Board Member Biographies
Executive Committee
Jordan Trachtenberg - President. He received the degree Master of Architecture, with Honors in Design, from Columbia University, and holds a Bachelor of Design in Architecture, with Honors, from Florida International University, Miami.
Jordan is a licensed architect in the State of Florida. He has practiced in five continents ranging from Asia to South America. Most of his time abroad was spent in Seoul, South Korea, Singapore, and in Amsterdam, NL. Jordan is an Adjunct Faculty Professor at Florida International University's School of Architecture teaching graduate design studios focusing on his Decoding Development series. He has been a guest juror at Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Pratt Institute, and the Städelschule in Frankfurt, Germany.
Jordan Trachtenberg is a Florida Registered Architect, LEED accredited professional, holds an NCARB certificate and has been a member of the American Institute of Architects since 2012. Jordan serves on the Historic and Environmental Protection Board for the City of Miami and is President of the Columbia University Club of South Florida proudly representing over 3,500 Miami Columbians.
Liz Bello-Matthews - Secretary. Liz Bello-Matthews is a senior marketing officer for Zebra Technologies, where she oversees campaigns for Latin America. Liz has led marketing for Samsung and Sony and began her career supporting the PR strategy for AT&T and Motorola among other clients. As an avid supporter of the arts, Liz founded Florida Performer Magazine in 2006 to celebrate the state's most extraordinary talents. In 2009, the magazine expanded to a now 501c3 organization called ACE of Hearts, which provides access to the arts, culture and education at the community level. Today, she continues to support ACE initiatives as the President of the Board of Directors and serves as the Editor of the magazine. Liz has a degree from Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism with a focus on management from Columbia's Graduate School of Business.
Board Members (Listed alphabetically)
Cristina Calzadilla - Chair for External Affairs. A Miami native, Cristina earned her MBA from Columbia Business School in 2012. After ten years in New York, Cristina returned to South Florida in 2014 to open and run the Miami office of New York-based public relations firm, DKC, which was recently ranked #1 on The Observer's PR Power 50 List. Cristina steers major national PR campaigns, launches, and programs for leading brands in travel/hospitality, real estate, and technology. Cristina feels strongly that your most important years at Columbia University come long after graduation, when relationships are enriched through meaningful, sustained engagement. As Chair of External Relations, she hopes to further deepen and extend the Club's relationship with Columbia University, as well as the broader alumni community. During her free time, you might find Cristina in Miami's Arts + Entertainment District, a burgeoning downtown neighborhood which she helped launch in 2014.
Betty Charles - Chair for Community & Events. Betty earned her BA from the University of Miami (2002), JD from Boston College (2005), and most recently her MPH from Columbia in 2014. She recently moved back to Miami in September 2014 and is excited to serve as the club's Chair of External Affairs. Betty believes in the importance of reaching out to alumni from other institutions and increasing the club's visibility in South Florida.
Zunaira Mubasher - Chair for Recent Alumni and Columbia College Women (CCW) Miami. Zunaira graduated from Columbia College in 2016, majoring in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies (MESAAS). After graduation, Zunaira moved to Miami to work for Restaurant Brands international, the holding company for Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes. While Zunaira has had multiple roles at RBI, she is currently on the Marketing team for Popeyes.