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Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, District 5, was appointed as chair of the National Association of Counties (NACo) Transportation Steering Committee (TSC) on July 24 at the conclusion of NACo’s 87th annual conference in Adams County, CO.
“I am deeply humbled to be appointed by NACo president Denise Winfrey as the chair of the Transportation Steering Committee,” Higgins said. “I look forward to support her presidential priority — RISE! — where she plans to elevate counties’ role in promoting Resiliency, Inclusion, Solvency and Empowerment.”
At the annual meeting, which was attended by nearly 3,000 county leaders and partners from across the country, Commissioner Higgins also was successful in securing the adoption of her proposed TSC platform change, “Supporting Equity in Capital Infrastructure Projects.”
“My top priority will be ensuring equity is considered when federal decisions are made for local transportation projects, like for the North Corridor, which will bring economic opportunities to neighborhoods left behind,” Higgins said. “Equity, though, also includes ensuring that smaller, rural counties get the technical support they need to access infrastructure funding.”
Commissioner Higgins previously served as vice chair of TSC, where she has represented NACo’s transportation and infrastructure objectives nationally on several occasions, including testimony at the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth hearing titled, “Connecting Americans to Prosperity: How Infrastructure can Bolster Inclusive Economic Growth.” She also serves on NACo’s Economic Mobility Leadership Network.
In 2018, Commissioner Higgins was elected as to serve District 5 on the Miami-Dade County Commission, representing portions of the cities of Miami and Miami Beach.
Serving a diverse district with stark inequality, Commissioner Higgins is a leading voice for closing existing equity gaps by bringing transportation to underserved neighborhoods, championing increased affordable housing, creating an economic ecosystem to support small minority-owned businesses, defending low-wage workers, seniors, and LGTBQ allies, and protecting the waters that surround Miami-Dade.
An engineer by trade with an undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from Cornell University, she is a problem solver with a proven record of helping businesses and local organizations address a range of complex issues. Her work as a country director in the Peace Corps and as a diplomat in the U.S. State Department gives her the ability to look at local challenges with a unique perspective and compassionate manner.
