Mayor Levine Cava Names Two Key Hires

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL — Miami-Dade's new Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced two key hires in her administration. Deputy Mayor Edward Marquez will join her team as chief financial officer and former Miami-Dade Police Director J.D. Patterson will become the county's first chief public safety officer. Patterson will oversee the Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner.

"My number one priority is to protect the lives and livelihoods of our residents and make sure our community is on a solid financial footing, particularly during this economic crisis," Levine Cava said. "As deputy mayor and the current CFO, Edward Marquez has helped oversee Miami-Dade's complex, nearly $9 billion budget for the last nine years. He brings a wealth of experience helping governments to balance their budgets and stay fiscally strong. I'm thrilled he will help to see our community through this turbulent time and emerge stronger, as we ensure county government can provide essential services to support our families and small businesses.”

"The work of safeguarding our local economy and county budget against the fiscal impacts of the pandemic is ongoing," Marquez said. "I'm proud to continue on under Mayor Levine Cava's administration and work alongside her to keep Miami-Dade's government whole and working on behalf of the people we serve."

Levine Cava also commented on Patterson’s appointment.

"I'm also excited to announce that teams responsible for public safety will work with a leader solely dedicated to keeping the community safe. I can't imagine a better person for this role than director Patterson,” she said. “He has dedicated his career to community policing and to efforts to prevent crime, like youth mentorship, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and building deep relationships in the neighborhoods he serves. With Director Patterson in the role of Chief Public Safety Officer, Miami-Dade will continue building a model of public safety that includes policing, prevention, first responders, and attention to the communities that need it most."

"As a lifelong Miamian with over 30 years of experience in service with the Miami-Dade Police Department and the city of Miami Gardens Police Department, I know firsthand how critical community trust is to keeping residents, first responders and law enforcement safe," Patterson said. "In Mayor Levine Cava, Miami-Dade has a leader who understands that safety begins by investing in the communities we serve. I look forward to working alongside her in the role of chief public safety officer to protect the well-being of all Miami-Dade's families."

Under the Miami-Dade County charter, the CFO is a joint appointment of the county mayor and the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts. Clerk Harvey Ruvin worked with Levine Cava to co-appoint Marquez.

Marquez has served as deputy mayor responsible for the county’s management and budget, human resources, internal services, finance, audit and management, and information technology departments since 2011. Prior to joining the county, he was senior vice president of First Southwest Company, an investment banking and financial advisory firm, chief financial officer of the Miami-Dade County School Board, and city manager for the city of Miami, where he guided a near-bankrupt city government toward fiscal health.

Patterson served as Miami-Dade Police Department director from 2013 to 2016 and most recently served as assistant police chief for the city of Miami Gardens. He has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He serves as a mentor in the 5000 Role Models of Excellence, on the Agape Network's Board of Directors, and is a licensed minister at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church.