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Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recently announced two new key leadership roles in her administration. City of Miami Beach city manager Jimmy Morales will join her team as the county’s Chief Operations Officer and Morris Copeland will become the Chief Community Services Officer.
The Chief Operations Officer will oversee Water and Sewer, Transportation and Public Works, the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, Solid Waste Management, Elections, Aviation, and the Seaport.
The Chief Community Services Officer will oversee Community Action and Human Services, Public Housing and Community Development, Animal Services, Miami-Dade Public Libraries, Cultural Affairs, and Juvenile Services.
“Our community faces urgent infrastructure and operations challenges including the need to connect all corners of our county with reliable, efficient public transportation, and upgrading our water system to withstand the impacts of climate change and sea level rise,” Mayor Levine Cava said. “Jimmy Morales brings forward-thinking leadership and nearly 25 years of experience in public service and city operations — in both elected and appointed roles at the county, and diverse cities from Doral to Miami Beach — to help us tackle these challenges and build a more resilient Miami-Dade for the 21st Century.”
The mayor added, “It’s also critical that we support and empower Miami-Dade families with strong social services as we continue to navigate a public health and economic crisis. Morris Copeland has devoted his entire professional life to creating strong social programs to support at-risk youth and their families in our community.
“In this new role he’ll bring his experience and innovative, compassionate leadership to oversee Miami-Dade teams dedicated to bringing our residents everything from childhood development services, to safe housing, to domestic violence support, to a thriving public library system, arts and culture, and many more resources,” Mayor Levine Cava said.
“In my tenure as Miami Beach city manager I pushed our community to invest in critical infrastructure projects, like creating a resiliency and stormwater management program to prepare us against sea level rise, constructing the first LEED certified buildings built by the city, and developing approximately 20 acres of new parks and greenspace,” Morales said.
“Mayor Levine Cava has a bold agenda to deliver on our community’s most pressing priorities, like expanding transit and making sure Miami-Dade plays a leading role in addressing climate change. I’m thrilled to start a new chapter as part of her team,” he added.
“Having worked to create opportunity for at-risk youth and their families for over 30 years, I know first-hand the great work Miami-Dade social services departments do to create a safety net for those who need it most,” Copeland said. “I’m extremely proud to step into this new role supporting Mayor Levine Cava in her mission to rebuild from crisis an even stronger community where no families are left behind.”
Jimmy Morales will join the county from the City of Miami Beach where he has served as city manager for nearly eight years; he previously served as city attorney for the City of Doral and the City of Marathon. He was the commissioner from District 7 on the Miami-Dade County Commission from 1996 through 2004. During his tenure on the county commission, Morales served as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, which oversaw a budget in excess of $7 billion, and created the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. He also served as chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Efficiency and Competition, which spearheaded millions in savings through efficiency initiatives and other projects.
Morris Copeland is the current director of Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services, a position he has held since 2011. He brings nearly 30 years of experience to this role, including serving as the deputy director of JSD since 2007. He is an outspoken advocate of youth, and under his leadership the JSD has been repeatedly recognized for its “front end” approach to juvenile justice. He currently serves as a board member of the State of Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, 11th Judicial Circuit Advisory Board, Dade-Miami Criminal Justice Council, Miami Children’s Initiative, Urban League of Greater Miami, and Miami-Dade County Youth Crime Task Force.
