Born in Dayton, Ohio and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Higgins pursued a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and earned a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University. She moved to Miami in the early 2000s, where she built a career in international development and consulting with a focus on transportation and infrastructure projects in Latin America. Higgins served on the Miami-Dade County Commission from 2018 until 2025, where she developed a record of allocating resources to housing, transit, and economic development in a district that includes the urban cores of Brickell and Downtown, as well as Little Havana and portions of Miami Beach, as described in County materials.
Her campaign spotlighted a results-driven approach aimed at restoring trust in City Hall. Higgins pledged to cut red tape that blocks homeowners and small businesses from moving projects forward while delivering tangible benefits for residents. Campaign communications emphasize a governing philosophy of “Delivering Results. Restoring Trust.” Her tenure on the county commission saw her advocate for thousands of affordable housing units, investments to strengthen hundreds of small businesses, expansion of transit options, and the creation of green spaces for families—a portfolio she has promised to translate into the city’s next administration.
The District 5 backdrop adds texture to Higgins’s public profile. The district sits at the heart of Miami-Dade County, spanning historic neighborhoods, the Miami River industrial corridor, and the vibrant edges of Miami and Miami Beach. It includes urban cores such as Brickell and Downtown, the Roads and Shenandoah neighborhoods, as well as Little Havana and West Flagler, reflecting the diverse, fast-moving character Higgins has long navigated as a county commissioner. This context helps explain her appeal across a wide urban spectrum and her focus on housing, infrastructure, and neighborhood safety—issues that are central to her mayoral agenda.
Looking ahead, Higgins’s transition to mayor places her at the helm during a period of rapid growth and evolving urban challenges. Analysts note that her experience managing complex transportation and housing initiatives at the county level could shape a more streamlined City Hall, with an emphasis on measurable results and community-centered planning. As she prepares to take office in December, stakeholders—from residents to business leaders—will be watching how her approach to cutting red tape, expanding transit, and investing in affordable housing translates into city policies, safety, and quality of life for all of Miami’s neighborhoods. Photos from Higgins’s campaign events and county meetings alongside policy statements underscore a disciplined, evidence-based path forward for Miami under her leadership.
