DR.  RICARDO
KOMOTAR
MD, FAANS, FACS

Gino Torretta was the most celebrated football player in the University of Miami and NCAA history. Torretta won both athletic and academic awards during his prolific career as a Hurricane. He became only the second player in Hurricane history to win the coveted Heisman Trophy Award as the nation's top collegiate football player. He was also honored as the Walter Camp Football Foundation's Player of the Year. The Associated Press, Kodak, Walter Camp and The Football News named Torretta first-team All-American. He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, The Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O'Brien national quarterback awards. Torretta was a unanimous selection as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the year for two consecutive seasons, the NCAA Today's Top Six Award winner, Toyota Leadership Award winner and Chevrolet Offensive Player of the Year. Torretta finished his Miami career with eleven school passing records, including career attempts (991), completions (555), yards (7,690), total offense (7,772), longest pass (99 yards to Horace Copeland vs. Arkansas, an NCAA record) and most passing yards in a game (485 vs. San Diego State). He was tapped into Iron Arrow, as one of the University's best ambassadors. He has also been inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Honor and the University of Miami Hall of Fame.

During his 21-year Navy career, Jason spent 11 years as an enlisted SEAL and 10 years as a SEAL officer leading teams in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s lived through it all at the highest level in his Navy SEAL career: From failures as a young leader that resulted in him almost being kicked out of the SEAL teams, to redemption and leading teams in intense combat operations in Iraq, to being shot eight times, including a round to the face, and nearly dying during an enemy ambush, Jason has lived the OVERCOME Mindset he now teaches others. Your team will walk away with a new perspective and understanding that there are no bad days, only good days and great days. They will understand how to build elite-performance teams comprising multi-dimensional leaders. Jason teaches individuals, companies and teams how to overcome failure, setbacks and catastrophic crisis through his incredible presentations on life ambushes and his proven “Get off the X” methodology. Jason is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Trident: The Forging and Reforging of a Navy SEAL Leader” and has appeared on multiple national news networks, including Fox News, CBS, CNN, and CBN. Jason has been featured in multiple documentaries, including History channel’s Navy SEALs, America’s Secret Warriors, and as an actor he played the lead role in The Perfect Day film and a supporting character on an episode of Hawaii 5-0.

Kathy A. Fields is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at UCSF. She is also the co-creator of Proactiv and co-founder of Rodan + Fields, leading her to amass a $1.5 billion net worth. In 2018, Forbes listed her as number eighteen on its list of “America's Self-Made Women". In the 1990s, Fields and Katie Rodan created the acne treatment Proactiv. In 2002, Fields and Rodan created the business Rodan + Fields, which primarily sold anti-aging products. Fields has also published several best selling books. Fields started her secondary education at Northwestern University, then transferred to the University of Florida where she completed her BS in Neurobiological Chemistry. Following her undergraduate degree, Fields attended the University of Miami School of Medicine for a degree in medicine. She then completed her dermatology residency at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Gravano fell into crime at an early age. At the age of 14 he joined the Rampers, a prominent street gang in Bensonhurst. Despite his father’s attempts to dissuade him, like many of his Ramper colleagues, Gravano drifted into the Cosa Nostra. In 1970, Sammy The Bull made his first kill for the Colombo family. In 1985, he was involved in the corporate takeover and removal of Paul Castellano. John Gotti was unanimously elected as boss who named DeCicco as underboss and Gravano as captain. After DeCicco’s death in 1986, Gravano’s specific position within the family varied. Eventually, he was named by Gotti as underboss. Gravano pleaded guilty to a superseding racketeering charge. After 11 months alongside Gotti in prison and a total of 23 years in the mob, he decided to cooperate, formally agreeing to testify on November 13th, 1991. He was released from prison in 1994 and entered into the Federal Witness Protection Program. In 1996, Gravano co-wrote a book about his life, Underboss. He began living very openly and appeared in a nationally televised interview with journalist Diane Sawyer. In 2000, Gravano was implicated in an international ecstasy ring. On September 7, 2002, he was sentenced in New York to 20 years on the federal charges. He was released early, in September of 2017.

Mr. Pineiro joined the Marines at age 17 and was part of the first division, spending time in Central America and South America since he was fluent in Spanish. He transitioned to the intelligence division and spent time in Granada, where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his bravery in saving several agents in the field of combat. He was subsequently recruited to the CIA and was sent to Nicaragua for reconnaissance.

