Daniella Levine Cava
8th Mayor of Miami-Dade County
Assumed office
November 17, 2020
Preceded byCarlos A. Giménez
Member of the Miami-Dade County Commission
from the 8th district
In office
November 5, 2014 – November 17, 2020
Preceded byLynda Bell
Succeeded byDanielle Cohen Higgins[1]
Personal details
Born
Daniella Levine

(1955-09-14) September 14, 1955
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic[lower-alpha 1]
SpouseRobert Cava
Children2
EducationYale University (BA)
Columbia University (JD, MSW)

Daniella Levine Cava (born September 14, 1955) is an American lawyer, social worker, and politician who has served as the mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida since 2020. Previously, she was a Miami-Dade County Commissioner from 2014 until her election as mayor.[2] She is the first woman and the first person of Jewish descent to serve as mayor of Miami-Dade County.[3]

Early life and education

Daniella Levine was born on September 14, 1955, in New York City. She traveled throughout Latin America in her youth, including to Rio de Janeiro and Santiago.[4][5] She later attended Yale University, where she served as the President of the Student Council, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She later attended Columbia University, receiving a Juris Doctor in 1981 and a Master of Social Work in 1983. She moved to Miami in 1980 with her husband, Dr. Robert Cava.[6][7]

Upon her arrival to Miami in 1980, Levine Cava became an attorney with Legal Services of Greater Miami, later leaving in 1985 after becoming legal director for the Guardian Ad Litem program, a court-run child welfare legal program. During her time as a lawyer, she served on the Florida Bar Committee on Legal Needs of Children. In 1992, following Hurricane Andrew, she was appointed as the Miami-Dade County program manager for the Florida Department of Children and Families, holding the position until 1994. The following year, she founded a youth outreach program with Barry University.[2][8]

In 1996, Levine Cava founded the Human Services Coalition, later renamed Catalyst Miami, which, through partnerships with the United Way and local businesses, aids low-income families with monetary advice. At Catalyst Miami, she launched the Prosperity Campaign which helps people increase their income and savings, allowing families to build financial security. She served as the president and chief executive officer of Catalyst Miami until 2013.[9]

Political career

Miami-Dade County commission

In 2013, Levine Cava, a Democrat, ran against incumbent Miami-Dade County District 8 Commissioner Lynda Bell, a Republican. The district includes much of southern Miami-Dade County, including suburban localities like West Kendall and Cutler Bay, and agricultural communities like Homestead and Redland. Levine Cava entered the race in 2014.[7] Levine Cava narrowly defeated Bell in the August 26 election, receiving 52% of the vote to Bell's 48%.[10]

In 2016, Levine Cava sponsored legislation in the Miami-Dade County Commission that requires local candidates for office to register when they raise money for political action committees.[11]

Levine Cava won reelection in 2018, receiving over 61% of the vote.[12]

In November 2019, Levine Cava published a letter in the Miami Herald criticizing the Florida State Legislature for diverting funds for affordable housing. This diverted nearly $1.4 billion to balance the state budget.[13] She also created the Infill Housing Program which aims to build affordable housing on County-owned land in her district.[14]

During her tenure, Levine Cava has advocated for the protection of the environment. In 2017, she sponsored the resolution to support the Paris climate agreement. In response to the presence of fecal bacteria in Biscayne Bay in early 2020, she also sponsored legislation to improve water testing in the area.[15][16]

In 2018, Levine Cava created an initiative to protect pedestrians and bikers from harm's way. The initiative featured a plan for engaging with the business community to create incentives that could train people to be better drivers and an agenda for improving biking accessibility on roads.[17]

Levine Cava gained endorsements from labor unions like the Service Employees International Union, and the AFL–CIO, and environmental groups like the Sierra Club.[18][19]

Mayor of Miami-Dade County

Election

In early 2020, Levine Cava announced her run for the 2020 Miami-Dade County mayoral election, to succeed incumbent Mayor Carlos Giménez, who was term-limited.[20] She earned the endorsements of many major organizations and newspapers, including the Miami Herald, and received the endorsement of many prominent Democrats, including congresswomen Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala.[21][22] Levine Cava has also received significant funding from Donald Sussman, a hedge fund executive who was the largest single donor to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election.[23]

In the August 18 primary, Levine Cava placed second behind fellow Commissioner Esteban Bovo, receiving 28% to Bovo's 29%, with former County Mayor Alex Penelas trailing in third with 24%.[24] Because neither Levine Cava or Bovo received over 50% of the vote, this triggered a runoff election between the two candidates, which was held on November 3, 2020.[25] Levine Cava won the runoff election with 54% of the vote.[26]

Tenure

2021 Surfside condominium building collapse

In late June, Levine Cava garnered national attention for her response to the Surfside condominium building collapse.[27]

