Barbara (Barbie) Hernandez is a dedicated public servant with 21 years of experience in public administration at the municipal level, most recently having served as the City Manager of the City of Doral. Throughout her career, Barbie has focused on improving quality of life through various initiatives such as improved services, augmented programs, master plans development with significant community stakeholders participation, thoughtful capital improvements, increased community partnerships, and expanded workforce development opportunities. Her extensive career has taken her through prominent communities in Miami-Dade County, including Hialeah, Doral, Miami Beach, and Miami.
As City Manager of Doral, Barbie oversaw a budget of $106 million dollars, a workforce of over 500 employees, successfully got the Parks Bond projects back on track, modernized municipal approach to information technology, recruited and retained incredible pool of Department Directors, and foster a organizational culture of prioritizing public good.
Prior to her City Manager post, she worked in and for the City of Miami, serving as the Director of the Parks & Recreation Department, where she managed a diverse portfolio of facilities and initiated internal reforms to improve service delivery and accountability.
Barbie's professional journey also included serving as the Division Director of Park Development and Special Projects for the City of Miami Beach, where she directed the implementation of a substantial bond program aimed at improving the city's parks infrastructure.
Barbie also spent 14 years with the City of Doral Parks and Recreation Department—nearly 9 years as the Director—where she oversaw significant expansions and developments within the parks system, taking Doral from just 3 parks to 11 parks. In addition, Barbie led the reformation of Doral's Parks & Recreation System Master Plan and played the lead role in securing funding for various projects through the Doral "Parks for Tomorrow," a $150 million general obligation bond program.
Outside her professional commitments, Barbie was actively involved in the Hialeah Housing Authority Board of Directors, striving to provide quality, affordable housing to low-income families in the community. She holds a Master's and Bachelor's Degrees in Public Administration from Florida International University and is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP). Barbie is also a respected speaker at conferences for organizations such as the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and the Florida Recreation Parks Association (FRPA). She is also a member of the International City Manager Association (ICMA) and the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA).