Recipient of the “Chic With a Cause” awarded by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, September 2019.
Contributing Author to the Handbook of Sex Trafficking by Lenore Walker, January 2019.
Founder and present Chair of the Miami-Dade County Veterans Services Coalition, January 2019.
Recipient of “A Woman of Impact“ awarded by Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County, Inc., March 2018.
Selected “Hispanic Women of Distinction” awarded by Bank of America, Latina Style Magazine, Latin Business and Sylvester Cancer Center, August 2016
Named the Miami Dade County, Community Action and Human Services Department, Bureau Chief of the Targeted Services Bureau which encompasses the Violence Prevention and Intervention Division as well as the Community and Family Division, September 2016.
Perla De Esperanza Foundation, Woman of Inspiration, May 2016
Miami-Dade County Proclamation “Ivon Mesa Day” awarded by Miami Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, 2015
Author and present Grant Manager of the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC), Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Collaborative grant in Miami-Dade County which was awarded in October, 2014.
Founder and present Chair of the Miami-Dade County Human Trafficking Coalition, 2014.
Elected Chair of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council of Greater Miami, 2014.
Elected Chair of the Domestic Violence Oversight Board for Miami-Dade County, 2013.
Named Director of the Violence Prevention and Intervention Division of the Community Action and Human Services Department, Miami-Dade County, 2013.
Miami-Dade County, In the Company of Women, Outstanding Woman in Health and Human Services, 2012.
Selected by the United States International Speaker Bureau as a speaker on Violence Against Women to lecture in Dominican Republic, 2007.
Invited by the American Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section, U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Information Program to lecture on domestic violence in Spain, 2007.
Recipient of the 2004 Governor’s Peace at Home Award, Criminal Justice Category and 2004 Governor’s Peace at Home Award, Overall Category, 2004.
Certificate of Appreciation for Commitment to Duty and Excellent Services, 11thJudicial Circuit, Administrative Office of the Courts, 2004.
Recipient of the Dr. Dorothy J. Hicks Award, presented by Victim Services Center, 2003.
Responsible for working with county government and the city of Miami Beach to open a unit to address domestic violence in the city of Miami Beach, 2002.
Served as a Grant Reviewer for the Violence Against Women Office Staff in Washington (Federal Funding), 2001.
Certificate of Appreciation for most Valuable and Distinguished Service on behalf of the city of Miami Beach, presented by Major Neisen Kasdin, 2001.
Recipient of the Woman of the Next Century Award, presented by the Miami-Dade County Women’s Association, 2000.
Invited by the American Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section, U.S. Department of States Office of International Information Program to lecture on domestic violence in the Dominican Republic, 2000.
Author and person responsible for the creation and implementation of the County Ordinance on Domestic Violence & the Workplace. This ordinance was the first document of its type in the United States, 1999.
Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Commitment and Dedication to Helping the Citizens of Miami-Dade, Presented by State Representative, Gustavo Barreiro, 1999.
Founder and Chair of the Latino Alliance Against Domestic Violence, 1999.
Coordinated and served as Mistress of Ceremonies and panelist at the first statewide conference on domestic violence offered in Spanish in the state of Florida. The Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Hispanic Women Alliance Against Domestic Violence, 1998, hosted this conference.
Recipient of the National Association Hispanic Public Administrator Community Service Award, 1997.
Graduated with a Master in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University, 1997.
Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to the Judiciary of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, 1996.
Lectured on Domestic Violence in Uruguay, invited by Miami-Dade County, Commissioner Natacha Millan-Seijas at the request of the government of Uruguay, 1995.
Co-produced and hosted 24 programs as part of the Zero Tolerance to Violence television series in Spanish and English, invited by the Alliance Against Domestic Violence, 1995.
Lectured on violence against women in Caracas at the Fourth International Family Congress to an audience from South American and European countries, invited by the government of Venezuela, 1994.
Named Director of the Domestic Violence Intake Units in Miami-Dade County, 1994.
Recipient of Employee of the Year Award, Miami-Dade County, AOC, 1994.
Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree on Criminal Justice, Florida International University, 1994.