Miami-Dade County Chief of Innovation and Economic Development Steps Down

Francesca de Quesada Covey will step down as Miami-Dade County’s chief of innovation and economic development on April 18.

Covey has held the role since March 2023. During her two-year tenure, she focused on various innovation and economic development initiatives, including securing a tech hub designation for the county and overseeing $22.5 million to scale resilience technology.

She also oversaw approximately $1 billion in new capital investments, helped support more than 15,000 small businesses through Strive305, a program designed to accelerate small business growth countywide, and helped create the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority to solve public challenges.

“This role has been a privilege — an opportunity to help position Miami-Dade as a leader in economic innovation while staying true to the values that shaped my own family’s journey in this country,” Covey wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I took this leap because I wanted to help build a stronger Miami — one where my daughters wouldn’t have to leave for opportunities, as I once did.”

Furthermore, Covey explained that as chief of innovation and economic development, she learned three key lessons about building systems, removing barriers and making government work better for people. One lesson she said she's learned is that government isn’t necessarily broken, but incentives need to be fixed.

“Public servants are deeply committed, but the system often rewards longevity over innovation. If we want progress, we need to incentivize impact and accept risk — not punish every unsuccessful experiment,” Covey wrote.

Another lesson, she wrote, is that small businesses are the backbone of the county’s economy.

“They take the real risks, create jobs, and fuel our communities, yet they navigate a system that favors existing power. Consumers: Buy local. Government: Cut the red tape. Large companies: Invest in the communities that sustain you.”

Last, she wrote that change management requires inspiration.

“People resist change because they associate it with chaos. Leaders underestimate the need to tell a compelling change story — by a factor of 10,” she wrote. “If you want transformation, show people why it matters, why they matter, and make them believe in the vision. Whole-team efforts will soar where mandates will fail.”