MIAMI LEADER:Ruth Shack is a Miami girl and a Miami leader. As a three-term Miami-Dade County commissioner from 1976 to 1984, Shack became known as an independent thinker who made decisions based on what she thought was right, not according to popular opinion. WHY MIAMI?Direct from the wedding ceremony we headed south to Miami Beach for our two week stay …
MIAMI LEADER:Rebecca Fishman-Lipsey is a proud Miami girl. As a Miami Leader she finds inspiration in shaping the city and believes that our “inner strength trumps our perfect smile.” WHY MIAMI?Miami is alive. Diverse. Beautiful. There’s a reason everyone wants to visit…and for those of us who get to live here, we get to shape a world-class city. WHAT IS …
MIAMI LEADER:Natalia Martinez-Kalinina is a Miami leader convinced that we need more proactive efforts to truly engage all of our city into the conversation driving our future. WHY MIAMI?I am committed to Miami because we are a city in our adolescence. As any teenager does, we have pockets of energy, a broad range of interests, a long list of capabilities, …
MIAMI LEADER:Rebekah Monson is a Miami Leader working on problems around civic engagement. She is passionate about improving community engagement with our local government in order to solve together Miami’s most pressing issues. WHY MIAMI?To me, Miami is what America’s future looks like, and I find it exciting to work here. We are an incredibly diverse, fast-growing city with big …
“I FEED HEARTS, SOULS AND MINDS”-Valencia Gunder, Founder of Make the Homeless Smile. MIAMI LEADER: Valencia Gunder is a native Miami girl of Bahamian decent. She grew up in Liberty City and became passionate about the problem of homelessness after she experienced it firsthand. She believes that homelessness is not only poverty, but also exclusion from the life of the …
MIAMI LEADER:Ashley Melisse Abess is a native Miami girl. Next year her family will celebrate 100 years living in Florida. Ashley moved away for ten years before rediscovering her city. She is now a Miami leader, who believes in the importance of urban-infill development in the process of attracting young talent to Miami. WHY MIAMI?While I spent 12 years living …
MIAMI LEADER:Lutze Segu is a Miami girl of Haitian decent. She is a social justice educator working on the problem of queer youth homelessness. Lutze is a strong believer in the power of empathy in her battle against society’s bias around classism, racism, poverty, mental health, childhood trauma and other structural and systemic issues that push people into the margins …
MIAMI LEADER:Cristina Mas is a native Miami girl and a Miami leader passionate about transforming the city in the way, which will inspire future generation to participate in improving it further. WHY MIAMI?I was born and raised here so I don’t really even see this as a question. It would take something BIG to make me leave. Miami is still …
MIAMI LEADER:Dara Shoenwald is a native of South Florida. She is an environmentalist and a co-founder of Volunteer Cleanup – a community organization coordinating beach cleanups, raising environmental awareness, and promoting environmentally conscious behavior to protect the beaches and the ocean. WHY MIAMI?I am a South Florida native, and even though I’ve also lived in the Midwest, on the West …
WHY MIAMI?Miami is home but it took an outside perspective for me to see the city’s great potential. After leaving Miami to go to school in Chicago I came back with the skills I need to create the Miami I want to see. Miami is a unique city where women comprise 50% of the population. As a result, they are …
MIAMI LEADER:Nathalie Martinez-Smith is a native Miami girl. She has over a decade of experience directing programs focused on public health and environmental sustainability in nonprofit and government settings, including the City of Miami and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). As a Miami leader she is determined to make Miami a model for sustainability. WHY MIAMI?Miami is a …
MIAMI LEADER:Rachel Silverstein is a Miami girl leading the city’s environmental movement. Rachel is concerned that our unique landscapes always seem to lose out to other interests and is determined to preserve Miami’s watershed through citizen engagement and community action. WHY MIAMI?After graduating from the Ph.D. program at University of Miami Rosenstiel School, where I studied coral reefs, and then …
MIAMI LEADER:Amanda Finuccio is a native Miami girl. She moved away to go to college and came back to discover her city anew. As a Miami leader she is focused on building strong local community by engaging people in new creative ways. Amanda is determined to reshape people’s negative perceptions of Miami by creating positive experiences and finding new ways …
Alana Greer is a native Miami girl and a leader supporting racial justice and human rights movements led by communities of color. She provides legal support, strategic partnerships and representation in organizing campaigns to local grassroots organizations. Greer works as a movement lawyer with the Community Justice Project.
