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Estibaliz Diaz Headshot

Estibaliz Diez

Senior Associate General Counsel

China Telecom Americas Corporation  

 

Law School & Year:  Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (JD, 1998), American University, Washington College of Law (LLM, 2000), Miami University School of Law (LLM 2013)

 

LinkedIn: Estibaliz Diez | LinkedIn

 

What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?

Being a member of the SFWIHCG has had a huge impact on me, both personally and professionally. It has connected me with an inspiring community of professional women who are committed to growing together, sharing experiences, and genuinely supporting one another.

The group has given me valuable opportunities for networking and professional development, while also helping me build meaningful friendships and expand my professional network. It has created a strong sense of community and provided a space where members can learn from each other, exchange ideas, and celebrate one another's achievements. It has also increased my visibility as a professional within the in-house legal sector and helped me feel more connected to the wider legal community.

 

What is your most rewarding professional achievement?

I One of my most rewarding professional achievements was successfully negotiating a very significant contract with a government customer in Latin America. The relationship was initially distant, with limited trust and both sides approaching the discussions cautiously.

After multiple face-to-face meetings, we began to understand each other's teams, priorities, and concerns. This helped build trust, create a more collaborative environment, and move the negotiations forward. After a long and complex process, we finalized the contract and established a positive working relationship. The experience was especially rewarding because the achievement went beyond closing the deal: we transformed a difficult negotiation into a constructive and lasting business relationship..

 

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the legal field?

My advice would be to be patient and stay authentic to who she is. The Legal profession is built on reputation, knowledge, experience and integrity. This takes time to build. She doesn't need to have everything figured out from the beginning. Seek mentors that will support her and have her best interest at heart, as well as build a strong network of people that will support her, challenge her and advocate for her growth. Do not be afraid to speak up and ask questions. Most importantly, be empathetic and support other women along the way.

 

What area(s) of law do you specialize in, and what drew you to this particular field?

I specialize in telecommunications law. It was not the field I initially planned to pursue after completing my law studies, as I expected to begin my career at a law firm.

During the interview process, one of the law firms referred me to an in-house counsel position at a telecommunications company. I accepted the opportunity and discovered that I enjoyed both the industry and the inhouse counsel role. I have remained in the telecommunications field ever since, building my expertise and growing alongside an industry that is constantly evolving.



Amarilys Gott Headshot
Sira_Veciana_Headshot.jpg

Amarilys Gott

Strategy Advancement Lead, Healthcare Research (Compliance)

Humana 

 

Law School & Year: Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela (2001)

 

LinkedIn: Amarilys Gott | LinkedIn

 

What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?

Membership in the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group has been instrumental in helping me understand the nuances of the U.S. legal profession, particularly Florida’s corporate and in-house environment.

As an internationally trained attorney, I joined the group with significant legal and business experience but recognized the importance of understanding the professional practices, expectations and unwritten rules that influence career development in the United States. Through the group, I have connected with accomplished attorneys, including internationally trained lawyers who have successfully established themselves in the U.S. corporate sector. Their experience and guidance have helped me make informed career decisions and position my international background as a professional strength.

Serving as Chair of the Membership Committee has also allowed me to contribute to the organization by promoting engagement, welcoming new members and supporting women as they develop their professional networks and careers.

 

The friendships and relationships I built through the group have been incredibly meaningful. We celebrate each other's successes, offer advice during challenges, and support one another through career transitions. That support has played an important role in my growth and confidence as a leader. The encouragement, mentorship, and sense of community I gained through this organization have been invaluable, and I am grateful to be part of a group that truly lifts one another up.

 

What is your current role, and can you describe a typical day in your position?

I serve as a Strategy Advancement Lead within Humana’s healthcare research organization, where I lead research compliance and strategic operations for federally and privately funded research initiatives in a highly regulated healthcare environment.

My responsibilities include oversight of subrecipient compliance, data and research contracts, contract lifecycle management, HIPAA and privacy requirements, and regulatory alignment with NIH, PCORI and 2 CFR Part 200 requirements.

