Latina Cuban American Dedicated to Empowering the Vulnerable
Meet 2026 Hispanic Woman of Distinction Michelle āMichyā Harper, Esq., Attorney, Florida Legal Services, Inc.
āBeing Hispanic defines my essence. It shapes who I am, how I present myself to the world with pride, and the values I strive to pass on to my children. My greatest hope is that they embrace our culture wholeheartedly, honor our roots, and carry our heritage proudly into the future.ā
Michelle āMichyā Harper is a first-generation Cuban American attorney, advocate, and community leader dedicated to empowering vulnerable populations through service, leadership, and access to justice. Born in North Bergen, New Jersey, to Cuban immigrant parents, Michelle was raised with a deep appreciation for hard work, perseverance, faith, and community. Inspired by the sacrifices her family made to build a better future, she has devoted her professional and civic life to helping others overcome adversity and achieve stability.
Michelle currently serves as a Supervising Attorney with Florida Legal Services, Inc., where she oversees Floridaās statewide domestic violence hotline and legal services program. For more than a decade, she has focused her legal career on representing survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Prior to joining Florida Legal Services, Michelle served as Supervising Attorney at Women in Distress of Broward County, a nationally recognized domestic violence center, where she supervised attorneys providing legal representation to survivors seeking protection from abuse. Throughout her career, she has successfully assisted countless victims in obtaining protective injunctions and navigating complex family law matters, ensuring they have access to safety, dignity, and justice.
A respected leader within the legal profession, Michelle served on the Board of Directors of the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association for five years, holding the positions of Director, Secretary, President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President. Through these leadership roles, she championed initiatives focused on mentorship, diversity, professional development, judicial engagement, and community service. She also serves on the Family Law Section of The Florida Barās Domestic Violence Committee, where she collaborates with attorneys across the state to strengthen protections for survivors of abuse.
Beyond her legal practice, Michelle is deeply committed to community service. She has organized school supply drives, foster youth initiatives, scholarship fundraisers, and mentorship programs benefiting underserved children and families throughout South Florida. Her dedication to service has earned her numerous recognitions, including being named a Broward County ā40 Over 40 Bombshell,ā receiving the BCHBA Presidentās Award, and being honored with the āBeyond Client Representation: Civility at Work While Advocating with Zealā Award.
Michelle earned her Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Miami. She is fluent in English and Spanish. Together with her husband, Michael, she is raising two children, Reagan and Rogelio, while continuing to build a legacy of service, leadership, and advocacy for future generations.
The 25th Hispanic Women of Distinction Ā charity luncheon and business expo
The 25th annual Hispanic Women of Distinction charity luncheon and business expo will take place Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, marking a milestone year honoring Latina leadership across South Florida. Founded in 2001 by the lateĀ Erwin M. Vasquez, M.D., a Venezuelan-born cardiologist and publisher ofĀ El Heraldo de Broward, alongside his wife,Ā Elaine Miceli-Vasquez, the program was established to recognize Latinas whose leadership, service and professional success continue to shape the region.
Over the past 25 years, the initiative has grown into one of South Floridaās most recognized platforms celebrating Latina achievement across business, government, health care and community service. āThe remarkable Latinas I have met over the past 25 years have created a true sisterhood ā supporting one another in business, community service, and in preserving and sharing their culture and traditions,ā said Miceli-Vasquez, producer and co-founder. āOurĀ Dos CulturasĀ reception brings together past and current honorees, reinforcing those connections year after year.ā
The annual sold-out luncheon draws approximately 1,000 attendees in partnership with Nicklaus Childrenās Health System, the regionās only licensed health care system exclusively for children. More than 30 corporate and media partners support the event. Latin Business Today, a longtime media co-sponsor, features honorees through dedicated editorial coverage. Each year, a charitable organization benefits from proceeds generated through the eventās silent auction, raffles, sponsorships and advertising. The 2026 beneficiary is theĀ American Lung Association, which works to improve lung health, prevent lung disease and advance clean air initiatives nationwide.
2026 honorees:Ā Selected from more than 60 nominations across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties:
- Jacqueline Ceballos ā Founder, Petal Cartel by JC (Miami-Dade)
- Maria Jose Haimovitch ā Senior manager, communications, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (Broward)
- Michelle Harper āEsq, Florida Legal Services Inc. (Broward)
- Alex Llerena ā Managing director, alumni engagement, Emory University (Broward)
- Martha Guerra-Kattou ā Executive vice president, sales and marketing, US Century Bank (Broward)
- Janet Lorenzo-Garcia ā Garcia Lorenzo & Associates; Founder, Many Happy Hearts (Miami-Dade)
- Griselle Marino, Dr. h.c. ā Director, Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, Office of Community Advocacy, Miami-Dade County Government (Miami-Dade)
- Cristina Martinez-Gonzalez ā Field marketing executive MarketPoint Humana Inc. (Broward)
- Maria C. Mejia, M.D. ā Professor, Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University (Palm Beach)
- Maria Alejandra Membreno ā Chief of staff, city of Sweetwater (Miami-Dade)
- Michelle āMishā Pelaez ā Chief operating officer, Mark, Ferrer & Hayden PLLC (Miami-Dade)
- Nercy Barroso Radcliffe ā President and founder, Providence Healthcare Services (Miami-Dade)
- Soraya Rivera-Moya ā Executive director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida (Miami-Dade)
2026 Latina Pioneer of the Year
Rosanna Cordero-Stutz, sheriff of Miami-Dade County. With more than 29 years in law enforcement, she is the first Hispanic American woman sheriff in Floridaās history. The achievements of this yearās honorees underscore the continued advancement of Latinas in leadership roles, despite longstanding barriers in professional and civic spaces. The event will feature a complimentary cocktail sponsored by Titoās Vodka, live entertainment, a business expo, silent auction and a tribute recognizing more than 350 honorees since the programās inception. Sponsorships begin at $1,500, and individual tickets are $125.
