Date: July 5, 2023

To: Honorable Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert, III

and Members, Board of County Commissioners
From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor
Subject: Update Regarding the Director of the Solid Waste Management Department

As you know, Michael Fernandez submitted his resignation as Director of the Solid Waste Management
Department (DSWM). Effective today, pursuant to the authority vested in me under Section 2.02(C) of the
Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter, I hereby appoint Olga Espinosa-Anderson to the position of Interim
Director of the Solid Waste Management Department. Michael is now on administrative leave until his last
day of July 14, 2023, and his resignation is effective immediately. This appointment shall serve to provide
continuity while a recruitment for a permanent director is conducted, but shall not exceed six months. An
appointment will be presented at a future Board of County Commissioners Meeting, in accordance with the
Rules of Procedure.

Olga has enjoyed a nearly 35-year career with Miami-Dade County, originally joining the County as Director
of Outreach and Education with Team Metro in 1995. She has an extensive depth and breadth of knowledge
of solid waste management in Miami-Dade, having worked her way through the ranks of the department
across her career – serving first as a division director in what was then the Public Works and Waste
Management Department, then as Assistant Director over Disposal Services in DSWM and taking on a new
role earlier this year as Deputy Director of Administration. She received her Master’s Degree in Public
Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Florida International University.

I am confident in Olga’s leadership and ability to usher the department forward during this transitional period.
As we know, our solid waste system faces significant challenges that were exacerbated by the waste-to-
energy plant fire earlier this year. My administration is working to develop a comprehensive updated solid
waste strategy that puts in place short-, medium- and long-term solutions to meet our community’s waste
disposal needs, while prioritizing sustainability and zero waste initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint and
save taxpayers money in the long term. These efforts will continue expeditiously under Olga’s leadership.
We look forward to identifying a new permanent director committed to helping solve the pressing challenges
before us, and in the weeks ahead we look forward to bringing forward updates and policy decisions for the
Board’s consideration.

Please join me in thanking Michael for his service to Miami-Dade and welcoming Olga to her role as Interim
Director.

Attachment

c: Geri Bonzon-Keenan, County Attorney

Gerald Sanchez, First Assistant County Attorney
Jess McCarty, Executive Assistant County Attorney
Office of the Mayor Senior Staff
Department Directors
Jennifer Moon, Chief, Office of Policy and Budgetary Affairs
Yinka Majekodunmi, Commission Auditor
Basia Pruna, Director, Clerk of the Board
 OLGA A. ESPINOSA-ANDERSON

CAREER OBJECTIVE:
To utilize and maximize my education and professional skills in an executive level position as a
means of delivering excellence every day to our community

SKILLS:
Efficient and Effective Public Administrator, Dynamic Public Speaker, Excellent Writer,
Proficient in Procurement and Contracts Management, Skilled in Budget, and Business Plan
Preparation, Proficient in INFORMS, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint,
and Bilingual (English and Spanish)

EDUCATION:
Chapmanville Leadership Program Certificate of Completion, May 2019, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida

Landfill Operations Certification, June 2019, Waste University

Material Recovery Facility and Transfer Station Operator, December 2019, Waste University

Winning Leaders and Managers Competencies Training Certificate of Completion, January

2010, University of Miami Leadership Institute, Miami, Florida

Certified Professional Public Buyer, May 2009; Universal Public Procurement Certification
Council (UPPCC)
Strategic Management Academy Certificate of Completion, December 1999; Florida
International University, Miami, Florida
Master of Public Administration, August 1994. Florida International University, Miami, Florida
Marketing Certificate, December 1991. Florida International University, Miami, Florida
Bachelor of Science in Communications, April 1991. Florida International University, Miami,
Florida
Associates of Arts in Business Administration May 1987. Miami-Dade Community College,
Miami, Florida.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Deputy Director of Administration. Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste

Management, Miami, Florida. April 2023 to Present. Responsibilities include executive level
work assisting in planning and directing the complex and varied administrative functions of the
Department of Solid Waste Management; duties include assisting the Department Director in the
management of Departmental functions and oversight of the Department’s administrative
divisions. Emphasis of the work is on operating control and directing the activities of the
Department’s Accounting and Bond Administration, Audit and Compliance, Fiscal Management
and Performance Tracking, Fleet Management, Information Services, Human Resources, Labor
Olga A. Espinosa-Anderson Page 2

Management, Safety and Training and Customer Service, Communications and Public
Information and Outreach functions.

Assistant Director of Disposal Operations. Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste

Management, Miami, Florida. March 2019 to Present. Responsible for the oversight and
management of the Enforcement, Landfill and Transfer Divisions that include over 300
employees; duties include providing direction and coordination for solid waste disposal
operations; reviewing and approving payroll for direct reports; reviewing and approving
enforcement settlements; investigating staff complaints, and recommending course of action;
reviewing and approving recommendations for persone1l action including hiring, firing,
discipline, and promotions; representing the Department at meetings; drafting letters and memos
for the Director’s signature; working closely with collective bargaining units to review and
establish policies and procedures; analyzing operations and recommending improvement, if
warranted; reviewing each Division’s yearly budget preparation prior to submittal; and other
duties as deemed necessary.

Division Director, Procurement and Contracts Management Division, Miami-Dade County

Department of Solid Waste Management, Miami, Florida. November 2008 to March 2019.
Responsible for the oversight and administration of the Procurement and Contracts Management
Division that procures goods and services needed by the Department’s administration and
operation divisions in accordance with Master Procurement Implementing Order 3-38.

Division Director, Outreach and Education, Miami-Dade County Team Metro, Miami,
Florida, November 2004 to November 2008. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
Outreach and Education Division, including overseeing Departmental training, the Citizen’s
Academy, the Neighborhood P.R.I.D.E Program, and the administration of Community Council
non-zoning initiatives.
Regional Coordinator, Miami-Dade County Team Metro, Miami, Florida, April 1995 to
November 2004. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Team Metro North Central
Office, including the supervision of community outreach and code enforcement activities.
Communications Project Coordinator, Miami-Dade Communications Department, Miami,
Florida. February 1995 to April 1995. Responsible for all County special projects and
campaigns, and serving as the Editor of the County’s newspaper.
Community Planner 3, Miami-Dade Office of Community and Economic Development,
Miami, Florida. February 1994 to February 1995. Responsible for directing a major segment of
the program administration under the federally funded Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program as directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (U.S.
HUD).
Graffiti Removal Coordinator, Miami-Dade Office of Community and Economic
Development, Miami, Florida. April 1992 to July 1994. Responsible for the day-to-day
operations of Miami-Dade County’s Graffiti Removal Program, including issuing Courtesy
Warning Notices To Obscure Graffiti, conducting presentations, and acting as liaison with the
media, the public, municipalities, and other County departments.
Account Clerk, Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management, Miami, Florida.
March 1989 to April 1992. Responsible for working with ITD staff to automate Departmental
Olga A. Espinosa-Anderson Page 3

accounts receivable process, as well as maintaining accurate financial records for assigned
transfer stations.
AFFILIATIONS/AWARDS:
Member of SWANA, Member of National Institute of Government Purchasing, Inc. (NIGP),
Member of Greater Miami Chapter of NIGP, Member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of
Miami Gardens, Graduate of Leadership Miami, Alumni of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor
Society, Alumni of Phi Lambda Honor Society; Awarded the 2021 Susan B. Anthony Award by
the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.