I partner with legal, finance, privacy, compliance and research teams to strengthen internal controls, maintain audit readiness and support ethical and compliant research practices. I also develop governance tools and frameworks, including Power BI dashboards, to improve portfolio visibility, risk monitoring and strategic decision-making.

Before assuming my current role, I spent several years overseeing compliance for Humana’s Direct Marketing Services, with responsibility for federal and state compliance requirements applicable to healthcare marketing and sales activities.

 

What is your most rewarding professional achievement?

My most rewarding professional achievement has been building a legal, compliance and leadership career across Latin America, Europe and the United States.

Before relocating to the United States, I advised domestic and international corporations on corporate, commercial and labor matters. My work included supporting companies expanding throughout Latin America and managing complex relationships involving corporate leadership, employees, government authorities and workers’ unions.

After relocating to the United States, I successfully transitioned my legal background into healthcare compliance and strategic operations. I am particularly proud of having adapted my international experience to a highly regulated U.S. healthcare environment while continuing to expand my responsibilities as a compliance and business leader.

 

How do you see the role of women in the legal profession evolving in the coming years?

Women will continue to assume broader leadership roles across legal, compliance, risk management, strategy and business operations.

The role of an in-house legal professional increasingly requires more than technical legal knowledge. Effective advisers must understand the organization’s objectives, identify legal and operational risks and provide practical guidance that supports informed business decisions.

As more women advance into leadership, mentorship and sponsorship will remain essential. Representation is important, but lasting progress also requires women in leadership to create opportunities, share knowledge and advocate for the next generation.

 

Sira Veciana-Muiño

Associate General Counsel

Ruko


Law School & Year:
Columbia Law School (1999)


LinkedIn:
Sira Veciana-Muino | LinkedIn


What impact has being a member of the South Florida Women In-House Counsel Group had for you?

Being a member of SFWIHCG has been transformative for me in ways I never could have anticipated. When I first founded the group, I was focused on organizing events myself and growing membership one person at a time. But over time, I learned a powerful lesson: “If you want to run fast, go alone. If you want to run far, go together.”

What truly shifted for me was realizing that building a strong, diverse team wasn’t just necessary — it was the key to unlocking the full potential of our community. When I invited other talented women to step in and lead alongside me, the organization really began to flourish. Our events became stronger, our membership grew exponentially, and most importantly, authentic relationships and friendships blossomed.

Today, we have an incredible team of seven board members and more than twenty committee members who dedicate their time and energy to making this organization thrive. Seeing how far we’ve come together has reinforced for me that leadership is not about doing everything yourself — it’s about creating space for others to shine and building something bigger than any one person could do alone.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the legal field?/What advice would you give your younger self?

Build strong relationships in law school and in each of the jobs you take. It’s those individuals who may become your next client or the colleague that opens the door to your next position in-house.


Become part of a community that can support you through your career, and give more than you take form that community.


Read Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel.


What are some daily habits you’ve incorporated to stay focused, grounded, motivated and manage stress?

  1. Track my time with an app called Toggle. It helps me see when and where I’m being wasteful in my time and it also gives me a better reality check on how long an actual task is taking me. Over time, with this information I can better plan my day.
  2. Take a daily walk or workout break in the middle of the day when I feel a slump in energy coming on.
  3. Sleep. Sleep is sacred to me. If I don’t have a full 7-8 hours of sleep, I know that my focus will be off the next day.

What book or magazine do you have on your nightstand right now? What book are you currently reading?

Currently re-reading The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz and sifting through The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier.


What is your favorite podcast? Why?

The top 3 podcasts I currently listen to are:

  1. APM Marketplace – Provides me with the top stories in business I need to know
  2. Harvard Business Review (HBR) on Leadership – invaluable insights on growing as a manager and leader which is applicable to all levels, industries and parts of life. Unfortunately, this one was just recently discontinued, but all the episodes are still available and the themes continue to apply universally.
  3. Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway – great analysis of current events and business news

If you weren’t an attorney, what would be your dream job?
I love to travel and plan trips. If I weren’t an attorney, I would love to launch a small business who plans trips and travel activities for people.