Maria Nardi

Maria I. Nardi is the Director of Miami Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, and is responsible for the operation of one of the nation’s most diverse and largest park systems, with 2,700 employees, a $284 million budget and a $500+ million Capital Planning and Development Program. Director Nardi oversees the implementation of the Miami-Dade County Parks and Open Space Master Plan, a vision born from engaging the community through an extensive public engagement process. Her work includes the role of parks and public spaces in shaping cities; the emerging evidence-based science of health and the built environment; and the creation of equitable, resilient communities through parks and public spaces. Director Nardi has led the department through the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and other natural disasters, during the COVID-19 pandemic and with the ongoing role of parks as essential health and resiliency infrastructure.