Zarra Elias is the Assistant General Counsel II, Employment Law for the Moffitt Cancer Center, a world-renowned cancer treatment and research center. In this role, Zarra is responsible for all aspects of labor and employment matters for Moffitt and works closely with Moffitt’s human resources team. Before joining Moffitt, Zarra was a partner at Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm, where she practiced labor and employment law and commercial litigation. In light of her diverse background, Zarra’s clients included local, national, and international AAPI-owned companies.
Zarra’s exceptional career extends beyond her legal practice, as she currently serves as a board member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and a Fellow of the Labor & Employment Section of the American Bar Association. She is also the immediate past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay. In 2021, Zarra was recognized as one of the six “Asian-American leaders” in the Tampa Bay area and one of the “40 Under 40” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Zarra was born in Manila, Philippines and was raised by her grandmother while her mother worked abroad. Zarra and her mother moved to Hong Kong when she was 11 years old, attended a public Chinese school, and ultimately became fluent in Chinese. In 2002, Zarra moved to the United States and eventually graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Florida. She attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she served, among other leadership roles, as a managing editor for a journal and president of a law student organization. While in law school, Zarra also became the youngest board member of Mediators Beyond Borders International. She is fluent in Tagalog, Chinese, and English.
Breakout Session
Zarra Elias will be available for a follow-up question and answer session from her main stage presentation.