For more information visit: Hispanic Women of Distinction or email
Ā Gran celebraciĆ³n del 25.Āŗ aniversario de Hispanic Women of Distinction:
almuerzo benƩfico y expo empresarial
Comunidad ā¢ Cultura ā¢ FilantropĆa
El 25.Āŗ aniversario del almuerzo benĆ©fico y expo empresarial Hispanic Women of Distinction se llevarĆ” a cabo el viernes 21 de agosto de 2026 en el Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino en Hollywood, Florida, marcando un aƱo emblemĆ”tico en reconocimiento al liderazgo latino femenino en el sur de Florida. Fundado en 2001 por el fallecido Erwin M. Vasquez, M.D., cardiĆ³logo venezolano y editor del periĆ³dico El Heraldo de Broward, junto a su esposa Elaine Miceli-Vasquez, el programa fue creado para reconocer a mujeres latinas cuyo liderazgo, servicio y logros profesionales continĆŗan impactando positivamente a la comunidad. A lo largo de 25 aƱos, la iniciativa se ha consolidado como una de las plataformas mĆ”s reconocidas del sur de Florida para destacar el talento y la trayectoria de mujeres latinas en los sectores empresarial, gubernamental, de salud y comunitario.
āLas extraordinarias mujeres latinas que he conocido durante estos 25 aƱos han creado una verdadera hermandad, apoyĆ”ndose en los negocios, el servicio comunitario y en la preservaciĆ³n de sus culturas y tradiciones,ā expresĆ³ Miceli-Vasquez, productora y cofundadora. āNuestra recepciĆ³n privada Dos Culturas reĆŗne a homenajeadas de aƱos anteriores y actuales, fortaleciendo esos lazos.ā El evento anual, que tradicionalmente se presenta con entradas agotadas y reĆŗne a aproximadamente 1,000 asistentes, es presentado por Latina Style Inc., lĆder nacional en el desarrollo empresarial de mujeres hispanas, en alianza con Nicklaus Childrenās Health System, el Ćŗnico sistema de salud pediĆ”trico con licencia especializada en la regiĆ³n. MĆ”s de 30 socios corporativos y medios de comunicaciĆ³n respaldan este evento.Ā Latin Business Today, copatrocinador de larga trayectoria, presenta perfiles editoriales de las homenajeadas cada aƱo.
Como parte del evento, se selecciona una organizaciĆ³n benĆ©fica beneficiaria de los fondos recaudados a travĆ©s de subastas silenciosas, rifas, patrocinios y publicidad. En 2026, la organizaciĆ³n beneficiaria serĆ” laĀ American Lung Association, cuya misiĆ³n es mejorar la salud pulmonar, prevenir enfermedades respiratorias y promover aire limpio para todos.
Homenajeadas 2026:
Seleccionadas entre mƔs de 60 nominaciones de los condados de Miami-Dade, Broward y Palm Beach:
- Jacqueline Ceballos ā Fundadora, Petal Cartel by JC (Miami-Dade)
- Maria Jose Haimovitch ā Gerente senior de comunicaciones, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (Broward)
- Michelle Harper ā Abogada, Florida Legal Services Inc. (Broward)
- Alex Llerena ā Director gerente, participaciĆ³n de exalumnos, Emory University (Broward)
- Martha Guerra-Kattou ā Vicepresidenta ejecutiva de ventas y mercadeo, US Century Bank (Broward)
- Janet Lorenzo-Garcia ā Fundadora, Many Happy Hearts (Miami-Dade)
- Griselle Marino, Dr. h.c. ā Directora, Junta Asesora de Asuntos Hispanos, Oficina de ParticipaciĆ³n Comunitaria, Gobierno del Condado Miami-Dade (Miami-Dade)
- Cristina Martinez-Gonzalez ā Ejecutiva de mercadeo de campo, Humana Inc. (Broward)
- Maria C. Mejia, M.D. ā Profesora de salud poblacional, Florida Atlantic University (Palm Beach)
- Maria Alejandra Membreno ā Jefa de gabinete, ciudad de Sweetwater (Miami-Dade)
- Michelle āMishā Pelaez ā Directora de operaciones, Mark, Ferrer & Hayden, PLLC (Miami-Dade)
- Nercy Barroso Radcliffe ā Presidenta y fundadora, Providence Healthcare Services (Miami-Dade)
- Soraya Rivera-Moya ā Directora ejecutiva, Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida (Miami-Dade)
Ā Latina pionera del aƱo 2026
Rosanna Cordero-Stutz, alguacil del condado Miami-Dade Con mĆ”s de 29 aƱos de experiencia en el orden pĆŗblico, es la primera mujer hispanoamericana en ocupar el cargo de alguacil en la historia de Florida. Los logros de las homenajeadas reflejan el avance continuo de las mujeres latinas en posiciones de liderazgo, a pesar de los desafĆos histĆ³ricos en el Ć”mbito profesional y cĆvico. El evento incluirĆ” un cĆ³ctel de bienvenida cortesĆa de Titoās Vodka, entretenimiento en vivo, expo empresarial, subasta silenciosa y un homenaje especial a mĆ”s de 350 mujeres reconocidas desde la creaciĆ³n del programa. Los patrocinios comienzan en $1,500 y las entradas individuales tienen un costo de $125.
Para mĆ”s informaciĆ³n, visite: For more information visit: Hispanic Women of Distinction
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