UHP Board of Directors

Our Staff

Our Board of Directors

Our Co-Founders

Javier A. Betancourt, AICP

Javier A. Betancourt, AICP

Chair, UHP Board of Directors

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Javier A. Betancourt serves as the Board Chair of the UHP Board of Directors. Javier is Executive Director of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), an independent agency of Miami-Dade County charged with oversight of the “half penny” transportation surtax and implementation of the associated People’s Transportation Plan.  An important function of the CITT is to engage the civic and business community in advancing key transportation infrastructure projects that are critical to strengthening and sustaining Miami’s economic foundations.  Prior to joining the CITT, Javier most recently served as Economic Development Director for the City of Coral Gables, and Deputy Director at the Miami Downtown Development Authority, and has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to serving his community through active participation on a variety of professional and community organizations, including the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Urban Health Partnership and American Planning Association. Javier received a Bachelor’s degree in International Politics from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University, and AICP certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Nate Ortiz

Nate Ortiz

Vice Chair, UHP Board of Directors

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Nate Ortiz is the Chief Operations Officer for Baptist Hospital of Miami, a 900-bed quaternary level hospital that is home to the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Miami Cancer Institute and Miami Neuroscience Institute.    He is responsible for executing the hospital’s strategic initiatives and master plan and has direct oversight of the hospital’s surgical services division and Miami Neuroscience Institute, amongst other services.      

Nate is a veteran healthcare leader with more than 25 years in the healthcare industry and has held board and/or leadership positions for the Miami Vineyard Community Church, American Cancer Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, United Way, and Urban Health Partnerships.

Anamarie Melo, MPH, CPH

Anamarie Melo, MPH, CPH

UHP Co-Founder, UHS representative, Member, UHP Board of Directors

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Anamarie Melo is the co-founder of Urban Health and was CEO of UHP from 2011-2018. She holds a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology and a certificate in international health. She is also Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Anamarie has worked in the field for more than 15 years and has served her community in senior leadership positions while actively securing more than 40 million dollars in funding for South Florida public health initiatives. Her primary focus is in identifying and addressing the root causes of health and social disparities. She achieves this aim through establishing a shared vision with community stakeholders, then assisting with the co-development and implementation of policy, systems, and built and social environmental changes. Prior to establishing Urban Health, Anamarie focused on international public health monitoring and evaluation, HIV/AIDS outreach and research, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects and research, unconventional public engagement, and sports and emergency medicine. Anamarie is currently an active member of UHP’ Board of Directors, Live Healthy Little Havana Board of Directors, Founding Member of the Miami-Dade Age-Friendly Initiative, WalkSafe Ambassador, Miami DDA Homeless Taskforce Committee member, AmericaWalks Walking College Mentor, and President of the MidBeach Neighborhood Association.  Anamarie is also co-owner and founder of Urban Health Solutions the parent company of Urban Health Partnerships.

Dr. Yhovana Gordon

Dr. Yhovana Gordon

Member, UHP Board of Directors

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Dr. Yhovana Gordon’s commitment to the enhancement of clinical education and delivery of quality-safe care to all
patients across the lifespan is evident through her leadership and practice.
Dr. Gordon holds a DNP, Doctorate in Nursing Practice, from the University of South Alabama, an EdD, Doctorate
in Education from Nova Southeastern University, and an MSN and BSN from Florida International University
(FIU). Dr. Gordon’s professional background includes clinical practice multi-generational populations within multi-
cultural, primary care/internal medicine settings and minority groups as a nurse practitioner (APRN) and as a
Registered Nurse (RN) across multiple hospitals, diverse acuity, and specialty areas; as well serving as a faculty
member in ascending roles and responsibilities over the years at Florida International University.
Dr. Gordon has served South Florida and international communities with clinical acumen and advanced practice
nursing for over 25 years. Dr. Yhovana Gordon has led innovations in undergraduate and graduate nursing
program(s); as well as contribute in developing and implementing quality improvement initiatives and successful
national accreditation of programs in clinical and higher education settings. Her leadership led numerous Health
Resources Service Award submissions, implementation of new programs, cutting edge approaches to clinical
nursing education and the infusion of faculty into community-focused initiatives.
Dr. Yhovana Gordon has presented her creative and cutting-edge approaches to nursing education at international
and national forums focused on educating nurses in across the lifespan medical-surgical and maternal health.  Dr.
Gordon has disseminated her work on implementation of interprofessional education through service practice and
clinical rotations. She is recognized nationally for her contributions to clinical practice certification exams as a
textbook reviewer and item writer.
Dr. Gordon’s clinical education expertise and training is supportive of the evaluation, development and
enhancement of practice and curricula; as well as of the successful delivery and implementation of evidence-based,
clinical knowledge to students of diverse cultural backgrounds.