As an All-American at Ohio State and All-Pro linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ryan Shazier was living his best life while excelling at the game he loves, a game that has given him so much. But then Ryan was forced to redefine success. Suddenly, it was no longer measured by tackles or sacks, but by purpose and faith. WALKING MIRACLE is the story of this new definition of success, following the arc from December 4, 2017, when Shazier was injured playing the Cincinnati Bengals, to his retirement. For three years, Shazier doggedly pursued a return to professional football. He took small wins as “first downs” on the drive to return to the field: moving his toes, walking, dancing at his wedding, and ultimately running and returning to the team. What Shazier didn’t realize is that along the way, he was preparing himself for another purpose—that of father and husband, philanthropist, and football analyst. The journey was preparing him not for a renewed life as a middle linebacker, but a renewed life after the game. WALKING MIRACLE—the message on a bracelet given to him by his godmother—is the story of Ryan’s comeback, but it’s also a book of life’s lessons, challenges, and a love letter to the power of positive thinking.

EJ Manuel, a former first-round NFL Draft pick, joined ACC Network in 2019 and is a studio analyst on The Huddle, ACCN’s signature football show that airs Saturday mornings throughout the fall. He also co-hosts ACCN’s In Play with Kelsey Riggs and is a regular each week on ESPN’s College Football Live. Along with is his ESPN duties, Manuel co-hosts College Sports Today on SiriusXM with Brock Huard. One of the most productive quarterbacks in Florida State history, Manuel led the Seminoles to a 25-6 record as a starter during the 2009-12 seasons, and the fourth-most wins in program history. The Virginia Beach, Virginia, native also helped Florida State to notable victories including the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl, 2012 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game and 2009 Gator Bowl – the final game of legendary coach Bobby Bowden’s career. He is the second quarterback in FBS history to win four straight bowl games, and also went 15-3 in his career against ACC opponents. Manuel is FSU’s all-time leader in completion percentage (66.9), which is tied for third in ACC history, and ranks among the top five Seminole quarterbacks all-time for passing yards (7,736, 4th), total offense (8,563, 3rd), completions (600, 3rd) and attempts (897, 5th), despite only two seasons as the full-time starter. He earned second team All-ACC honors for the 2012 season and was named the 2013 Senior Bowl MVP.

Dr. Shah aims to educate people across the globe on basic dermatology and skincare to empower them to make informed decisions about their skin health. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Allure, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Yahoo News, NBC News, Fox News, Bustle Magazine, Byrdie Magazine, ABC, Nylon Magazine, Greatist, Medscape, Khaleej Times, Wired, Glossy, Mic, and Entrepreneur... among many others. You can find him educating his 17 million followers on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. He is an editor for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), sits on several professional dermatology committees including the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), and participates in the Healthcare Leaders in Social Media Roundtable with the White House in Washington, DC.

The attacks of September 11, 2001, prompted the creation of a robust and deadly special operations force — Task Force Dagger. Alan C. Mack, Callsign Razor 03, led one of two teams of MH-47E helicopters and armed MH-60s. Their two-fold mission – Personnel Recovery (PR) and Unconventional Warfare(UW) involved flying in terrain and weather previously not thought possible. But, if that wasn’t enough, they pushed the flight envelope of their specially modified Chinooks to the limit and beyond. Alan shares his behind-the-scenes perspective of the Horse Soldier’s infil into Afghanistan. He discusses the hunt for Usama Bin Laden at Tora Bora and describes his shootdown during Operation Anaconda. Years later, he chased Bowe Bergdahl, rescued hostages in Iraq, and the Lone Survivor from the Kunar Valley. CW5 Alan C. Mack is a Master Aviator with more than 6700 hours of flight time, of which over 3200 hours were flown with Night Vision Goggles. Alan C. Mack’s awards include Legion of Merit, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 3 Bronze Star Medals, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 10 Air Medals; one with Valor device, Combat Action Badge, and the Army Broken Wing award.

Dr Greer is the Founding Dean of the Roseman University Health Sciences College of Medicine. Previously, Dr. Greer served as Professor of Medicine, Founding Chair of Humanities, Health, and Society; and Associate Dean for Community Engagement at FIU. Dr. Greer spearheaded the nationally recognized Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP) and is a nationally recognized advocate for health care equity. He has received numerous recognitions, including: one of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in Life Sciences, June 2019 AMA Foundation Pride in Profession Award; Bob Graham Center for Public Service 2017 Citizen of the Year; 2014 National Jefferson Award; 2013 Great Floridian Award; the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom; and in 1993, was honored as a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” Fellow.

