First Generation Cuban-American an Advocate for Women

Jennifer Olmedo

Meet Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez, Esq. 2020 Hispanic Woman of Distinction, Partner, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

“As a first generation Cuban-American woman, I deeply identify with children of immigrant families and feel connected to their drive, their grit and their unparalleled desire to succeed because we share a common ethos – any success we achieve is never solely our own.”

Law firms historically have been slow to embrace racial, gender and cultural diversity. As a partner with Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, Jennifer Olmedo-Rodriguez, Esq., who manages the firm’s Miami office, is doing her best to show that that mindset is shortsighted.

In addition to her keen legal acumen helping her clients, under Jennifer’s leadership, her office has doubled in size and diversity with women of all ages and backgrounds playing a key part in its growth.

Jennifer passionately advocates for the retention and advancement of women in the legal profession both inside her firm and outside. She was instrumental in bringing together a partnership between her firm and the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Associate of Women Lawyers to celebrate International Women’s Day. She recently spoke at Miami’s Women in Law & Leadership Summit and has been quoted or been the subject of numerous articles in print and online publications.

Jennifer OlmedoShe actively serves on the firm’s Diversity Committee and Credit Allocation Committee and participated in the firm’s Women in the Lead program as well. The later was created in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. This program empowers those with forward-thinking leadership skills and promotes the advancement of women.

Diversity is not Jennifer’s only professional passion. Recognizing the struggles of illegal immigrants who had been detained in Texas, Jennifer urged her firm to allow her and other of her office’s principals to help.

Working with the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RICELS), a non-profit group that provides pro bono assistance to refugees, Jennifer and her associates traveled to the Karnes, Texas detention facility. After training by RICELS members on immigration law, Jennifer and her team helped more than 50 detainees and families. They provided them with free education about their rights and offered guidance to help them make their case during their upcoming government interviews that would appraise their worthiness for asylum.

The first in her family to graduate college, Jennifer received her B.A. in Political Science with minors in International Relations and Criminal Justice from Florida International University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, both with honors. She has also served on FIU’s President’s Council for several years and has repeatedly chaired its preeminent Worlds Ahead Faculty Awards Committee.

Born in New Jersey of Cuban immigrants, Jennifer’s accomplishments have been honored as one of “The Best Lawyers in America” ©. by “Attorney at Law Magazine’s”: Woman in Law edition. She also received the Boy Scouts of America’s South Florida’s Council’s Hispanic Heritage Award and was named one of the “40 under 40: Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida” by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to name just a few.

Jennifer and her husband, Alexander, also an attorney, are the loving parents of two boys, Christian and Sebastian. When not traveling, Jennifer enjoys reading and spending time with her large and extended family.

The 19th annual Hispanic Women of Distinction Charity luncheon to be held on August 28th at Signature Grand in Davie, Florida is anticipating another sell-out of up to 1000 guests paying tribute to Latina professionals who are strengthening the social fabric of this country and making inroads in the leadership pipeline for a growingly diverse America.

The annual cultural event has now grown to be the largest celebration of Latinas in Florida representing a cross-section of disciplines that are changing the face of American culture. With over 70 nominations this year, 12 Latinas and a Latina Pioneer have been selected to join the more than 200 past honorees.

What the women have in common and is a major part of the judging process, is their American entrepreneurship intertwined with their values and traditions. The accomplishments of these Latinas stand on their own and are even more significant given the traditional roadblocks that exist for women, especially Latinas.

Presented by Latina Style Magazine, in partnership with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Latin Biz Today, this popular high-powered exciting event includes a complimentary “mojito” and silent auction, hors d’hoerves, entertainment, and an interactive business expo on Facebook Live.

The event benefits FLITE Center, the one and only one-stop in Broward County for youth transitioning from foster care and other transitioning youth who are facing severe risks and challenges with no family support. FLITE Center works alongside our county’s foster care placement agency, ChildNet, as well as the Judges and Magistrates who oversee their care plans. They serve over 1500 youth per year and serve as the gap filler in the community for youth and agencies lacking the resources to help them reach full self-sufficiency.

The 2020 Honorees to from Broward, Dade and Palm Beach County are:

2020 Latina Pioneer of the Year: RITA B CRAIG – President, Top Tier Leadership

JENNIFER DILIZ – CEO, Founder, Midnite Communications – (Miami)

JANIE FLORES – President, Buena Vida Media – (Hialeah)

ISABEL M. GONZALEZ – Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications & Community Relations at Broward College – (Fort Lauderdale)

RUTH CECILIA MOGUILLANSKY – Principal Planner, Palm Beach County Office of Community Revitalization – (Palm Beach Gardens )

JENNIFER OLMEDO-RODRIGUEZ – Shareholder, Head of Miami Office of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney – (N. Miami Beach)

JENNIFER M. RAYMOND – Executive Director, Family Promise of South Palm Beach County – (Boynton Beach )

MARY MUNIZ-PELLICER – Director, Human Resources, YWCA of Greater Miami-Dade, Inc (N. Miami Beach )

MONICA RIBEIRO – Vice President, Business Relationship Manager – BankUnited – (Pompano Beach)

LUZ STELLA RIOS, Phd – Managing Director, National Life Group – (Pembroke Pines)

ESTELAMARI RODRIGUEZ, M.D. – Assoc. Director Community Outreach Thoracic Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center – (City of Miami )

ALESSANDRA STIVELMAN –Shareholder – Eisinger, Brown, Lewis, Frankel & Chaiet, P.A. (Hollywood)

ISIS ZAMBRANA – V.P./ Chief Quality Officer, Jackson Health System – (Weston)

2020 Latina Pioneer of the Year: RITA B CRAIG – President, Top Tier Leadership

Rita formed her company more than 20 years ago helping leaders and organizations build winning cultures, deliver results and maximize performance around the world. An award winning certified speaker and coach she has recently been appointed as one of the 21 women on the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. Rita is a resident of Palm Beach Gardens.

For more information, visit www.hispanicwomenofdistinction.com or email: hispanicwomenlunch@aol.com. Tickets are $95 per person. Sponsorships begin at $1500. All major credit cards accepted. Follow us on Facebook

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