MIAMI LEADER:Shekeria Brown is a Miami leader who is working to ensure everyone in Miami-Dade County has access to safe, quality, affordable housing. She is doing so by building a coalition committed to expanding affordable housing and economic opportunity while improving overall quality of life in neighborhoods. The coalition’s approach, which is comprehensive and equity driven, is carried out by …
WHY MIAMI?:Because this is the most creative, inspiring, entrepreneurial city I’ve experienced. If you have an idea and passion, and can get others excited about it too, you can really make things happen here, and very quickly. Particularly in my field, the arts, there is an eagerness and openness to collaborate and co-create, which is the most satisfying thing possible …
MIAMI LEADER:Kerry McLaney is a Miami girl born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She is an active member of South Florida’s cultural scene with 20 years experience in the photography, art and design industry. 305 Creative Group works and consults with companies and artists in designing brand identities and experiences. WHY MIAMI?It’s paradise. WHAT IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE TO SOLVE ON …
MIAMI LEADER:Anna-Bo Emmanuel is a Miami-based attorney and a Miami leader passionate about empowering women and girls. Anna-Bo believes that a diverse city like Miami will benefit from a better female representation within the city’s leadership cohort. WHY MIAMI?I love Miami. It is the city of the future. There are so many stories of resilience that creates the fabric of …
MIAMI LEADER: Marta Viciedo is a Miami native of Cuban decent. As a Miami leader she is developing solutions to the problem of mobility and transportation in the city. According to Marta, solving Miami’s problems comes down to “ensuring that anyone that calls Miami home, even if temporarily, be invested in the city and its communities.” WHY MIAMI? While Miami …
WHY MIAMI?:Miami is a place like no other. What happens here ripples throughout the state and the country. If we can bring about change in Miami, other places can be transformed as well. Through my work I learned that the people of Miami are resilient and powerful. I learned that the people of Miami are beautiful. I learned that the …
MIAMI LEADER:Marcia Olivo was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, at the age of 21 she immigrated to the United States. In the process of filling out immigration documents, Marcia had to identify herself with one of the ethnic groups listed on the form. Before this moment, she was not aware of her racial and ethnic identity. Within two …
MIAMI LEADER:Luisa Santos is a Miami girl of Colombian decent. Luisa is a founder of Lulu’s Ice Cream and a Miami leader passionate about connecting local farmers to local customers. She also uses her business as an educational platform for children and young adults to give them the right tools to succeed in society. WHY MIAMI?Because I was lucky enough …
MIAMI LEADER:Olga is a native Miami Girl and a Miami Leader. Olga believes in the power of cultural and civic participation as a cornerstone of society. Having spent over a decade on the business side of the art world, Olga has now turned her attention towards making a social impact in her home city. She is also proud to be …
WHY MIAMI?Miami is home. It’s a place I feel deeply connected to and proud of. I love the culture, the grit, and the deep sense of place that Miami has. Miami affirms who I am. After being away for more than a decade, Miami has offered me a tremendous opportunity to come back and work to help improve public education, …
MIAMI LEADER:Gabriela Guzman is a native Miami girl of Dominican decent. She is a Miami leader passionate about connecting and engaging Miami’s female entrepreneurs. Gabriela believes that mutual support and a strong network of talented people is the key to solving most of the issues Miami is facing today. WHY MIAMI?Miami is alive in this way that feels new, exciting …
MIAMI LEADER:Grace Castro is a Miami Girl of Puerto Rican descent. She has been working with leading South Florida nonprofits dedicated to enhancing the lives of youth and families in low socio-economic communities and to end homelessness. Grace is also the founder of Fashion Inspires more organization and Miami Fashion Film Festival, both designed to engage the community in conversations exploring …
MIAMI LEADER:Vanessa Tinsley is a Miami leader passionate about solving the problem of socio-economic injustice. Vanessa believes that the battle against poverty should include multifaceted solutions, because all poverty is not the same. WHY MIAMI?Aside from the fact that Miami is just plain beautiful, there are two great reasons for me to be in Miami. First, I love Miami’s diversity. …
MIAMI LEADERAna Bozovic is a Miami girl of Serbian decent. She was raised in NYC and lived in Zurich, Panama City, Kiev, Belgrade, and Vancouver before moving to Miami. Captivated by the rapid growth of Miami, Ana wanted to be a part of the city’s development into a true global center. Transitioning from her background in tech, she is now …
Kerline Jules is a native Miami girl and a leader supporting #BlackMalesMatter initiative. Having heard too many women of color express the fear of raising children in her community, Kerline decided to take action. She is now involved with local and national programs designed to create networks of support to address the challenges young males of color face.