Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Grammy award winning recording artist Gloria Estefan lead the class for the 2025 Miami-Dade County Women’s Hall of Fame, which honors females who made significant contributions in the community.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia and Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The honorees will be enshrined during a ceremony at a Miami-Dade County Commission meeting later this year, though a date hasn’t been set yet.
The Miami-Dade County Commission created the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2021 to celebrate the lives and preserve the legacies of trailblazing women whose leadership, service and achievements have left a lasting impact on the community including public service, social economics and culture.
Commissioners picked this year’s Hall of Fame honorees during their meeting on November 4.
Levine Cava was the first ever woman and Jewish Miami-Dade County mayor when she was first elected in 2020 and won reelection in 2024.
Previously, she served on the Miami-Dade County Commission from 2016 to 2020.
Before she entered the political arena, Levine Cava was a longtime social worker and an advocate for women’s and minority rights.
Born in Cuba, Estefan burst on the music scene as a member of the Miami Sound Machine in the 1970s in Miami before embarking on a solo career that earned her three Grammy Awards and an MTV Music Video Award.
The “I Don’t Won’t Lose You” singer was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2017 by then-President Barack Obama.
Estefan and her husband, Emilio, who produced most of her albums, have been recognized for their long history of philanthropy.
Cordero-Stutz became the first Miami-Dade Sheriff in nearly 60 years and first woman to serve in that role in county history when she won a run-off election in 2024.
During the 1960s, Florida voters abolished the sheriff’s office after accusing law enforcement of corruption but reinstated the position through a referendum in 2018.
Cordero-Stutz is also the first Hispanic American woman sheriff in Florida history.
She joined the Miami-Dade Police Department in 1996 and worked her way up the ranks.
Cordero-Stutz was previously the assistant police director for Miami-Dade County and President Donald Trump endorsed her bid for sheriff.
Madeline Pumariega is the first female president of Miami Dade College, and she is also an alumna.
Pumariega’s career began at Miami Dade College, where she served as the Dean of Students Services and later as Dean of Student and Administration Services.
She has held various leadership roles, including President of MDC’s Wolfson Campus and was the first female and Hispanic Chancellor of the Florida College System.
Pumariega’s current role as MDC president focuses on reimagining student success, accelerating academic excellence, and securing the future of the College.
She has also been involved in community service, including her previous role as President and CEO of Take Stock in Children, a nonprofit aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.
Pumariega’s strategic plan for MDC emphasizes collaboration with business partners to align higher education programs with industry needs, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.