|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
(Photo by Chantal Lawrie)
O, Miami has unveiled its dynamic new leadership team, poised to elevate the beloved non-profit’s mission of building community through poetry.
Melody Santiago Cummings, a driving force behind O, Miami’s innovative and inclusive success for more than a decade, has been appointed executive director. Joining her is Caroline Cabrera, an award-winning writer and esteemed educator, who will step into the role of artistic director.
Cummings and Cabrera will serve as co-directors of O, Miami, a partnership of equals that embraces the collaborative ideals of the organization’s work. This includes the annual O, Miami Poetry Festival and year-round projects designed to foster connections and amplify voices across South Florida and beyond. The co-directors are eager to rejuvenate O, Miami’s innovative education initiatives, expand the publishing division, and extend resources to new communities.
Unanimously approved by O, Miami’s board of directors in June, their tenure officially began on July 1. Both Miami natives bring a passion for their community and a wealth of institutional knowledge and artistic accomplishment to this innovative leadership model.
Cummings has served as O, Miami’s interim director since May and previously was the senior director of operations and technology. As the organization’s first full-time employee, she has played a pivotal role in defining O, Miami’s mission and vision while expanding its reach through community-focused programs and strategic partnerships.
Cabrera, a writer and instructor, was hired as O, Miami’s education coordinator in 2020 and has served as director of education since 2022. She oversees and crafts programming that brings poetry to classrooms across Miami-Dade, as well as community workshops for people of all ages. Cabrera has been instrumental in growing and expanding O, Miami’s educational programming into a pillar of the organization’s strategic plan.
“We couldn’t be more pleased that after a national search, we found the best new leaders for O, Miami right here at home,” said Tom Healy, board chair. “Melody and Caroline know and love this organization, this city, and its many communities. They have brilliant ideas and boundless energy. O, Miami is on fire.”
Cummings and Cabrera will be responsible for bolstering the organization’s growth, fiscal health, and day-to-day operations while also championing a mission-driven artistic vision across O, Miami’s programming, publications and storytelling.
“Our collaborative leadership model embodies innovation and challenges assumptions, mirroring the spirit of O, Miami,” Cummings said. “I am excited to lead alongside Caroline in unlocking O, Miami’s full potential. Together, we will achieve far more than any individual could alone.”
“Since 2011 O, Miami has proven that poetry is a powerful force for building empathy and civic engagement,” Cabrera said. “I’m energized to work alongside Melody to strengthen and reinforce this mission in this next chapter.”
Cummings and Cabrera succeed O, Miami’s founder P. Scott Cunningham as head of the organization. Cunningham stepped down earlier this year after announcing plans to relocate with his family, but remains on O, Miami’s board of directors.
“There’s no one better than Melody and Caroline to lead O, Miami into a new phase of growth,” Cunnhingam said. “They’ve each been instrumental in building O, Miami into the organization it is today, and I’m thrilled to support them as they guide us into the organization we’ll need to become tomorrow.”
Learn more at omiami.org
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
