Meet Our Board and Advisors
Dedicated to Honoring Women who have served - Committed to core American Values
Mary Ellen Scherl
Artist / Founder / Executive Producer
Ms. Scherl received her BFA from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. After a 17-year career as an award-winning art director at premier advertising agencies, Leo Burnet Company (Chicago) and Young & Rubicam (New York), Ms. Scherl began to pursue an inborn passion for painting, sculpting, photography and writing. She exhibits widely in the US and abroad and is in the permanent collection at Vanderbilt University, NYU Langone Medical Center and the Contemporary Museum of Sculpture in Datong, China.
Ms. Scherl gained national recognition for her first Social Art project, “Mamorial,” a non-profit breast cancer initiative that offered healing and awareness through art. Ms. Scherl frequently lectures on her art. She has been reviewed in The New York Times and featured on NBC Nightly News and in numerous local and national media. She served as President of the Sculptors Guild in New York, as a member of the Board of the International Sculpture Center (publisher of Sculpture Magazine), and on the Executive Board of the Bakehouse Art Complex.
Ms. Scherl is a Bakehouse Resident Artist, Wynwood Arts District, Miami, Florida
Personal website | maryellenscherl.com
Email | MaryEllen@usmilitarywomen.org
Daniel Oliveras
Cinematographer/Anthropologist
Daniel Oliveras de Ita is an anthropologist, filmmaker and documentary photographer.
He has dedicated more than ten years to the ethnographic research of historically marginalized populations. He focuses on the use of images as a descriptive tool and a vehicle to narrate experiences and face-to-face stories of different cultural realities and sociopolitical contexts. His work is featured in books and journals, research results, and released in documentary films.
He completed a degree in Ethnology at the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH), and a master’s degree in Amerindian Studies at the Complutense University of Madrid. He is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Anthropological Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
In his documentary filmmaking, he focuses on people telling their own stories, using video as a tool to showcase the diversity of our world and make it a more just and inclusive place to live.
After working with the ACLU of Florida for two years as a freelancer. Daniel Oliveras became their staff filmmaker in August 2019 and continues there to this day.
Pamela Reingold Mayer
Board member
Pamela Reingold Mayer made a conscious decision upon retirement to devote her time to community involvement. Her personal mission statement: Take an active role in non-profit organizations involving the importance of the arts.
Currently, she holds positions on The Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Partners for Art + Design, and The Collins Park Neighborhood Association.
Ms. Mayer facilitates a Women’s Book Club and the Women Writers of South Beach writing group that has just released its second collection on Amazon. A recent successful effort to support Ukraine through a silent art auction donating all proceeds to the World Kitchen. She is a JCC Cultural Arts Committee member that is open to all interested parties to bring art, film, and literature to Miami Dade.
Taylor C. Pancake
Board Member
Taylor C. Pancake is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Taylor is based in the firm’s Orlando office where he is a member of the Transactional & Securities Practice as well as a member of the Health Care Industry Team. He is also chair of the firm’s Veterans Affinity Group.
A former United States Marine, Taylor served in Iraq and Kuwait in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Connie Coopersmith
Co-Executive Producer.
Connie Coopersmith is a writer, editor, event and television producer, strategist and consultant. As a senior advance associate, she travels for the White House, the US Department of State, and the Treasury and Commerce Departments helming events and leading large advance teams.
As an award-winning magazine writer, editor and television producer, she has covered or directed/produced The Triple Crown, UFC/MMA, championship tennis, NFL Films, Monday Night Football, the Miami Dolphins and other major live sporting events. Ms. Coopersmith is also a judge for the Sports Emmys and has developed original television programming and magazines.
Ms. Coopersmith has also conceived, produced and directed events and cause related efforts for a diverse group of clients and causes including UNESCO, the U.S. State Department, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the Justice Department. Other projects include Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change, When We All Vote, Freedom House, March for Our Lives, the Capital Children’s Museum, Vital Voices, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the National Fishing Hall of Fame, the National Swimming Hall of Fame, the Royal Kingdoms of Thailand and Jordan, One Fair Wage, the Safe Surfing Foundation with Shaquille O’Neal, the Dan Marino Foundation and the National Hispanic Foundation for the Ar
Jason Korman
Advisor
Jason Korman is a top global expert in Organizational Culture.
His columns have been published in Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, MIT Sloan Management Review, the London School of Economics Business Review, and more. He is the co-founder and CEO of Gapingvoid Culture Design Group, based in Miami, Florida
Dr. Jill Kaplan
Advisor / Executive Director
Jill Kaplan has been in the field of Behavioral Medicine for over 30 years in various academic and passion projects in community health, HIV interventions and epidemiology as well as clinical trials in the academic and private sectors consulting statistics, clinical trials, curriculum development. She earned her PhD at the University of Miami where she did research and instruction and currently is an adjunct faculty at Purdue University’s Graduate Program in Behavioral Sciences mentoring master’s students and her passion, teaching. She has focused much of her career on the field of gender and neuroscience/behavior and personality.
