Congratulations to Thatiana H. Tavarez on being selected as one of the two 2020 Diversity in Leadership Award Recipients. Ms. Tavarez has dedicated her time, skills, and experience to GEO for 10 years, as noted in the testimonies of several of her peers. The scope of her leadership and strength in her abilities allows her to outshine others as she works creatively with the diverse population found in the Miami area.
Thatiana has also worked extensively within the community to provide assistance to the underserved and create a positive community presence for GEO. During her tenure, Ms. Tavarez has obtained five Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) that establish long-term connections with GEO and community partners. In 2018, by working with ISAP leadership, Thatiana ran a pilot program called “Know your Rights”. This program, contracted by an immigration attorney, was designed to help participants navigate the legal system. Because it was such a success, the program was adopted nationwide by 53 other ISAP locations and ultimately written into the next ISAP contract by the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2020, Ms. Tavarez’s compassion for program participants, led her to help launch a brand new congressionally funded program for ISAP known as Wraparound Services. Through the established program, participants who have suffered significant trauma are able to connect with community providers and receive resources. Thatiana has also established a system for this program that coordinates all services, in addition to the tracking and measurement of standards. To ensure success of the program she also provided training to three other offices which led to approximately 100 individual referrals. Thank you, Thatiana, for your leadership and for furthering the GEO mission!
