Get Connected August 27th at ECCO Pizzateca and Lounge
168 SE 1st Street, Miami, FL

Special guest: Michael Woodward

On Thursday, August 27th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., members of South Florida’s leading networking organizations for young professionals will gather to celebrate the third “GET CONNECTED”, an event which offers young professionals a platform to network and build relationships in our community. The event will take place at Ecco Pizzateca & Lounge in Downtown Miami. This event is open to all young professionals.

The co-host sponsors for the August Get Connected include:

• Coconut Grove Jaycees (JCI) – an organization of young men and women (age 21-39) with a large and diverse membership from all over Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. “Jay-Cees” simply stands for Junior Chamber, which is part of the worldwide federation of 5,700 chapters in 110 countries around the world known as Junior Chamber International (JCI). The Coconut Grove chapter has been providing community service, business opportunities and leadership training to their community since 1976. Regionally, leaders such as Tom Gallagher (Florida Insurance Commissioner) and Alex Penelas (Former Miami -Dade County Mayor) are part of the Coconut Grove Jaycess’ alumni body. Internationally, past members have included U.S. Presidents (Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Clinton), UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Bob Hawke (former Prime Minister of Australia), Jacques Chirac (former President of France), Ted Turner (founder of CNN), Larry Bird (Boston Celtics), Poul Schluter (former Prime Minister of Denmark) and Chen Shui-bian (10th president of Taiwan) among others.

• Connect Florida – The first statewide organization of young professionals connecting Florida’s leaders in the 21 to 35 age range. The innovative new program, created by Leadership Florida, assists young professionals in making a positive impact on our state.

• Coral Gables Rotaract Club – a nonprofit service club designed for young professionals and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Coral Gables. Coral Gables Rotaract is part of a global network of over 7,000 Rotaract clubs in about 163 countries, all centered on community service, international understanding, leadership training and professional development.
• Middle Eastern American Professionals Association (MEAPA) – MEAPA is a community based civic and cultural organization that originated in South Florida. They have been keeping South Florida’s Middle Eastern American community informed, involved and connected, since 2005. MEAPA is open to all people, professionals and students of Arabic and Non-Arabic Middle Eastern Heritage. Anyone is welcomed to join the many great events, programs and activities.

• Miami Science Museum (@MIASCI) – Art and science converge on the last Thursday of every month at the Miami Science Museum. Young professionals, science aficionados, art enthusiasts and other 21-45 year olds come together for a happy hour alternative in a non-traditional setting. Enjoy open bar, hors d’oeuvres, exhibits and the sounds of renowned South Florida DJs all night long. Every month their focus changes to include a short program dedicated to an art form, from dance to poetry to the visual and culinary arts.

• Ronald McDonald House of South Florida – the members of the young professional group of the Ronald McDonald House, located on the grounds of Jackson Memorial Hospital, work together to engage in the lives of families with sick children.

• Young Urban Professional Alumni (YUPA) – is a dynamic organization of Florida International University (FIU) graduates who are 39 years old or younger. YUPA provides a venue for young alumni to interact and network with each other for their professional/personal development. FIU has approximately 60,000 alumni who fit the South Florida YUPA criteria. The group was formed in 2006 and consists of young alumni professionals looking to advance in their careers and make the most out of life. This unique group stands apart and shares common interests that many young alumni have today. YUPA is open to FIU young alumni of all majors and every profession.

• YoPros – YoPros is an activities group for young professionals in Miami. They are a community of adventurous young professionals who seek to enjoy their valuable free-time engaging in fun, meaningful and interesting activities with like-minded people. YoPros offers their members the opportunity to participate in daily activities, such as, events, sports, fitness, culture, self-help/wellness and how to network and develop professionally in either their own activities or in conjunction with other outstanding organizations.

“This event certainly provides young professionals, like me, the opportunity to meet one-on-one to discuss the current state of our industries and discuss how we can collaborate to not only advance in our field but also help our community prosper,” noted Anthony Bayona, president of the Ronald McDonald House of Miami young professional group.

Young professionals in the South Florida community are urged to assist the third GET CONNECTED event. This event is free of charge. For more information, please contact Natalie Leon at (786) 537-0751, Cristina Tacoronte at (305) 788-0808 or Allison McCormick at (305)764-5377.