Each year, IWF invests in making women stronger, smarter, and more influential through its Fellows Program, a year-long, intensive leadership development experience. The Fellows Program launched in 1994 with seed funding from the U.S. Department of Labor as a direct result of the Glass Ceiling Commission and convenes about 35 Fellows from around the world each year for 20 days. Featuring academic partnerships with Cambridge and INSEAD, the program offers customized leadership training for high-achieving women leaders on their path to the C-suite. The approach is holistic and focused on the participant's personal and professional development. 

As a Forum, we aim to make our Leadership program the foremost women's leadership program in South Florida, and we are committed to funding a Fellow twice a year.  

We welcome your support at any level.  To contribute by credit card, use this link. Should you be interested in sending a check, kindly mail it to IWF Florida, PO Box 142082, Coral Gables, FL 33114.  The check should note that the donation is for the IWF Florida Fellows Scholarship.  Your donation is tax-deductible.

If you have any questions, please contact our Committee Chair, Carla Crossno carla@hatchedmiami.com

Meet South Florida's  2025-26 IWF Global Leadership Fellows

Fernanda K. Jorgensen
Executive Director
PhilanthropyMiami
 
Fernanda K. Jorgensen is the founding Executive Director of PhilanthropyMiami, the leading convener and capacity-builder for South Florida's social impact sector. In this role, she advances leadership, collaboration, and sustainability for Miami-Dade's nonprofit organizations through education, networking, and resource-sharing initiatives that strengthen the region's capacity to drive lasting change.  Learn more about Fernanda's experience.
Roshell R. Rinkins
Vice President for Transformational and Organizational Effectiveness
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
 
Roshell R. Rinkins is Vice President for Transformation and Organizational Effectiveness at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), where she leads business process reengineering, quality improvement, and organizational performance initiatives. In this role, she oversees strategic development, enterprise-wide improvement programs, and the foundation's racial equity and community engagement grantmaking portfolio--both internally and externally.
Claudia Serrer
Southeast USA Trade Commissioner
ProChile
 
Claudia Serrer, Southeast USA Trade Commissioner for ProChile, is a visionary executive with 20 years of proven leadership in international business, marketing, and economic development across both public and private sectors. She currently serves as Trade Commissioner in Miami for ProChile, Chile's public agency for international trade and economic outreach, where she leads efforts across 10 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, while also coordinating the institution's offices in North America.
 

Meet 2023-24 IWF Fellows

Cesi de Quesada Covey
Chief Innovation and Economic Development
Officer for Miami-Dade County
 
Reporting to Mayor Levine Cava, de Quesada Covey leads efforts to accelerate the development and deployment of modernized technology within the $11B county government and to increase economic activity in a county with $155B+ GDP.

de Quesada Covey is a seasoned technology executive and investor with over 15 years of experience.

Prior to joining Miami-Dade County, de Quesada Covey was a partner at
TheVentureCity, a global early-stage investment firm. In this role, she oversaw the strategy for pre-seed and seed investments and supported the growth of 108 portfolio companies. In parallel, she served the Mayor of Miami Dade County as Tech and Innovation Advisor, and in 2023 she founded the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, a not-for-profit investment vehicle supporting early-stage companies with $9M in seed funding from Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel Investments, the Knight Foundation, and Miami-Dade County.
Beth Garcia
Vice President and Board Liaison for New World Symphony
 
Beth Garcia is Vice President and Board Liaison at the New World Symphony (NWS). With almost twenty years of nonprofit experience, she works to advance NWS' programming at the crossroads of music, education, and digital media. The organization has become a globally recognized model builder, with fellowship alumni in 31 countries. Beth is passionate about the role of cultural organizations in their communities. She believes music is an essential part of the human experience honoring our past, reflecting our present, and shaping our future. Beth is a fierce advocate for equitable access and diverse representation, since the arts are strongest when every voice is included.

