Name / Nombre : Julianne Holt Title / Título : Public Defender 13th Judicial Circuit What is your Pais ? Spain
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : What is your profession ? Julianne Holt : I am the elected Public Defender for Hillsborough County
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : How did you choose or get involved with your profession ? Julianne Holt : After having been in private practice for eleven years , I decided to run for this particular elected office . It was my desire to help individuals in need of assistance in the criminal justice system especially those who did not have the funds to hire a private attorney .
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : What Latino / a , living or deceased do you consider to be a role- Model ? Why or how ? Julianne Holt : My abuela who helped raise me . She was loving , nurturing , strong , independent , and always respectful of others even in trying situations . From my mother I learned about work ethic , loyalty , and what really being committed meant .
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : What are some of your immediate goals ? Julianne Holt : I implemented a program in our office , which offers young men and women with learning and physical disabilities an opportunity to learn the skill sets of working in an office environment . With the help and dedication of many in my office , we began a training program with two students . Today the program has twenty students , and they run our entire imaging department . My immediate goal is to help other students by showcasing our program , and encouraging other corporations and agencies to implement training programs in their offices .
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : Tell us about your family ? Julianne Holt : My mother and an extended Latino family raised me in West Tampa . The strongest influence of my Latin upbringing is FAMILY and how that can be your blood family as well as true friends and extended family . It took a lot of the village in West Tampa to raise my brother and me , and I am forever thankful .
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : What message would you send to aspiring Latinas , young and old about the pursuit of a woman ’ s dreams ? Julianne Holt : Find a place for education in your life . My grandmother did not speak much English , but she understood the opportunities this country offered for her daughter and her granddaughter . Education can change not just your life , but also the life of generations to come . If you are a young Latina and a single parent use the power of the web and begin by taking an online class , which you can work on once the kids are asleep . Invest in yourself one class at a time .
Jolie Gonzalez / Latin Times : What in your opinion is your biggest accomplishment ? Julianne Holt : Professionally , I am the first elected Public Defender in Hillsborough County . Previously , the Public Defender was an appointment . I am the first woman to hold the office and the first Latino . Personally , I was a good daughter to my mother , and I am a good parent to my children .
Name / Nombre : Helda Rodriguez Title / Título : President Company / Compañia ? NovaCharge What is your Pais ? Made in America w / Cuban parts !
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : What is your profession ? Helda Rodriguez : Business Woman , serial entrepreneur . President of NovaCharge , LLC . involved in the Electric Vehicle infrastructure market .
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : How did you choose or get involved with your profession ? Helda Rodriguez : I was concerned over our country ’ s dependency on foreign oil and the effects of carbon emissions on the planet . So , two years ago I invested in a startup company that was building a state of the art Electric Vehicle ( EV ) charging station , called the Charge Point Network . Electric vehicles seemed to address both problems , but their market success was dependent on the infrastructure required to support them . NovaCharge was established to market and distribute these stations throughout the Southeastern United States .
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : What Latino / a , living or deceased do you consider to be a role-Model ? Why or how ? Helda Rodriguez : My Cuban family elders . They all came to this country at a time when even speaking Spanish was frowned upon . They came with nothing except the clothes on their backs , but they had the strong commitment to do well for themselves and their families . They taught me that with a good education and hard work anything can be achieved and that you can and must , keep true to our traditions . Moreover , you have a responsibility to do for the next generation , just like they did for us .
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : What are some of your immediate goals ? Helda Rodriguez : Green Technologies are the new economy . I want Florida to be a leader in this new economy , and for all citizens to benefit from the opportunities it represents for good paying jobs and economic growth . Therefore , I hope to work with local municipalities and the state to place the charging units in public locations . This will help with the successful introduction of the Electric vehicles , and create new jobs in the process .
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : Tell us about your family ?
Helda Rodriguez : I have been married for almost 31 years to my high school sweetheart . We have three kids : 2 girls – 25 and 23 , and a son , who will be 18 this month !
Jolie Gonzalez / LatinTimes : What in your opinion is your biggest accomplishment ? Helda Rodriguez : Teaching my girls and my nieces that Latin women need to be strong , smart , and independently successful . However , it is also just as important to be the glue that holds family together . We are very blessed to be a part of a huge Latino family , where we get together very regularly for every party we can think of , and we still celebrate Noche Buena and go to midnight mass together . It brings me tremendous joy to know that my kids think that the best smell in the world is puerco asado , black beans and rice on the stove , and that they know how to prepare everything so that one day they will show their kids . If they If they grow up to make the world a better place for the next generation of Latinos , and keep our traditions , then I will have met my goals .