About

The Program

Issues has responded to the community’s need for in-depth representation of local concerns for over 30 years, bringing together local leaders and journalists to discuss the important topics facing South Florida. The weekly half-hour public affairs and news program provides the type of extensive and probing analysis that addresses the community’s continuous concerns.

By utilizing a roundtable discussion format, Issues offers a balanced blend of fact reporting and important perspectives. More than just traditional news reporting, Issues goes further, examining national, state and local topics and their effects on the South Florida community.

Award-winning journalist Helen Aguirre Ferré leads roundtable discussions on such topics as the state's foreclosure crisis, urban sprawl and the environment, gambling expansion and election reform. Each weekly exchange responds to the events that affect the community with in-depth analysis and thoughtful examination.

 

Issues airs on Fridays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 12:30 pm on WPBT2.

 

 

Host

Helen Aguirre Ferré is an award-winning bilingual journalist who maneuvers through various media platforms to deliver the news and analysis in print and broadcast media in English and Spanish.

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For the English language audience, Helen is well known for moderating the weekly WPBT2 (PBS affiliate) public affairs series Issues reaching audiences from south Florida’s Treasure Coast to the Florida Keys for over 12 years. She has also been a guest on the nationally acclaimed PBS News Hour.

Recognized by Univision America radio for her work as a co host for a highly acclaimed local, daily political talk show in the Greater Miami media market and for her work as a political analyst for Univision Network News, she was given her own live two hour national radio show, “Zona Politica con Helen Aguirre” specializing in news, commentary and analysis which airs daily. Helen was an analyst for Univision Network “Destino 2012” covering the national political election cycle on national news casts and Univision’s Sunday public affairs show “Al Punto”, as well.

In print, Helen Aguirre Ferre is the Opinion Page Editor and weekly columnist for Diario Las Americas newspaper and she contributes to UnivisionNews.tumblr and has been a guest on CNN, amongst others.

Aside from her career in journalism, Aguirre Ferre is passionate providing access in education to students of all ages and backgrounds. She is the first woman to chair the Board of Trustees of Miami Dade College (MDC), the largest community college in the country, and serves on the board of directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) as well. Helen also serves as a student mentor at MDC.

 
Additionally, Helen is a member of the Florida Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, a national member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the InterAmerican Institute for Democracy, an advisory board member of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, an advisory board member of the Angels of Mercy of Mercy Hospital in Miami, The Mater Center and the American Nicaraguan Foundation. Previously, Helen Aguirre Ferre has served on the board of the Community Television Foundation of South Florida, Florida Higher Education Task Force, Florida Energy Commission 2020 and Goodwill Industries of South Florida, amongst others.

As such, Helen Aguirre Ferre has received many awards and recognitions, including: Distinguished Journalist 2012 Latin American Chamber of Commerce (CAMACOL); 100 Most Influential People Poder Magazine 2012; Professional Mother of the Year 2010 Cuban American National Council; Alumni of Distinction in Journalism Barry University 2009; Florida Woman of Achievement 2009; Honorary Doctorate Degree in Journalism Saint Anselm College 2008; Spectrum Chairman’s Award of the south Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross 2007; Women’s History Coalition Woman of Impact Award 2007; Distinguished Woman Professional Cuban Women’s Club 2006; CAMACOL Woman Business Professional 2006; Distinguished Alumni Archbishop Curley Notre Dame Academy 2005; Barry University Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award 2000; Dynamic Woman’s Award American Cancer Society, Professional of the Year Hispanic Media 100, amongst others.

Aguirre Ferre co-founded Operation Saving Lives which was a humanitarian task force responsible for sending significant contributions of medicine, food and clothing to victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America in 1998.

Helen Aguirre Ferre holds a B.A. in Political Science from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida and an M.A. in Inter American Studies from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

Although her family hails from Nicaragua, Helen was born and raised in Miami where she currently lives.