Dr Omaida Velazquez was born in Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. in her early teens during the Mariel exodus. Despite going to a public high school with limited resources, she excelled and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science degree at Stevens Institute of Technology and then attended Rutgers University- New Jersey Medical School graduating Valedictorian. She earned her General Surgery Residency and subsequent Fellowship in Vascular/Endovascular Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. She then joined the Penn faculty and served eight years, rising from Assistant to Associate Professor with Tenure at the University of Pennsylvania.

She relocated to Florida in 2007 when the University of Miami (UM) recruited her as the Chief of the Vascular and Endovascular Division. Dr. Velazquez was promoted to Tenured Professor at UM, served as Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Surgery, and was later appointed as the Executive Dean of Research for the UM Miller School of Medicine. In 2015, Dr. Velazquez became the Chair of Department of Surgery at UM and made history becoming the first Latina woman Chair of Surgery in the U.S. She was also named the inaugural Surgeon-in-Chief for both the UM and Jackson Health Systems and now oversees hundreds of surgeons, scientists, educators, and support staff.

Dr. Velazquez has been accepted into the American Society for Clinical Investigators and American Surgical Association. She has been continuously funded by the NIH for over 16 years, published over 200 manuscripts, and obtained several biomedical patents. One of her seminal discoveries has already been licensed by University of Miami, leading to a new start-up company that is advancing new vascular cures through vascular regenerative approaches. Some of her recent recognitions include Certificate of Leadership from the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery; the Conrad Jobst Award at the University of Michigan; the Rudolph Matas, MD Vascular Surgery Award from Tulane University; the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School; the Distinguished Graduate Award from The University of Pennsylvania; and the Miracles for Life Leadership Excellence Award by the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency.