Holland & Knight partner Ariadna Alvarez has joined the board of Children’s Harbor, the nationally accredited non-profit agency with a mission to help strengthen families who are struggling in our community, while providing safe shelter and support to teens in foster care so that they may grow into healthy, educated and productive adults.
A corporate attorney with more than 25 years of experience practicing in the areas of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), employee benefits law and executive compensation, Alvarez focuses on mergers and acquisitions, including conducting and supervising due diligence functions, drafting employee benefits provisions of purchase agreements, and managing post-transaction integration issues.
Alvarez also serves as Diversity Partner and Women’s Initiative Coordinator for Holland & Knight’s Fort Lauderdale office and is a member of the firm’s nationwide Diversity Council.
“In addition to her vast legal experience and commitment to inclusivity, Ari is also a Certified Career Coach,” Children’s Harbor President and CEO Tiffani Dhooge said. “As they proceed through the foster care system, our kids not only need the best legal representation possible, but they also need career guidance and direction to help them succeed into adulthood.”
Bilingual in English and Spanish, Alvarez is licensed to practice law in Florida, New York and Puerto Rico. She holds a master’s in taxation from Nova Southeastern University and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. She also has a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Puerto Rico.
Alvarez, who commits substantial time to helping those less fortunate, was recognized for consecutive years by Holland & Knight’s Public and Charitable Service Department as a Pro Bono All-Star.
“It is an honor to join an organization committed to improving the lives of children and teens in foster care by offering them a safe environment, stability, and tools that will help them get ahead,” Alvarez said. “An investment in the residents of Children’s Harbor is an investment in the future of our community.”
About Children’s Harbor
Established in 1996, Children’s Harbor is a nationally accredited non-profit agency with a mission to help strengthen families who are struggling in our community, while providing safe shelter and support to teens in foster care so that they may grow into healthy, educated and productive adults.
With the belief that children should feel safe, that family is worth fighting for and that cycles can be broken, Children’s Harbor provides a harbor of hope and healing for children who have been impacted by the trauma of child abuse. The main campus in Pembroke Pines provides a supportive family environment for teenagers in foster care and their younger siblings. The family strengthening program prevents kids from coming into foster care by providing in-home counseling and support to families who are struggling in the community. Young adults aged 18-23 who have aged out of foster care are provided with housing and the wrap-around support and independent living programs necessary to help them overcome their trauma and navigate through the early stages of adulthood.
Brown’s Harbor is a supportive housing community that offers on-site staff, training, and wrap-around support services for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, ages 18-23, helping to bridge the gap from dependence to independence.