She serves on the Florida Lawyer’s Assistance board, the Women’s Club of Coconut Grove, the Gifford Lane Art Stroll, the Friends of the Commodore Trail, and lectures for organizations such as Women 2.0 (international monthly educational series) and Women of Tomorrow. She is a passionate advocate for the magic of art and artists in our community and worldwide.
Rossie Cortes
Advisor / Media
Rossie Cortes is a marketing executive with 24 years of experience specializing in marketing communications, digital media, and digital advertising.
Cortes is the founder of Stack Marketing, servicing non-profit, technology, and healthcare organizations in the US and LATAM. Prior to Stack Marketing, Cortes worked as the Marketing Executive Director for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, managing digital donations, advertising, events, and donor stewardship, assisting in raising millions to help patients and families. She currently also serves as a Board member for Partners for the Arts and Design (PFA+D).
Throughout her career, Cortes had the opportunity to work with Fortune 500 clients, including Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, EVERTEC, and SAS. She is also a published author and a former business journalist.
LIA YAFFAR-PENA
Advisor / Finance and Operations
Lia Yaffar-Pena (Board Treasurer) is an independent consultant in the areas of Strategic Thought Partnership and Execution. She is an entrepreneurial-minded, self-motivated, multilingual/cultural, strategic thinker and problem solver, focused on innovating and improving processes by thinking critically, strategically, and creatively.
Lia’s experience spans over 25 years in Financial Services, including positions of various levels of responsibility in the retail and private banking, brokerage, and investment advisor platforms including HSBC Securities, Espirito Santo Bank, and Charles Schwab. The positions she has held include responsibility for leading sales teams, managing P&L, as well as strategy design and implementation of products platforms, pricing, and execution. She has served on the Board of Directors of a Florida Chartered bank, Broker/dealer, and Investment Advisor. She currently serves as Director on the Board of the Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation (SAHF), a Florida non-profit organization whose mission is to help the underserved in El Salvador through human development programs.
Lia received a bachelor’s in business administration in Finance from the University of Miami and a MBA from George Washington University. She is a native speaker/writer in English and Spanish, fluent in French, and has working knowledge of Portuguese. She holds several FINRA Investments licenses as well as Agent Insurance License.
Tracy Pakulniewicz
Chief Marketing Officer
Tracy Pakulniewicz is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in public service and policy, offering a wealth of expertise in strategy development, operational effectiveness, and navigating complex organizations. She recently served as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a role that required her to manage a range of critical issues including counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and international relations. Tracy has held key positions in the White House Chief of Staff’s office and at the Department of Defense. This background demonstrates her capacity to excel in high-pressure environments, manage diverse teams, and contribute to impactful policy decisions. Her work at DHS, focusing on strategy and policy, provides her with a deep understanding of organizational governance and the development of effective, forward-thinking plans.
Tracy’s commitment to public service and her understanding of complex policy landscapes make her a valuable asset to this initiative. Her experience in leading diverse teams and navigating high-level policy discussions are invaluable in guiding our organization’s strategic direction and ensuring effective mission achievement.
LT COL (Ret.) Duilia Mora Turner
Military Liaison
Duilia Mora Turner is a leadership and foreign affairs advisor with a special interest in Latin America and the Caribbean. As an Air Force Officer, she held key positions in crisis response, STEM, human capital development and global management. As a scientist she supported shuttle missions at Cape Canaveral and served as Chief Meteorologist for President Obama’s Air Force One. As a Foreign Affairs Officer she promoted military diplomacy and became the first Chief of the Women, Peace, and Security Program at the United States Southern Command.
As an international speaker and lecturer, she has collaborated with the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Wilson Center and the Special Operations Community. She is a senior fellow with Women in International Security and the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy.
Ms. Morah Turner is a contributing author and editor for many publications including “Twenty Years, Twenty Stories: Women, Peace and Security in the Western Hemisphere.”
Janet Pitt
International Liaison
Janet Pitt is a distinguished leader known for her expertise in fostering collaboration among top leaders in government, diplomacy, and the private sector. With over 26 years of experience in diplomacy, government affairs, strategic planning, negotiation, and event management, she is well versed in the field of international relations and event coordination.
Currently serving as Founder and CEO of Diplomacy Matters since January 2023, Janet has also held pivotal roles such as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to Ambassador Esther Coopersmith, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, where she orchestrated approximately 50-60 high profile events annually. She managed interactions with world leaders, congressional figures, and dignitaries, overseeing complex logistical arrangements and ensuring the success of diplomatic engagements. Janet also served as Director of Outreach at the Bipartisan Policy Center, organizing events to foster bipartisan dialogue and generate support for policy initiatives. Her career highlights include strategic roles in corporate marketing at UnitedHealthcare and IBM, further developing her negotiation and strategic planning skills.
Ms. Pitt sits on the boards of College Promise and the International Student House and participates in leadership committees for the Woodrow Wilson house, Fashion & Diplomacy, Theatre Washington, the Marie Curie Institute and Vision Ireland. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Marketing from Penn State University and a Finance certificate from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a certified Protocol Officer from the Protocol School of Washington.