
Rebeca Sosa
Miami
Commissioner Rebeca Sosa appointed to the Commission in
2008 by Speaker of the House Marco Rubio. She was elected to the Miami-Dade Board
of County Commissioners in June 2001 to represent the residents of District 6
and has been re-elected twice - most recently in September 2006. Since joining
the Board of County Commissioners, Commissioner Sosa has submitted legislation
designed to improve the quality of life for the residents of her district and
Miami-Dade County.
Prior to joining Miami-Dade County, Commissioner Sosa served as mayor of the
City of West Miami for seven years where her leadership resulted in the city's
recovery from a 52% budget deficit, thus removing it from the State Governor's
Emergency list. During her tenure, she was able to secure more than $5 million
in grants for capital improvement projects for the City as well as improving its
drainage and parks systems.
Commissioner Sosa's civic activities are extensive. They include serving as the
first vice president of the Miami-Dade League of Cities, Chairing the West Miami
Financial and Budget Committee, the Miami-Dade Coalition for Community Education
Committee, and the West Miami Hurricane Preparedness Committee. In addition, she
has been a member of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Bilingual Task Force,
the Governor's Commission for the Everglades Restoration, the Revision Committee
for the Miami-Dade County Executive Mayor Form of Government, the Legislative
Committee of the Miami-Dade County Public School System, the Hispanic Women
Chamber of Commerce, Hands in Action, Women in Government (WIG)Anti-Graffiti
Task Force, and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
Commissioner Sosa graduated summa cum laude from Biscayne College, now Saint
Thomas University, with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education; and from
the University of Puerto Rico, with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education.
She is both a certified elementary education teacher and an English for Speakers
of Other Languages (ESOL) instructor. She has been an educator for more than 23
years and is currently a teacher-trainer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Born in Camaguey, Cuba, Commissioner Sosa has been happily married to her
husband, Armando for the past 30 years, and is the proud mother of Armando, Jr.
(wife Janice) and Veronica and grandson Alexander.