Dakota

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Michael Porter

Liliana Gómez

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Andrés Gómez

Manuel Zapata

Michael Porter, Founder and Director

Michael has over 20 years private equity experience. He is currently CEO of Covis Pharma Sarl, specialty pharma company based in Switzerland and a portfolio company of Cerberus Capital.  Most recently he was responsible for the partial monetization of the Covis business for $1.3 billion in April 2015.  Prior to Covis Michael was a Senior Operating Executive for Cerberus, a $30 billion private equity fund, where he was responsible for the general management, turnaround and/or restructuring of underperforming portfolio companies. Prior to this he worked for another large distressed fund as well as for AlixPartners where he provided advisory services in the buyout, restructuring and turnaround of troubled companies. He has served in various interim management roles of companies in sizes ranging from $100 million to $12 billion in revenue. 

Michael has done extensive philanthropic work as well. He founded Pasos de Esperanza (Steps of Hope) in 2010, a non-profit foundation, that seeks to help children with cancer and other illnesses or debilitations to improve their quality of life similar to Make-a-Wish foundation. He sat on the Board of Bolanos Bay Foundation helping develop the quality of health care and overall education of pregnant women and children in Costa Rica. He previously was a Board Member of Juntos Regalando Sonrisas (Together Giving Smiles), a charity focusing on bringing smiles and fulfilling wishes of terminal or debilitated children in Medellin Colombia from 2008-09. 

Michael received his Masters in Business Administration from Columbia Business School, with a concentration in Finance via the accelerated program. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance with Honors from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In addition, he studied at Senshu University in Kawasaki Japan where he studied International Business. He currently lives in Miami with his daughter and fiancée. Michael speaks English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese and Russian. 



Liliana Gomez, Director

Liliana is the Director of International Sales for ISG in Miami, a preeminent real estate sales and marketing company in the US. She liases with brokers and International Clientele of High Net Worth Individuals or Family Funds based out of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and domestically based as well.

Her experience has given her an interesting perspective on the Miami and South Florida real estate market. Through her high profile position she has appeared on CNN and regularly appears in press including but not limited to: The Real Deal, El Nuevo Herald, Miami Herald, The Miami Report, South Florida business journal,  La Republica and Portafolio in Colombia, La Reforma in Mexico,  El Mundo, Pulso and Publicidad y Mercadeo in Venezuela, Apertura magazine in Argentina, Forbes in Mexico (pending).    She was ranked as one of the top real estate executives under 35 by the Real Deal in 2014. 

Personally, she has done extensive philanthropic work in company with Michael over several years. She sits on the Pasos de Esperanza Board of Directors as well. Liliana speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Liliana currently is living in Miami, and the reason for her dedication to helping children with cancer or other illnesses is because Liliana's mother is a survivor of cancer, therefore, she wants to help to create a better life for those children whom may living with this illness. 


Dakota, Director

I am a student in south Florida. I have a passion for helping people in need especially from a country I love. I volunteer at many places in south Florida but pasos de Esperanza is special to me. Not only is it a family foundation but the work that is done changes lives. It gives me so much joy to volunteer at such an amazing charity in the country where my family is from, Colombia.


Andrés Gómez, Director

Andrés is the project manager for ‘Grupo Inmobiliario Internacional’, a Real State company of international stature currently located in Colombia with extensive experience in the real estate market in the United States, with emphasis on South Florida. He is responsible for interacting with people from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Argentina forward property in South Florida, providing exceptional support in the purchasing process.

Andrés received his International Business degree at the ‘Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana’ in Colombia.  Andres currently lives in Colombia, since childhood has always had a devotion to helping others, highlighting a strong sense of belonging to defend the rights of the neediest children.



Manuel Zapata, Director

Manuel is in charge of managing operations for ‘Grupo Inmobiliario Internacional’, along with Andrés has worked to position the company in the Latin American real estate market. Manuel is in charge of all the commercial side of the company. Through technology and social networks, performs the first contact with customers and keeps them informed of the different changes in the Real State market.
 
Manuel studied and received his International Business degree with Andrés in the ‘Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana’ in Colombia, their synergy and excellent teamwork led them to work together also in The Solution Group in Miami Florida.

Manuel throughout his entire life has been characterized by feeling the need to support others in difficult situations. As a director of the Steps of Hope Foundation he looks forward to helping the children that need us.

Manuelz@pasosdeesperanza.com

We give the best of ourselves to save lives

Management