Aleksey Shtivelman, a partner in Shutts & Bowen LLP’s Miami office, recently completed the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s hallmark leadership program, Leadership Miami®. As a part of the program, Aleksey and his community service project team members were also honored as the inaugural winning team of Project Pitch Night, a Shark-Tank like competition and event, as well as the program’s “Project of the Year.”
Aleksey committed his time and talents to be accepted into Leadership Miami® Class XLII, attending focus sessions, completing fieldwork assignments and participating in the team community service project. Leadership Miami® offers participants the opportunity to meet Miami's leaders and to share an intensive learning experience that focuses on community issues and leadership skills through a planned process of lectures, seminars, small group discussions and leadership skills exercises. For four decades, the program has worked to prepare the next generation of Miamians to address vital issues affecting Miami-Dade County and meet future challenges.
As a part of the Leadership Miami® program’s community service project, Aleksey and his team collaborated to create Brighter 2morrows, a holistic and engaging educational program designed to empower youth facing housing insecurities and prepare them to take the next step toward their brighter tomorrow. In a Shark-Tank like presentation format, Aleksey’s team and four other Leadership Miami® teams competed for a grant from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce to fund their proposed initiative pitch at Project Pitch Night on March 17, 2021. For the first time in the event’s history, all teams presented their pitch live and in front of their competitors, with Brighter 2morrows presenting the winning pitch.
Following the pitch, Brighter 2morrows partnered with the HOMY Collective Youth’s Voice Action Council (YVAC) to develop a fully interactive six-week curriculum for young people facing hardships such as housing insecurity and/or homelessness. The curriculum covered topics like conflict resolution, basic legal skills (a session presented by Aleksey), self-promotion, grant/scholarship writing, career exploration and financial literacy. Additionally, the team created one-on-one mentorships and hosted a culminating event at Millenia Atlantic University to celebrate the youth participants and offer additional tools for their continued success, including professional styling, a tablet and computer accessories, headshots and a brand-new professional suit ensemble.
Upon graduation from Leadership Miami®, the Brighter 2morrows team was recognized as the Chamber’s “Project of the Year” – the first team in the program’s history to win both the pitch and project execution competitions. To stay up to date with the Brighter 2morrows community initiative, click here.
About Aleksey Shtivelman
Aleksey Shtivelman is a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the International Dispute Resolution Practice Group. Aleksey focuses his practice on counseling companies and individuals doing business across borders. He specializes in complex dispute resolution, commercial arbitration, and international litigation. Originally from Odessa, Ukraine, he is a native Russian speaker, fluent in Spanish, and adeptly represents clients who conduct business in those languages. Aleksey has been recognized as one of South Florida’s “Most Effective Lawyers” by the Daily Business Review in the Business/Complex Litigation category and as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.