Electoral history

Miami-Dade County Commission District 8 election, 2014[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniella Levine Cava 9,078 51.97
Republican Lynda Bell (incumbent) 8,390 48.03
Total votes 17,468 100.00
Miami-Dade County Commission District 8 election, 2018[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniella Levine Cava (incumbent) 15,289 61.2
Republican Gus Barreiro 5,431 21.7
Democratic Johnathan Burke 4,278 17.1
Total votes 24,998 100.00
Miami-Dade County mayoral blanket primary, 2020[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Esteban Bovo 122,135 29.28
Democratic Daniella Levine Cava 120,089 28.79
Democratic Alex Penelas 102,338 24.53
Independent Xavier Suarez 43,831 10.51
Democratic Monique Nicole Barley 22,823 5.47
Republican Ludmilla Domond 5,230 1.25
Write-in 715 0.17
Total votes 417,161 100
Miami-Dade County mayoral election, 2020[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniella Levine Cava 576,647 53.97
Republican Esteban Bovo 491,838 46.03
Total votes 1,068,485 100.00

Personal life

Levine Cava is Jewish.[31] She is married to Robert Cava, a Miami-Dade physician of Italian American descent. They have two children, Eliza and Edward.[2]

Awards

For her nonprofit work, Levine Cava has the Most Distinguished Pioneer Award from the National Alliance to Nurture the Aged and the Youth and the Joanne Hayes Democracy and Mentoring Award from the League of Women Voters.[32]

Notes

  1. ↑ The Mayor of Miami-Dade County is officially elected in a non-partisan election.

References

  1. ↑ "Danielle Cohen Higgins Appointed to Miami-Dade Commission Seat Vacated by Levine Cava".
  2. 1 2 3 "About Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava". www.miamidade.gov. Archived from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  3. ↑ Kampeas, Ron (June 29, 2021). "Miami-Dade Jews 'proud' of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's leadership amid tragedy". The Times of Israel.
  4. ↑ "EYE ON MIAMI: Do you know anything about Daniella Levine Cava? I do. By Geniusofdespair". EYE ON MIAMI. March 14, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Miami-Dade Jews 'proud' of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's leadership amid tragedy". The Times of Israel.
  6. ↑ "Daniella Levine | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  7. 1 2 Hanks, Douglas (November 23, 2014). "After a life of social work, Levine Cava takes a seat of power". Miami Herald. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Meet Daniella | Daniella Levine Cava for Mayor". Daniella Levine Caba for Mayor. March 28, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava". Catalyst Miami. November 30, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Dade - Election Results 2014". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  11. ↑ Douglas, Hanks (May 18, 2016). "County commissioners endorse campaign reform. After grumbling". Miami Herald.
  12. ↑ "Election Night Reporting 2018". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  13. ↑ Levine Cava, Daniella (November 4, 2019). "Protect affordable housing funds to boost our economy". Miami Herald.
  14. ↑ DeVane, Mia. "Commissioner Cava Announces Program to Help Tackle Affordable Housing Crisis". www.caribbeantoday.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  15. ↑ Aguirre, Louis (February 27, 2020). "Is Miami's beach water filled with poop? Volunteer testing proves it's so". WPLG. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ↑ Douglas, Hanks (June 20, 2017). "Miami-Dade backs Paris climate agreement that President Trump rejected". Miami Herald.
  17. ↑ Linda, Robertson (May 24, 2018). "Her husband was hit by a car. Now she's pushing to make streets safer for bicyclists". Miami Herald.
  18. ↑ Nicol, Ryan (January 9, 2020). "Sierra Club Miami endorses Daniella Levine Cava for Miami-Dade County Mayor". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  19. ↑ Nicol, Ryan (July 21, 2020). "Daniella Levine Cava, Alex Penelas tout new labor endorsements in Miami-Dade County mayoral race". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  20. ↑ Nicol, Ryan (February 28, 2020). "Daniella Levine Cava talks breaking 'glass ceilings' in new ad". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  21. ↑ THE MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD (July 26, 2020). "Daniella Levine Cava for Miami-Dade County mayor | Editorial". Miami Herald. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  22. ↑ Nicol, Ryan (August 27, 2020). "Former Miami-Dade mayoral rival backs Steve Bovo, while Daniella Levine Cava adds support from congressional Democrats". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  23. ↑ "In the race for Miami-Dade mayor, Alex Penelas is leading the pack in donations". www.msn.com. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  24. ↑ Douglas, Hanks (August 19, 2020). "A Republican and a Democrat are running for county mayor, and Trump's along for the race". Miami Herald.
  25. ↑ "Summary Results - Election Night Reporting". enr.electionsfl.org. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  26. 1 2 "Dade - Election Results". results.enr.clarityelections.com.
  27. ↑ "Miami-Dade mayor becomes face of response to condo collapse". NBC News. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Miami Herald". miamiherald.com.
  29. ↑ "Ballotpedia". ballotpedia.org.
  30. ↑ "Summary Results - Election Night Reporting". enr.electionsfl.org. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Meet the first Jewish mayor of Miami-Dade County". January 28, 2021.
  32. ↑ "About Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava - Awards & Certificates". www.miamidade.gov. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
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