Teresa Weintraub—international wealth advisor, mother, Cuban expat, Miami resident, and much more—has a full life, to say the least.  And back in May, I had the opportunity to photograph this busy Boston College Law Alum at her home in Coral Gables.

 Mrs. Weintraub is an inspiring figure who has overcome the odds not just to survive, but to flourish. Her family fled Cuba and lost a considerable amount of wealth in the process, settling as one of the many families struggling after fleeing the oppression of the Castro regime.  Weintraub fought to go to school, something her parents did not see as a necessity for a woman and their only daughter.  She decided to pursue business and law at Boston College law school, two fields that suffered from some of the worst gender and ethnic diversity.  Being a Cuban woman, Weintraub had obvious perceptual obstacles to deal with, and yet her story is one of outright success.Photographing Mrs. Weintraub was a treat; she was very hospitable and an easy subject with a winning smile, making for excellent portraits.

During our conversation, one thing she said stands out because it inspired a moment of déjà vu for me. When my assistant asked how she had managed to be so successful in a career field so dominated by men, she replied that she had grown up with all brothers, so that definitely helped!   This answer struck me because just a week earlier I had photographed a female locomotive engineer, ( also working in a disproportionately male field) and she also said she was the only girl in a family of boys, "making her just a bit tougher". Maybe there's a correlation, maybe not. What's certain is that Teresa Weintraub stands as a Miami success story and a powerful female figure who serves as an inspiration to women and men alike. 

Look, Mom- I made the contributors page!

Article by: Katharine Whittemore

Art Direction: Robert Parsons

Photos by: Sonya Revell

Photo Assistant: Enoch Contreras