers Program’ and became a teacher in high-risk schools in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, respectively. For 13 years, she served as a freelance mediator, coach, and equal opportunity investigator in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida; mediating Supreme, State and Magistrate court assigned cases, as well as special education and family mediation cases. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Mildred graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with high honors and was awarded a commission with the U. S. Air Force. She completed her master’s in human resources development and counseling from Webster University in Missouri and initiated PhD level studies in Public Administration with LaVerne University in California. She is a distinguished graduate from the Department of Defense Equal Employment Institute and an U.S. Air Force award recipient in the field of equal opportunity. Mildred is a mother of 6 adult children and a grandmother of three. She has been in a partnership and marriage relationship with José Luis Robles for over 40 years.
THE COMMUNITY Jessica Vera
Transformational Practitioner, International Business Consultant & Founder of Elite Foundation
By her mid-twenties, Dr. J had experienced tremendous success. She founded multiplemillion dollar corporations, was awarded several accolades and had spoken on international platforms. But underlying her success was an equally massive battle from within, one deeply rooted in childhood trauma. Despite her success, there was only one voice she heard, and it was the whisper from deep within saying, “You’re not good enough.” Her journey from trauma to outward success to inner healing to real, sustainable success serves as a real-life platform for the work she does today. A renowned expert in psychology and applied human sciences “Dr. J” has invested the last 3 decades to positively influence the lives of tens of thousands of individuals, families, prominent organizations, and communities to be more. She has mastered the art of transformative healing, which allowed her to reclaim a power position in her own life, and now her work is devoted to help others find freedom and to become all that they desire to be. From trauma to triumph, Dr. J is an unwavering optimist and unrelenting visionary, who utilizes her gifts, passions and areas of mastery to impact the collective consciousness of humanity, as she believes solutions can be found within each of us. A Latin American mother of two beautiful daughters, happily married for over 20 years, Dr. J is an award winning writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She earned her Doctoral Degree of Philosophy with a specialization in Trauma, Clinical Counseling, and Leadership from Barry University. She holds certifications and licensure in various areas of professional interest, and is the recipient of numerous awards of distinction. Dr. Vera has served as an adjunct professor at her alma mater for many years. She is actively involved in her community. Dr. J is transforming lives.To learn more about Dr. J's work please visit www.drjvera.com
Michael Landry, BA, LLB , GradD Landry Trebbi Investments, CEO
Mr. Michael G. Landry is a respected business leader and education advocate in Broward County. He holds a degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Born in Canada, he graduated from Carlton University in Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. His first job out of college was as a teacher and basketball coach at St. Patrick’s High School in Ottawa. Three years later, he worked for a firm specializing in physicians’ investments, and then he worked with John Templeton. His many organizational affiliations include membership in the Association for Investment Management and Research, and founding member of the International Society of Financial Analysts, for which he also served as director. The investment business involved a lot of travel, which led to his interest in small boutique hotels, such as the award-winning hotel, The Pillars at New River Sound, which merited the Jerry Johnston Award as the highest-rated hotel in Broward County’s Superior Small Lodging Program. For the past 10 years, since the Pillars Conference was founded, he has generously offered his beautiful resort as the official site of the conference. Mr. Landry serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Broward, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Broward Workshop, Jack and Jill. And he is an honorary member of the Broward College Foundation Board of Directors because of his exemplary service. At Broward College, he has assisted students just like you with the establishment the George and Jean Trebbi Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of his wife’s parents, as well as the Michael Landry American Dream Scholarship.
The Pillars Hotel is ideally situated right on the Intracoastal Waterway. It offers a casually elegant and charming experience in the prime of the most renowned Florida beach and yachting town. Guests are treated to an exceptional level of individual service and luxury reminiscent of the finest European boutique inns. Key features of the hotel include nightly gourmet dining in The Secret Garden restaurant, alfresco waterside fine dining watching luxury yachts go by, elegant luxury rooms including 5 suites and an ideal location which is only 150 meters from the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, The Pillars Hotel hosts a private whistle stop for the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi service.
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