20/02/2025
🇫🇷🇺🇸 Young Leaders Program 2024
The second day of the seminar began at the University of Miami, where our 2023 and 2024 attended a morning panel focused on the impact of climate change in South Florida and the resilience strategies being implemented to address it. The discussion was led by Michael Berkowitz, Head of UMiami’s Climate Resilience Academy, and featured experts:
🔹 Whitney Hough (she/her), Director of the Office of Technology Transfer, University of Miami
🔹 Francesca de Quesada Covey, Chief Innovation and Economic Development Officer, Miami-Dade County
🔹 Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, Associate Professor, University of Miami
🔹 Prannoy Suraneni, Associate Professor, University of Miami
Following the panel, we had the honor of welcoming keynote speaker, The Honorable Donna Shalala, former President of the University of Miami and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. She engaged us in a discussion on , , and . Dr. Shalala shared insights from her personal and professional journey, reflecting on how her identity has influenced her career and leadership style. Young Leaders Marguerite Cazeneuve (FR Young Leader 2024) and Katherine Maher (U.S. Young Leader 2024) guided the conversation and facilitated a thoughtful Q&A session.
After a full morning of informative discussion, Meenakshi Chabba, Ph.D., Ecosystem and Resilience Scientist for The Everglades Foundation, led the group on an excursion to Everglades National Park. During a guided tour on air boats, Young Leaders had the opportunity to learn more about the diverse habitats of this unique and current efforts to protect it.
The day concluded at Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant, where dinner and spirited conversation unfolded. It’s hard to believe that the third day marks the halfway point of the 2024 seminar—Young Leaders have immersed themselves in rich learning and exchanges, and we look forward to sharing more insights over the final two days of this year’s program.