Nationally and internationally recognized as a leading neurosurgeon and an expert in cerebral revascularization and cerebral aneurysms, Dr. Langer brings more than 22 years of experience to his highly personalized, direct patient care practice. One of the few cerebral bypass surgeons in the country, Dr. Langer has published award-winning work in numerous peer-reviewed publications and has spoken nationally and internationally on vascular disorders, such as aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain. A third-generation physician, Dr. Langer attended the University of Pennsylvania to receive  both his undergraduate and medical school degrees, where he also stayed to complete his neurosurgical residency under the direction of Eugene Flamm, MD. He later joined Dr. Flamm at a new neurosurgical institute in New York City in 1998. Dr. Langer also completed a mid-career fellowship at the University at Buffalo in cerebrovascular disease treatment, including aneurysms, AVMs and carotid disease. Dr. Langer has been recognized as a Top Doctor and Best Doctor by numerous publications and has a global reputation in neurosurgical excellence.

Charlton Copeland joined the faculty in 2007. He teaches Civil Procedure I and II, Federal Courts, Administrative Law, and the Regulatory State. In addition, he has served as the Faculty Coordinator of the Florida Supreme Court Internship Program, and the Law School’s Washington, DC Externship Program, where he teaches Federal Policy Making: Legislation, Regulation and Litigation. He is a 2015 recipient of the Richard Hausler Golden Apple Award for the faculty member contributing the most to the student body both academically and through his or her extracurricular activities. His scholarship has focused primarily on the ways in which federalism as a constitutional and political structure is mediated in: the relationship between federal and state courts, the jurisprudence of remedies for state violations of federal law, and the relationship between state and federal implementation of federal policy. In addition, he has written about the intersection between law and theology as they relate to religion’s role in American democracy and the framing of liberationist critiques of same sex marriage. He is a recipient of the 2013 Dukeminier Award and the Michael Cunningham Prize, from the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School, for the best law review articles published. Professor Copeland is a graduate of Amherst College, Yale Divinity School, and Yale Law School.

Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke is a former United States Secret Service Agent and current consultant in the fields of forensic and clinical psychology and professor at George Washington University, where she teaches Abnormal Psychology and the Psychology of Crime and Violence. Mary Beth holds a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, a Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. She is also the author of the best selling book " The Protector: A Woman's Journey from the Secret Service to Guarding VIPs and Working in Some of the World's Most Dangerous Places" With more than 25 years of psychology, security and investigative work, she has accomplished such varied feats as leading an inquiry during the “Iraqgate” investigation and an investigation for 60 Minutes on the Duke Lacrosse scandal, serving as the only female to ever officially protect a foreign president outside of the United States and creating a Stalking Risk Assessment Prototype for the Stalking Unit of Victim Services in Queens, NY, among others.

Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen is tasked with helping us answer some of humanity’s biggest questions: Where did we come from? Are we alone? How does the universe work? Dr. Zurbuchen is well versed in the practice of asking difficult questions that help us seek interconnected answers leading to real world impacts. He is keenly interested in innovation and how leadership is developed and how the pursuit of excellence can help change the world. Dr. Zurbuchen was a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He was the founding director of UM’s Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Engineering and developed and ran several campus wide innovation initiatives, one of which led to the top-ranked undergraduate entrepreneurship program nationally.

Dr. Kateb, is a neuroscientist with more than 20 years of research experience. His research has been focused on the introduction of advanced diagnostics and therapeutics into clinical neuroscience in order to rapidly identify and introduce game-changing technologies to treat neurological disorders such as brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease. Babak was Director of Research and Development in the Department of Neurosurgery at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center where he established collaboration with NASA and published and pioneered a technique for brain cancer immunotherapy. While at City of Hope, he received NASA Tech Brief Award for his pioneering work. In 2010, he joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center as a research scientist where he developed a partnership between Cedars-Sinai and NASA and established a clinical trial using NASA technology for brain mapping. He has been recognized by President Biden, Mayor of Los Angeles, and Governor of California for his dedication to science. Babak has been deeply involved in global neuroscience legislation through his close collaboration with the US Congressional Neuroscience Caucus as well as members of Canadian Parliaments. He has chaired 9 Congressional briefings. He has been one of the key players in President Obama’s BRAIN initiative and co-author of the G20 World Brain Mapping Initiative and the African Brain Mapping Initiative.

