In honor of Women's History Month, News 12 is honoring Dr. Camelia Tepelus, the executive director of the Morris Park Business Improvement District who has led her community to unparalleled success during the pandemic.

Her unstoppable energy and larger than life presence are more than just infectious. These qualities make Dr. Camelia Tepelus a resilient leader of the Morris Park Business Improvement District.

Not only did few businesses close, but 16 new businesses opened from July 2020 to July 2021 as vacancy rates across the rest of the city plummeted. Morris Park is thriving, not just surviving thanks to Tepelus' leadership.

"Every day is a new adventure, and every day is an opportunity to move a grain, another grain of sand to incline that balance towards action," Tepelus says.

Her boots on the ground approach to transforming the neighborhood is all about making sure business owners have what they need. From handing out masks and COVID-19 information to holiday lights, she wants them to know the BID is there for them.

"We make a difference in the community. We make good things for the community, we make events, we improve infrastructure, we clean the streets."

Founded in 2018, Tepelus is the first executive director of the BID. She grew up in Romania and has lived in five countries, but says she's proud to make a difference in the borough she calls home.

She was recognized as a power woman of the Bronx and as a woman of distinction by the New York State Senate celebrating her over 20 years of non-profit work and dedication to Morris Park, especially during the pandemic.

Her quest to clean up the corridor seems to never stop. Next, she says she wants the wooden telephone poles along Morris Park Avenue replaced.