During her tenure at NWS, the institution has more than doubled its annual operating budget and completed a $160 million campus construction project. Beth is a leader in driving organizational transformation, strategic planning, and shaping board governance. She builds philanthropic partnerships to support visionary cultural experiences.

Beth holds a double degree in viola performance and music education from the
University of Hartford Hartt School. She has also completed executive education
programs at Columbia Business School and The Commonwealth Institute. Beth is fluent in Spanish and enjoys volunteering at her local church. She lives in Miami with her husband Eduardo. Learn more about Beth's experience.
To make more experiences for high-potential women in South Florida, we ask for your financial support of the Fellows program. Every donation, large or small, gets us closer to our goal.  Checks should be written to IWF Florida with a note in the memo field that the funds are for "IWF Florida Fellows Scholarship" and mailed to IWF Florida, PO Box 142082, Coral Gables, FL 33114.

Credit card gifts can be made via this link. Kindly add a note that the funds are for the "IWF Florida Fellows Scholarship".

Contact Carla Crossno at carla@hatchedmiami.com or 305-338-1735 for more information.

 

What Makes the Program Special

 

How does the program benefit the women who participate?

As a result of the program, 96% of the Fellows have more clarity about achieving the career they envision.

What Makes the Program Special

Beginning with an orientation event, the IWF Leadership Fellows Program includes a one-week session at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, and a one-week session at Cambridge, and graduation at an IWF Conference. Featuring these educational partnerships and individual mentorship from an IWF member, the Leadership Fellows Program:
  • Delivers phenomenal personal impact
  • Provides world-class leadership training
  • Creates an exceptionally close, supportive network

What are the attributes of a successful nominee?

  • A track record as a change agent within their organization and community
  • Ambition to push to the highest levels of their career and desire to lift others as they rise
  • Substantive professional/work experience and significant direct accomplishments
  • Intention to participate fully in all activities and training components associated with the Leadership Fellows Program, as well as a commitment to the Legacy Project
 

Testimonials from Past IWF Florida Leadership Fellows

 
Deepa Koita
CFO of Sakara Life
 
This year's IWF conference was my kickoff of the 2022-2023 IWF Fellows program. I was able to meet 43 amazing, absolutely brilliant Fellows from 11 countries across the globe. The program's intent is to accelerate as many of us as possible in our careers so that we can have an even broader impact on the world.

We kicked off the week together learning about each other and new leadership skills - like the power of 90-second storytelling and feedforward. I am honored to be in this powerful network which includes the broader IWF community - many of whom I had a chance to meet at the Las Vegas conference.  

Many thanks to Toni Randolph and Saida Koita for their support through the Fellows program; I look forward to continuing this journey with my Fellows and IWF South Florida this year and well beyond the program!
Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor, Miami-Dade County, 2002-03 IWF Leadership Fellow.
 
It was a catalytic experience to participate in the Fellows Program. I would not be where I am today without this program.
Leigh-Ann Buchanan
President, aire Ventures, 2022-23 IWF Leadership Fellow
 
We discovered that while no two people lead identically, we all lead effectively if we use our talents to serve others with authenticity. These lessons taught me to embrace my identity and reframe it as my superpower. The IWF fellows program was my permission slip to take up space and settle for more.

To be considered for the IWF Florida Fellows Scholarship*, applications must be completed using the IWF Global portal by March 31, 2027.  The link to begin the application process will launch in January 2027.

*The current tuition investment is approximately $40,000, which includes tuition for the Cambridge and INSEAD education modules, attendance at the IWF World Leadership Conference, lodging and meals. Kindly note that travel to and from the gatherings is not included. 

The IWF Florida Forum will select one nominee from all South Florida applicants for the scholarship, for those applications completed by March 31, 2027.  

Final selection for the 2027-28 cohort is determined by IWF Global. Additionally, we encourage South Florida organizations and corporations to consider nominating and funding IWF Leadership Fellows candidates.

For more information, contact Carla Crossno at carla@hatchedmiami.com or 305-338-1735