Hispanic Excellence: Standouts in Healthcare & Public Service

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Florida Panthers annual ‘Celebration of Hispanic Excellence’ series will recognize South Florida residents making a difference in the local community.

From Hispanic business owners and educators to creators, healthcare workers, activists, executives and more, the Panthers ‘Celebration of Hispanic Excellence’ program recognizes individuals nominated by their peers, colleagues, families or friends for the positive impact they are making in South Florida and beyond.

Honorees’ stories will be highlighted throughout Hispanic Heritage Month at FloridaPanthers.com/VamosGatos and Panthers social media platforms, @FlaPanthers and @FlaPanthersCARE.

Later this season, ‘Hispanic Excellence’ honorees will be recognized during the team’s annual ¡Vamos Gatos! Night powered by Ford on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, when the Panthers take on the Colorado Avalanche at 6 PM at FLA Live Arena. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit SeatGeek.com.

Last week the Panthers highlighted honorees in education, sports and entertainment.

In this week of Hispanic Excellence, the Panthers will highlight honorees in the fields of healthcare and public service.

Business Development & Physician Relations – Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital​

Theresa Garcia is a passionate and devoted employee of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. She goes above and beyond in everything she does and has curated relationships over the years with community partners on behalf of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Theresa is always striving for excellence and growth, personally and professionally. Over the last four years, she pursued and completed her Bachelor’s degree. She is a mother, daughter, wife, sister, friend, and an all-star in her profession. She is a proud Puerto Rican. Together with her husband, she has three sons and a granddaughter. She has served on several boards and committees within the community, such as Safe Kids Broward, Safe Kids Palm Beach, Miracle League, Dania Beach Chamber of Commerce Chair Emeritus, Leukemia Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk, March of Dimes March for Babies, and Partner in Education member throughout the Broward County Public School District.  She is also a graduate of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Leadership Hollywood and the Boca Chamber Leadership programs.

Chief Operating Officer – Cleveland Clinic Weston ​

Alex Espinosa currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Cleveland Clinic Weston. Alex received his Master’s degree from Barry University and has over 30 years of experience working in the medical field. He joined Cleveland Clinic Florida in 2000 and worked as Director of Radiology for eleven years. He also served as Senior Director of Hospital Operations and Administrator of the Center for Hospital Specialties for five years overseeing the clinical departments of Emergency Medicine, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Imaging, and Anesthesiology. In his current role, he is responsible for the planning and direction of operations for all of Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Broward and Palm Beach facilities. His community involvement includes Chair of the 2023 American Heart Association Broward Heart Walk, current member of the American College of Healthcare Executive, and has served as a Board Member for the YMCA of South Florida and the Weston Park of Commerce. ​

Marine Science Technician – United States Coast Guard ​

Joel Vazquez-Aponte serves as a Marine Science Technician for Sector Miami of the U.S. Coast Guard. He always goes above and beyond what is asked of him. He has led the way in raising the standard for the Miami River vessels by identifying critical safety and security issues resulting in 13 deficiencies and two IMO vessel detentions on the MV Germaine and MV Ingrid. He played a pivotal role in foreign vessel screenings by targeting over 1500 vessels and training multiple junior officers and petty officers with no loss of productivity. Joel has managed a positive work environment all while pursuing his college degree in computer programming. His hard work and positive attitude directly contributed to the completion of numerous missions spanning the range of Coast Guard operations within one of the Service’s largest, busiest, and most visible Sectors. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Joel joined the Coast Guard in 2018. Some of his hobbies include weightlifting, playing basketball, video games, trying different foods, coffee places, and taking his dogs for walks. ​

Program Support Assistant – West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System ​

Jose Torres is a five-year U.S. Army Veteran born in Puerto Rico. After his military career, he completed two AA degrees, a Bachelor’s in Health Administration from Palm Beach State College, and a Master’s in HR at Strayer University. He has worked at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center for six years and is currently serving as a Program Support Assistant for the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing. On February 7, 2022, Jose’s heroic actions helped save the life of a stranger. He heard the sounds of a crash while standing in the parking lot of his mother-in-law’s house. After an initial investigation, he noticed a man standing on top of a submerged vehicle in a nearby lake. Without hesitation, Jose grabbed a spare tire rod from his vehicle and ran down the embarkment, jumping into the shivering cold lake. After a few unsuccessful attempts to break the glass or open the vehicle door, Jose was able to get the trunk open, eventually freeing the driver and bringing him to the surface. Jose never paused to consider the what ifs of the situation and the possible dangers he could have encountered during the rescue effort. His response represented the selflessness in our nation’s Veterans. Jose was the 2023 recipient of the South Florida Federal Employee of the Year recognition.

Senior Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility – Florida Blue​

Fiorella Smyth is the Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility for Florida Blue’s South Region. In this role, Fiorella is responsible for CSR strategies and initiatives across eight South Florida counties covering communities from the Florida Keys to the Treasure Coast. Prior to joining Florida Blue, Smyth worked for the American Cancer Society in a variety of fundraising and development roles—raising millions of dollars for the fight against cancer. She began her career in New York City where she was instrumental in enhancing the American Cancer Society’s engagement with its corporate partners. Thereafter, she served as Account Manager of Corporate Relations for South Florida and secured funding from midsize businesses and Fortune 1000 companies. She also served as Senior Manager of Corporate Account Operations and led the planning and execution of corporate partnerships across the Southeastern United States. Smyth is a philanthropy advocate who is passionate about leading positive change in her community. She currently serves as a member of the board for the American Cancer Society (Southeast Florida). Fiorella holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University, as well as a master’s degree in project management from Georgetown University. She lives in Broward County with her husband and son.

CEO, Baptist Health Doctors Hospital and Baptist Health Orthopedic Institute; Chief Academic Officer, Baptist Health Academics ​

Javier Hernandez-Lichtl has been an executive with Baptist Health for more than 30 years. Prior to serving as CEO of Baptist Health Doctors Hospital and Baptist Health Orthopedic Institute, he served as CEO of West Kendall Baptist Hospital. Currently he also serves as Baptist Health’s Chief Academic Officer, leading Baptist Health Academics, including all nursing, pharmacy, allied health and Graduate Medical Education programs. Javier’s dedication to the South Florida community encompasses not only healthcare, but also sports, education and the arts. He currently serves on the Board of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Communities of Excellence national board and sits on the Orange Bowl Committee. Javier has been pivotal in the relationship with the Florida Panthers and Baptist Health with keeping our team healthy and recovering quickly from injuries. He has been named Top 50 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine as well as Humanitarian of the Year from March of Dimes.