Meet the new members of the Miami Herald Editorial Board’s community advisory board | Opinion

The Herald Editorial Board’s second Community Advisory Board is up and running. Its three members are engaged, curious and informed Miamians who already have added even more depth to the Editorial Board’s discussions of the pressing issues affected Greater Miami, Florida and the nation.

Why did the Editorial Board create the Community Advisory Board last year? We wanted to establish relationships with community members by meeting with them regularly to hear their views, forged through their own professional and personal experiences.

They help us better understand viewpoints that might differ from our own, knowing that they speak for others in the community. How did they get our attention? Over the years, many Herald readers have gotten to know David Magnusson, a former police chief, through his thoughtful letters to the editor. Rafael Yániz, an attorney, has been a regular on Sunday-morning news programming, where he provides valuable political insight. The Editorial Board met Claudia Miro in 2021, when she ran for the Coral Gables City Commission. She was impressive during our candidate interview with her. A few months later, we invited her onto the Community Advisory Board.

Ultimately, the newest members of the Community Advisory Board are making our content more responsive and reflective of the issues being discussed and debated in the communities we serve with our opinion journalism.

Here are the Community Advisory Board’s newest members.

Claudia Miro

Throughout her career in the public sector, Claudia Miro has always connected with those in her community. She began her career as a legislative aide in Tallahassee, gaining a better understanding of how policy affects the everyday Floridian and the importance of government transparency.

Currently, Miro, who has a master’s degree in public administration, works in marketing for the Miami-Dade Public Library System. It’s been a job that’s given her an opportunity to serve on Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s crisis communication during hurricanes, the pandemic and on site after the Surfside tower collapse. At the start of the pandemic, Miro worked for the CareerSource call center, guiding residents through the unemployment application process. Miro, who told us that she was once unemployed herself while a single parent, understands firsthand the importance of matching community needs to community resources.

“There are so many great programs and resources available that are unknown to many and are our county’s golden secrets,” Miro said. “I am on a quest to find all the hidden resource treasures.”

Miro stays active in her community by participating on various boards — including the Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board and the Miami-Dade Interfaith Board — as well as fundraising for United Way Miami.

Rafael Yániz

A lifelong Miami resident and long-time Miami Herald reader, Rafael Yániz has had a front-row seat to the ways in which Miami has evolved over the years. With his parents and grandparents born in Cuba, Yániz describes Miami as a “community of immigrants” and understands issues of importance for the community through that lens.

Professionally, Yániz works as an attorney focusing on the intersection of healthcare and technology. Yániz, who considers himself a political moderate, is the youngest regular political contributor for WPLG Local 10’s “This Week In South Florida” Roundtable. In addition, Yániz is a participant in United Way Miami’s Young Leaders program, a group of professionals under 40 who share their time, talent and resources to improve the lives of our community’s most marginalized members.

While he is not Jewish, Yániz is involved and cares deeply about the Jewish and pro-Israel community. He also is concerned about the cost of living for young Miamians, traffic and public transportation, climate and sustainability.

David Magnusson

Newly retired David Magnusson has worked in law enforcement for more than 36 years. Most recently, he was the police chief in the Village of El Portal. Before that, he served as the police chief of the Havelock Police Department in North Carolina.

A member of the ACLU and NAACP, Magnusson’s concerns for his community reach beyond law and order. As an active member of the COVID committee of the Association of Miami-Dade County Police Chiefs, Magnusson is passionate about encouraging fellow law-enforcement colleagues to get vaccinated. And he continues to serve on the Association’s Domestic Violent Extremism Committee, which he chaired before he retired. He remains committed to stemming the rise of domestic extremism in Florida.

Magnusson holds a master’s degree in military history and enjoys bringing a historian’s perspective to discussions about current events. He says that he is open-minded and prides himself on his ability to hear all sides of an issue before making a decision on where he stands.

“As long as debates remain respectful, they can go on all night if need be,” he said.

The Editorial Board appreciates the willingness of all three Community Advisory Board members to volunteer their time to serve a three-month stint as valued members of our team. Please, welcome them aboard.

Nancy Ancrum is the Miami Herald’s editorial page editor. Lauren Costantino is the Editorial Board’s audience engagement producer.

This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 6:00 AM.