Patricia San Pedro
Patricia San Pedro knows no limits. If she dreams it, she accomplishes it. Patricia San Pedro is an upbeat four-time Emmy-award winning television producer. She is a media executive, turned entrepreneur, who has spent her entire life creating value through her career and personal life. She’s been a corporate communications leader, international speaker, two-time published author, exhibited photographer and non-profit volunteer (Board of Directors of www.SACE.org and a United Way Trustee). She is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. She is a native of Havana, Cuba, and grew up on Miami Beach and graduated from the University of Miami.
Patricia made a name for herself in the broadcasting industry. As a young student at the University of Miami, Patricia worked at WCIX TV in Miami. She was researcher and associate producer on an Emmy Award-winning public affairs program called, To The Point. She was also the on-air Dialing for Dollar hostess for the afternoon movie.
At WTVJ NBC in Miami she produced documentaries, field produced the Pope’s visit, created entertainment programs, news series and numerous community service campaigns. A Matter of Pride was her most important initiative, bringing environmental awareness to South Florida.
She later expanded her wings internationally as the Corporate Communications Manager and key spokesperson for American Airlines, in Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America, overseeing 75 cities for the airline. At American, Patricia created Heart to Heart, a volunteer initiative for American’s 10,000 Miami employees.
Patricia then moved to The Miami Herald & Nuevo Herald as Vice President of Event Marketing & Community Affairs. There she created Operations Helping Hands/Dando Una Mano, a relief effort that is still activated today to help disaster victims in the hemisphere.
In 2001, Patricia opened San Pedro Productions, a local, national and international corporate communications and media relations company. In 2012 she was awarded Business Woman of the Year by the Coral Gables Chamber.
2006 to the present day, Patricia came full circle, back to the University of Miami where she graduated. She became Executive Director of Marketing, Communications and Events at the University’s Frost School of Music.
In May 2005, Pat published her first book, Dish & Tell: Live, Love and Secrets (William Morrow/Harper Collins), co-authored with several friends known as the Miami Bombshells. As an outgrowth of the book, San Pedro produced “Camp Bombshell”, a women’s-only weekend retreat where women are encouraged to relax, recharge and make time for themselves.
Pat’s busy life came to a screeching halt when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, the same disease that took her young mom’s life, 20 years earlier. However, from the moment of diagnosis, Pat saw her cancer as an opportunity…something that was brought to her life for a reason. Four hours after hearing the words, “You have cancer”, she began video taping her journey, knowing that she was meant to help others through her own, dance with cancer.
She documented the good, the bad, the ugly, the celebrations and the joy: one year of chemo (which she calls Sacred Juice), a double mastectomy, reconstruction and everything in between. Her book The Cancer Dancer: Healing One Step at a Time which was published in 2011, guides women and their caretakers through their own “dance” with cancer. The book is a must-have for anyone embarking on this journey.
Pat had more to give, so she co-produced with Discovery Channel, a documentary called The Cancer Dancer using the footage she shot in the midst of cancer. In 2012 it was awarded with a Suncoast Emmy Award, making it Pat’s 4th Emmy. In 2012, ‘The Cancer Dancer” was given to every performer and every presenter at The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards®.
Pat is founder of Positively Pat (www.PositivelyPat.com ) a health and wellness community. Her most rewarding part of this community is her global cancer support group for women called “Link of Hope Sistas“. Together they educate, empower and inspire anyone going through cancer. Hundreds of women, across the planet, are a part of this loving and supportive group.
In 2011, inspired by her year of cancer treatment, Pat created a mixed media photography exhibit called Discover Your Doorway. The exhibit is an invitation to walk through the doorways in your life consciously, empowered, and with eyes and heart wide open, to explore what lies on the other side…in joy.
Pat also shares her story nationally and internationally as an inspirational speaker, in settings that range from boardrooms and ballrooms to hospitals, conference centers and houses of worship. She encourages audiences to live a positive and purposeful life with a connection to Spirit, so it can bring forth happiness, balance, harmony and fulfillment at work and in their personal lives. Pat’s message is authentic and powerful, and is sure to move and inspire those it reaches.