This month, Schwartz Media Strategies Partner Yudi Fernandez Kim has been named an honoree of the South Florida Business Journal’s 2025 Influential Business Women Awards, which spotlights 25 women in South Florida every year recognizing exemplary leadership, business acumen and community involvement.
Since joining the firm in 2011, she has achieved continued success growing her career in communications from an account executive role to becoming the firm’s first female and Hispanic partner a few years ago. Today, she leads multilingual integrated campaigns on behalf of clients across the firm’s core practices, with an emphasis on commercial real estate, construction, financial services and municipal affairs.
For International Women’s Month, Soundbytes sat down with Yudi to discuss her journey, the role mentorship has played in shaping her career, and her approach to leadership.
What does being recognized as one of South Florida Business Journal’s Influential Women mean to you, and how does it reflect your journey as a leader?
Being recognized by one of the premier business publications in Florida is truly an honor. Over the years, and as a leader at Schwartz Media Strategies, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside many exceptional women who have also received this recognition. It’s a special, reflective career moment to now be acknowledged among them, including my fellow honoree this year and SMS client, Gail Trippe of NSI Insurance Group.
Mentorship has been a key part of your leadership style. Tell us about how mentorship has shaped the trajectory of your career.
Mentorship has been pivotal in my career trajectory. As a student at Coral Gables High, I was fortunate to be a mentee in the Women of Tomorrow program, a nonprofit offering mentorship and scholarships high school girls. Through it, I connected with inspiring leaders who shaped my career aspirations. Mentorship continued to be a key part of my professional development, both through college at the University of Florida and into my career at Schwartz Media Strategies, where my then-bosses, now partners, Tadd Schwartz and Aaron Gordon, inspired and supported me. Now, over a decade later, I mentor young women at our firm, some who started as interns and are now account leaders. Having been a mentee myself, I know firsthand how mentorship builds confidence and drives professional growth.
At Schwartz Media Strategies, about 90% of the team is comprised of talented women. How has that dynamic influenced your leadership approach, and what do you see as the biggest opportunities for women in the industry today?
PR has long been a female-majority industry, with women making up about 70% of the workforce, according to The Holmes Report. Yet, leadership roles haven’t reflected that, with women holding only about 30% of executive positions. Fortunately, we’re seeing more women take on ownership and C-suite roles, but there’s still progress to be made — especially in terms of pay equity, leadership pathways, and career advancement. As someone who has built a career in PR, I believe it’s our responsibility to mentor and uplift the next generation of women leaders. And it’s not just on women — male leaders play a critical role in fostering a more equitable PR industry for all professionals.
Your work spans commercial real estate, construction, financial services, and municipal affairs. How do you balance the demands of such diverse industries while fostering collaboration and innovation within your team?
At Schwartz Media Strategies, we’ve been intentional about building a portfolio of clients that drive Florida’s economy. Working across multiple sectors allows us to create comprehensive narratives that connect industries and strengthen our clients’ positioning. By staying ahead of economic trends and collaborating with leaders across market-defining industries and sectors, we bring a strategic, big-picture approach to storytelling and are the forefront of shaping narratives that support our clients’ goals and strengthen the region’s economy.
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, what advice would you give to women looking to grow as leaders in their careers, regardless of industry?
Do your homework, walk into every room with knowledge and confidence, embrace opportunities and earn respect through your expertise and intellect. Ask the tough questions, but just as importantly, take the time to listen intently. By listening, you learn more and can formulate the best strategies, tackle problem solving and achieve desired outcomes. Seek mentors who can guide you and help propel your career forward. And once you’ve built success, pay it forward. Opening doors for others and sharing the knowledge that shaped your own journey is one of the most impactful ways to support talent development and mentor the next generation of leaders.
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