Maria Hernandez

Areas of Responsibility

• Convention Center District
• G.O. Bond Program

Ms. Hernandez is the Program Director of the General Obligation (G.O.) Bond Program since 2018, where she leads the implementation of $439 million taxpayer-funded Program that encompasses 57 master projects with dozens of subprojects.

In November of 2022 the residents of Miami Beach approved an additional amount of $159 million for a G.O. Bond for Arts & Culture to improve facilities for resiliency of arts and culture institutions throughout the City, as well as adding artistic playgrounds, an underwater sculpture park and artist/workforce housing among other cultural projects.  This program has been added to Ms. Hernandez portfolio of G.O. Bond Program projects to be implemented.

In addition to her current responsibilities under the G.O. Bond Program, Ms. Hernandez is the liaison to the City for development and construction of the 800-room Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel which will be under full construction by mid-2023 under a Ground Lease and Development Agreement with a private developer.

In 2014, prior to her G.O. Bond responsibilities, Ms. Hernandez was appointed by the City Manager to be Director of the Convention Center District, to oversee the 25-acre, $620 million Convention Center Renovation and Expansion, the largest capital project in the city’s history. The project was completed in April 2020.

Prior these roles, Ms. Hernandez was a Senior Capital Projects Coordinator in the city’s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Department for several years beginning in 2010.

She came to the City of Miami Beach from the private sector where she had a 20-year-career in Miami-area architecture and real estate development. Ms. Hernandez received a BA in Architecture from the University of Miami (UM) and a MA of Building Design from Columbia University. She is a registered architect in Florida, and a LEED accredited professional.