Ken Paller conducts cognitive neuroscience research at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he also serves as Director of the Training Program in the Neuroscience of Human Cognition. Ken’s collaborative research with his students and colleagues focuses on human memory, consciousness, and related issues. Recent research articles have examined sleep’s role in memory and memory dysfunction, sensory processing during sleep to reinforce prior learning, the neural substrates of conscious memory experiences, and the juxtaposition of those memory experiences with various ways in which memory can influence our behavior in the absence of awareness of memory retrieval, as in intuition. His investigations make use of various behavioral measures of memory, analyses of brain electrical activity from the EEG, patterns of cognitive deficits in neurological patients, and MRI methods. Ken received a PhD in Neurosciences from UC San Diego following undergraduate training at UCLA. He held postdoctoral positions at Yale, Manchester, and Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, journal editor at Neuropsychologia, and program committee chair for the Cognitive Neuroscience Society. He received the Senator Mark Hatfield Award from the Alzheimer’s Association, and research funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies and private foundations.

Deepak is founder of The Chopra Foundation and Chopra Global, as well as Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at UCSD and senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is author of over 90 books translated into 43 languages, including New York Times bestsellers. Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation and personal transformation revolution. TIME magazine has described him as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” Larry King has described his work as “some of the most important of the decade.” The Wall Street Journal has declared his books “must reads for your career”. His books have been awarded the prestigious Nautilus Award and Quill Award. Two of his books have been recognized on “The Books of The Century Bestsellers List”. He is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and contributes to Oprah.com, Intent.com, and Huffington Post. He has been recognized as one of “The 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness “, the #17 “most influential thinker in the world” and #1 in Medicine. As background, Dr. Chopra is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Metabolism. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.

Dr. Padron is President Emeritus of Miami Dade College, having served as its president for almost twenty-five years. He is credited with elevating MDC, the largest degree-granting institution in America, into a position of national prominence among the best and most recognized U.S. colleges and universities. Dr. Padron’s work at MDC has been hailed as a model of innovation in higher education. In 2018, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, for being a prominent national voice for access and inclusion in higher education. In 2015, he was inducted into the U.S. News & World Report STEM Hall of Fame. In 2012, he received the Citizen Service Award from Voices for National Service, the coveted TIAA Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, and the Aspen Institute Ascend Fellowship. In 2011, the Washington Post named him one of the eight most influential college presidents in the United States, and he was awarded the prestigious 2011 Carnegie Corporation Centennial Academic Leadership Award. In 2010, Florida Trend magazine placed him on the cover of its inaugural “Floridian of the Year” issue. In 2009, TIME magazine included him on the list of “The 10 Best College Presidents.”

Logan is a brain cancer survivor that was diagnosed with a stage 4 glioblastoma over 6 years ago. He has been through brain surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, growing through these experiences mentally, physically, and emotionally. The most critical day, however, was the day he began the Ketogenic diet. Although doctors told him nothing would help, the ketogenic diet saved his life and helped him transform physically and internally. His surveillance MRIs are clean and he has been deemed cancer free. Following the ketogenic diet not only helped save his life, but has helped transform lives worldwide. Thousands of people that make the decision to follow his Fusion Lean plan, simply make the decision to change and create the best version of themselves. When you choose his Fusion Lean as your online personal trainer, you're working with someone who knows how to get through the struggle. He has goals to make sure that every client conquers their journey in every way they can.

Dan Radakovich was named the 14th Director of Athletics in University of Miami history, returning to his graduate school alma mater as one of the nation’s most decorated and successful college athletics administrators. Radakovich, who most recently served as Director of Athletics at Clemson for nine years, has experience at seven schools and 30-plus years as a visionary leader in all aspects of college athletics. In his first 6 months in Coral Gables, Radakovich has worked with campus leaders to chart an ambitious course for Miami Athletics with respect to facilities, sport sponsorship, fundraising and staff development. He has worked closely with new football head coach Mario Cristobal to ramp up recruiting, evaluation, sports science and creative resources. Radakovich is the immediate past President of LEAD1, which represents athletic directors at the Division I level. He was also named Athletic Director of the Year, and was on a member of the first College Football Playoff committee. At Clemson, Radakovich oversaw the most successful stretch in Tigers football history as the program won two national championships (2016, 2018), six ACC titles and made six College Football Playoff appearances. Clemson set a school record in the NCAA’s most recent Graduation Success Rate report, posting a 95 percent score.

