The treasurer of a charitable foundation who manages a $2.5 billion investment portfolio. The nurse who established the world’s first special care unit dedicated to patients with HIV/AIDS. A married pair of global hospitality leaders who fund scholarships. A dynamic vice president at pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly who strives to widen health care access.
These standout professionals are your 2025 FIU Torch Award honorees. Their stories and talents inspire all of us, and on Saturday alumni from across the decades joined them on campus to celebrate just how far holders of FIU degrees can go in this world. Unstoppable, our distinguished graduates lead by example, scale corporate peaks on their own terms and change others’ lives for the better.
Meet five who represent the best of us.
Clifford Morrison '74, MS '76
Registered Nurse & Patient Advocate
Clifford Morrison is a true pioneer in healthcare who has been celebrated for his fearless patient advocacy, professional insight and passion for doing what is right. His visionary leadership and human approach have become the foundation for standard HIV/AIDS care practices around the world, creating a legacy that continues to transform lives.
In 1983, he established the world’s first special care unit dedicated to patients with HIV/AIDS, at San Francisco General San Francisco General Hospital. He brought innovative clinical practices to the forefront by developing policies and educating multidisciplinary teams in the compassionate care of those affected. In 1987, Morrison was appointed deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation AIDS Health Services Program at the University of California’s School of Medicine. He has received numerous awards, recognitions and accolades for his groundbreaking work, including induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1988, one of the nursing profession’s highest honors. He retired in 2022. Read a 2019 FIU Magazine article about him.
Bertika Quintero MS '98
Vice President, Strategic Accounts - Lilly Value & Access
Eli Lilly and Company
Bertika Quintero is an ardent champion of talent development and an advocate for inclusive leadership at global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Her strategic vision has consistently delivered exceptional business outcomes, among them successful launch of multiple brands and innovations in personalized diabetes management.
Quintero is deeply committed to advancing healthcare access and leads Lilly’s active involvement in helping to shape a future where improved health outcomes is a reality for all. She sits on the advisory board of a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls by fostering self-acceptance and nurturing social, emotional and intellectual growth. She draws inspiration from 30+ years of membership in and service to her sorority, whose motto “service to all mankind” she embodies.
An engaged alumna, she gives back to FIU through her philanthropic support of the high-impact Golden Scholars Program and other campus initiatives. And she supports a scholarship at her undergraduate alma mater, Florida A&M University.
Rakesh Sarna MA '21 and Mei Sarna MA '21
Philanthropists & Global Hospitality Leaders
Rakesh and Mei Sarna are global hospitality leaders whose distinguished careers and shared commitment to education and service have left an enduring mark on the industry and the communities they support.
Rakesh Sarna has nearly 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, 35 of those with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where he held senior leadership roles across the Caribbean, Middle East, Pacific, Far East, Europe and North America, eventually serving as Chief Operating Officer – International and Group President of the Americas. In the few years that he was not with Hyatt, he served as CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited. His work leading a major cultural and financial turnaround at the company became the subject of a Harvard Business School Case Study. He is known by those in the industry for his clear thinking, motivational leadership and commitment to sincere service and mutual respect.
Mei Sarna has more than 25 years of experience with premier luxury brands including Four Seasons and Hyatt Hotels. She has served as a senior advisor in brand development and service excellence for luxury hotels and airlines across Switzerland, Oman, Russia, Abu Dhabi, Thailand and India. She, like her husband, believes deeply in the transformative power of education.
The pair each earned Master of Arts in Global Affairs from the FIU Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs in 2021. Together, the Sarnas have established scholarship programs to support students in the United States and India Their enduring connection to FIU is rooted in a spirit of giving back and a desire to empower future leaders to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
Juan Martinez '90, MACC '93
VP/CFO and Treasurer
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Juan Martinez has played a key role in shaping and implementing the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation strategy since joining the organization in 2002. He oversees financial management, regulatory compliance and reporting functions for the Miami-headquartered national philanthropic organization that invests heavily in technology, the arts and community development with the aim to foster informed and engaged communities. Martinez also manages the foundation’s $2.5 billion investment portfolio and partners closely with program staff to support the development of program-related investments, among them the Knight Enterprise Fund, which has invested in more than 50 early-stage digital media companies.
Previously, Martinez served as manager of financial planning for Telemundo Group Inc., the second-largest Spanish-language television network in the country. Martinez remains actively engaged with his alma mater as a member of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors.