At the end of last week, the LeRoy Collins Institute announced the reappointments of former Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick and former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson to its Board of Directors.
Slesnick and Sorenson will serve alongside some of Florida’s top business and community professionals to continue researching, developing, and promoting forward-thinking policies to solve key social and economic issues.
“We are honored that Don and Katy have chosen to continue serving on the LeRoy Collins Institute Board of Directors. I look forward to collaborating with them to enhance the board’s focus by sparking statewide discussion and promoting creative solutions to key private and public issues facing Floridians,” said Lester Abberger, the chairman of the institute’s Board of Directors, on Friday. “This is an exciting time as we continue to address Florida’s current and future challenges through important policy research.”
Slesnick, a former mayor of Coral Gables, has vowed to remain involved in key public policy debates, specifically those affecting Florida’s quality of life. Slesnick is the managing partner of the Law Offices of Slesnick & Casey and has maintained a government relations focus by representing public sector employee organizations. Prior to that, he held several management positions with numerous civic organizations, including the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Miami-Dade County Police Department. He currently serves as the honorary consul of Australia for the State of Florida and as president of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers. Slesnick served on the institute’s Board previously from 2012 to 2015.
Sorenson, who is founder, president, and CEO of the Good Government Initiative at the University of Miami, prides herself on her commitment to civic activism and social justice through the development and training of aspiring and elected state officials on an ethical approach to government. Sorenson was elected to represent District 8 on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners in 1994 and was an outspoken advocate for vital social issues including human equality rights, child welfare issues, civil rights, and environmental conservation. Active in her community, Sorenson has served on the boards of several civic organizations and currently chairs the Citizens Advisory Committee for Miami-Dade County’s General Obligation Bond program.
“Don and Katy bring decades of leadership in key areas such as social policy and economic development,” said Dr. Carol S. Weissert, the director of the LeRoy Collins Institute. “Their dedication to bettering their communities and the state of Florida will bring energy to our board and strengthen our commitment to deliver positive outcomes for the state’s residents.”
Both began three-year terms effective January 1, 2021.
Established in 1988, the LeRoy Collins Institute is a nonpartisan, statewide policy organization housed in the Florida State University College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. The institute studies and promotes creative solutions to key private and public policy issues facing the people of Florida and the nation.
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