cepedaleonardo

Margarita Cepeda-Leonardo is a native of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, but she was raised and educated in the U.S. In 1987 she founded Quisqueya en Acción and soon thereafter, received a fellowship for leadership training under the National Fellowship Network of New Generation Leadership Program. From then on her career veered toward public service. Appointed to state and local government positions including the Commission on State Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, and the City of Providence Minority Business and Women Development Enterprise, Cepeda-Leonardo has served as founding executive director of the Miami Beach Hispanic Community Center since 1995. Cepeda-Leonardo supported the first Hispanic public officials in the history of Miami Beach. In 1997, she served as president of the Dominican American National Foundation of South Florida and later as president of the Dominican American National Roundtable. Recognized for her leadership efforts to increase Dominican participation in U.S. politics, Cepeda-Leonardo has received numerous community service awards.