"I am honored to be named alongside this impressive list of changemakers," said Diaz, who is the first Cuban-American female to hold the position of dean at an ABA-accredited law school in the United States. “I hope to encourage future change makers to pursue their dreams as my mentors have inspired me along this path.â€
Last year, Dean Diaz was selected as a National National Latino Leader awardee by the Council for Latino Workplace Equity (CLWE), an initiative under the National Diversity Council.
In recent years, Dean Diaz received a Lifetime Achievement award for diversifying the student body and the faculty and staff at the law school by the Orlando Business Journal at the Business Awards ceremony and was named "Woman of the Year'' by the Women's Executive Council. She was also awarded the Spirit of Engagement awards from i4 Business Magazine as part of the 6th Annual Women's Inspired Leadership Awards in 2021.
Diaz is one of 51²Ö¿â Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law's founding faculty and was appointed dean in 2007. During her tenure as dean, the law school has featured nationally recognized Moot Court and Trial Team programs, a growing faculty, and a multi-million dollar expansion of its campus with two new buildings.
Under Diaz's leadership, Barry Law School has been recognized for efforts in diversity, including preLaw Magazine, which awarded the law school an A+ ranking in diversity in the Winter 2021 issue and identified the law school as one of the "Most Diverse Law Schools."
To see the full list of the "10 over 50" awardees, please visit: https://www.orlandomagazine.com/10-over-50/