Dr. Grossman is CEO of NYU Langone Health and Dean of NYU School of Medicine, which was renamed in his honor in 2019. In this role, he oversees more than 45,000 employees, students, and faculty across 6 inpatient locations and over 320 sites throughout the New York region and in Florida. Dr. Grossman increased NYU Langone’s revenue from $2 billion in 2007 to $10.2 billion in 2021, and more than $3.9 billion in philanthropy has also been raised. Also of note, NYU Langone’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2021 research awards totaled $815 million—an increase of more than 532 percent compared to 2007. As dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Grossman led the historic and unprecedented initiative of providing tuition free medical education for all students in its MD degree program. He also curated a new curriculum for the 21st Century, which emphasizes clinical training from the beginning of medical school and includes a revolutionary 3 year MD program for select candidates. Dr. Grossman has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 50 most influential healthcare leaders who changed the state of healthcare in America. Additionally, he was named a “Living Landmark” by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. A prolific and highly respected scientist, Dr. Grossman was awarded the Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award by the NIH in 1999. He was a member and chairman of the Diagnostic Radiology Study Section at the NIH, was appointed to the NIH’s National Advisory Council and became the first recipient of the Outstanding Contributions in Research Award.

Marilyn is a partner in Holland & Knight's Miami office. She is a litigation practitioner, with a specific emphasis representing corporate clients in trade secret and covenant-not-to-compete, employment and business litigation, including matters related to breach of fiduciary duty and corporate governance. In her employment litigation practice, she has represented a number of high-profile individuals. Ms. Holifield has received numerous accolades related to her law practice, professionalism and civic engagement. She was named by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of America's top employment lawyers. The Miami-Dade County Bar Association honored Ms. Holifield with its highest award, the Judge David Dyer Award for Professionalism. Within the firm, Ms. Holifield serves on the Steering Committee for the firm's Diversity and Inclusion Engagement Initiative to strengthen partnerships with clients and businesses that share Holland & Knight's values of diversity and inclusion. She also has served on the Directors Committee. In 2000, she was the recipient of the firm's Chesterfield Smith Award, the highest honor bestowed by the firm to lawyers who demonstrate a deep commitment to equal justice, public service and excellent client service.

Dr. George is an Associate Professor on the Tenure Track in the Division of Gynecological Oncology within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine and a full member of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Sophia’s lab studies the pathogenesis of sporadic and hereditary breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers using molecular genetics, epigenetics and transcriptomics to study the disease pathogenesis and overall outcomes of women diagnosed with these diseases. Given that Black women with breast and ovarian cancers have inferior outcomes when compared to women of other racial groups, and understanding that there is a void in the research when it comes to studying Black women’s cancers, one of the main goals of her research has been to understand why Black women are prone to getting more aggressive cancer sub-types and how/why their responses to treatment differs from those of non-Black women. She is currently part of a multi-disciplinary team who studies the incidence of HBOC mutations in Afro-Caribbean nationals. She is a co-Leader of the women’s cancer working group in the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium and co-Principal Investigator of the Transatlantic Gynecologic Cancer Consortium.

Dr. Lorenzo Cohen is the Richard E. Haynes Distinguished Professor in Clinical Cancer Prevention and Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) and Distinguished Clinical Professor, Fudan University Cancer Hospital, Shanghai, China. Dr. Cohen is a founding member and past president of the international Society for Integrative Oncology. Dr. Cohen is passionate about educating others on how to prevent cancer and maintain optimal health across the lifespan. As the majority of cancers are preventable, Dr. Cohen is conducting research to demonstrate that lifestyle factors can influence cancer outcomes. Dr. Cohen leads a team conducting NIH-funded research and delivering clinical care of integrative medicine practices such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, massage, diet, exercise, acupuncture and other strategies such as stress management, music therapy, emotional writing and more aimed at reducing the negative aspects of cancer treatment and improving quality of life and clinical outcomes.