Alfie Leon, Esq.

Alfie Leon, Esq.

Member, UHP Board of Directors

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Alfonso “Alfie” Leon is an attorney who received his J.D. and B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology from FIU. His understanding of policy, advocacy, and litigation allow for Mr. Leon to represent communities and residents in a unique way.  He currently works at the Wolfson Law Firm and lives in Little Havana with his wife Katie.

Suzette Millo

Suzette Millo

Member, UHP Board of Directors

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Suzette Millo is a media executive who has made her mark in the TV industry for over 25 years championing breakthrough content and delivering initiatives that distinctly position networks, leaders, products and talent.  Founder and President of Suzette Millo Agency (SMA), she was previously VP of Publicity & Talent Strategy at NBC Universal’s Telemundo and VP of Content Strategy & Communications for Fox’s US Hispanic TV network.  

Committed to devising strategic plans that boost her clients’ positions as well as increasing brand reputation and exposure through SMA, Suzette recently played a key role in the launch of Mexico’s newest broadcast network, Imagen Televisión. Spearheading Content Strategy and Communications, she helped pave the way for the development, acquisition and successful premieres of new types of TV offerings igniting the channel’s performance in a highly competitive market. 

Her television career began at Telemundo, where she rose from Intern to Vice President playing an important role in the historic growth of the network. Her achievements include supporting the launch of more than 100 shows with groundbreaking publicity campaigns, including 16 Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Olympic Games and hit series such as the highest rated to date, “La Reina del Sur.” 

She is responsible for creating the first-ever production kick-off event (“Claquetazo”) for the US Hispanic market securing top client associations and earning major media attention, including “Best Event of the Year” mention from El Nuevo Herald newspaper; the first press tours to production sites across the US, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, strategically positioning Telemundo as the #1 Spanish-language content producer in the US; and multiple talent tours bringing the network’s stars to key local communities across the country. She designed a Star System that enhanced the careers of numerous Latin celebrities, spearheaded the first crossover alliances with NBC Universal’s communications team, and garnered significant media exposure for Telemundo in the general market. 

When the opportunity arrived to launch a new television network in the US Hispanic market, Suzette took a key role in Fox’s endeavor, MundoFox.  She introduced proven best practices and industry standards for communications and publicity, provided a unified vision across the organization and was instrumental in identifying breakthrough shows and global trends that continue to transform the industry today, including the launch of the first Turkish series, epic Biblical productions and Korean content in the US Hispanic market. 

Suzette holds an MBA from Florida International University.  Her passion for the industry she serves led her to launch SUCANAL on YouTube, where she hopes to encourage, inspire and entertain other professionals and those who enjoy show business.

Edward Abraham, MD

Edward Abraham, MD

Member, UHP Board of Directors

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Dr. Edward Abraham has served in leadership positions in academic medical centers across the U.S. Most recently he was Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and CEO of the University of Miami Health System. Dr. Abraham was Dean of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine as well as Dean of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. He also served as Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and previously was Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine and Head of the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He has received numerous honors, including the Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments from the American Thoracic Society. He has been Associate Editor and Section Editor for the Journal of Immunology, serves on the editorial boards of 13 other journals, and is the editor emeritus of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. He has published more than 400 original research articles, reviews, editorials and book chapters, and has edited 9 books. He received both his undergraduate and medical degrees at Stanford University and trained in internal and critical care medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow in the Laboratory of Immunobiology at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. His passions are improving community health and addressing issues related to access to health care.

Interested in Becoming a Board Member?

Interested in Becoming a Board Member?

UHP is currently seeking passionate board members to join the Board of Directors.