Laura Bruney
President & Ceo
As President and CEO of the Arts & Business Council of Miami for the past 25 years, Laura Bruney has helped strengthen the cultural community through leadership and board development programs, audience development and marketing initiatives, volunteer programs for the arts and networking and community events. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of Council staff, policy and programs. Ms. Bruney works closely with the governing board to develop and implement the Council’s strategic plan, interfaces with the cultural community on behalf of the Council, and is the Council’s chief spokesperson.
Renee Pesci
Deputy Director
Renee is driven by innovation, creativity, & collaboration. As Deputy Director, she will work with our leadership team to plan, direct and implement operations and activities in support of our goals and mission. She will spearhead all our fundraising initiatives to help us achieve philanthropic objectives. She values connecting with people and cultivating connections that create empowered partnerships.
Carmen Cecilia Rodriguez, M.B.A.
Director of Programs & Events
Carmen Cecilia Rodriguez is an experienced marketing & events professional driven by innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Her passion for building marketing campaigns and operating event logistics can be traced back to when she started working in retail where she played key roles in executing the marketing campaigns, visual merchandising as well as monthly incentive events for loyal customers. It was through these roles that she was inspired to pursue a career in marketing & events. She takes pride in developing her career from when she started as a Marketing Promotions Intern at the Adrienne Arsht Center to now being the new Director of Programs & Events for the Arts & Business Council of Miami. Throughout her career, Carmen has always valued connecting with people therefore she values cultivating partnerships that create long-lasting working relationships wherever she goes. With 7+ years of hands-on experience, Carmen specializes in brand marketing, experiential marketing, event logistics operations and partnership development. Carmen is best known for inspiring teams to think outside the box, innovate and creating win-win scenarios for all parties working towards a common goal. Looking ahead, Carmen aspires to become a leading professional in her field, achieving recognition for her impact in the community, as well as mentoring young professionals to always go after their dreams. In addition to focusing on her professional development, Carmen is also involved in giving back to community volunteering as a Big Sister mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. Outside of the office, Carmen enjoys dancing, listening to music, health & fitness, re-watching Grey’s Anatomy, reading books, and spending time with her quarantine puppy Bailey Boy. Pre-COVID, you could find her at a karaoke bar singing all the SELENA hits or the all-time favorite “Sweet Caroline”.
Jean Blackwell
Programs Specialist
Jean is a Programs Specialist with the Arts & Business Council focused on Artburst, Miami’s media hub for the arts; Patent Pro Bono Florida and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. She has lived and worked in Miami and the Beaches since 1990 in wide-ranging roles in the Arts, Hospitality, and the Non-profit sector. Years of collaborating and working with programs, exhibitions, digital marketing, and social media have manifested in a successful content-driven, strategic approach for marketing the Arts. As a practicing visual artist, she shares a studio in the Bird Road Arts District with her husband, Ignacio Font.
Her position with the Arts and Business Council of Miami is the culmination of all of her past experiences of programs, events, marketing, and community-building here in Miami. Jean oversees the Miami Arts Marketing Project (MAMP), Arts Board Match, Artburst Miami, Patent Pro Bono Florida, and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA), and continues to look for even more ways to serve our creative community.
Josie Gulliksen
Outreach Coordinator
Josie Gulliksen is a freelance writer and major arts advocate and enthusiast who loves everything cultural and is excited to live in such a thriving community as Miami. A Miami native, she currently writes for Rundown.com/MIA, Miamionthecheap.com, Citybuzz.com and Design District Magazine. She worked for nearly a decade at Miami Today covering the arts community, calendar of events and restaurant scene. She has also worked in public relations in non-profit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, in travel and tourism for Newman PR and at the Miami Science Museum. She has written for Florida Travel + Life Magazine and Florida Monthly Magazine.
Keith Spurlock
Official Photographer of Arts Biz
Keith Spurlock has over 30 years’ experience in film photography including darkroom and printing before the digital age. In addition to digital photography and editing, he has edited both film and digital movies. Keith is experienced in IT and web designs too. He has traveled with his many different cameras throughout his life capturing photos and movies all over the world. He started as free-lancer photographer in his high school years in Miami and has covered sporting events, weddings, advertising, model composites, bar-mitzvahs, family portraits, events, street photography and landscapes. Born with a hearing impairment, Keith’s vision has that extra touch that helps him excel in photography.
Suzelle Moya Piloto
Social Media Specialist
Suzelle Moya is a social media specialist for the Arts & Business Council. She has specialized in digital marketing and social media for the past 10 years. At Velocitas Interactive Marketing + Public Relations, she was responsible for all digital marketing initiatives including email marketing, analytics and reporting, paid advertising, website development, and more. As an Art Basel Intern for ArtNexus, she assisted in preparations for their annual gala and maintained guest and vendor lists. At Art Miami LLC, she was the liaison between galleries and the main fair as well as aiding collectors and VIPs. She was a social media specialist for Design Miami.
Karine Melissa
Social Media Editor
Dr. Karine Melissa is the Social Media Editor for the Arts & Business CounciL. She is a college professor with an expertise in organizational leadership and marketing and the Campus Director of South Florida Fashion Academy – Dual Enrollment High School. She has also founded several movements in the South Florida community: LOUD – Love of Urban Design highlighting urban creatives, Boss Babes of South Florida empowering young entrepreneurs, YNG LGCY encouraging young entrepreneurship, and We Think Loud sharing the power of a woman’s voice. As a leader in the community, Karine Melissa has been featured in several publications to include Voyage Miami, Shout Out Miami, Sun Sentinel, Miami New Times, Creative Magazine, Elle Spain, and Luxe Magazine. Some of her recognitions include Legacy Magazine – South Florida’s Top 50 Black Business Leaders and Influencers, Brickell Key Magazine – “Top 20 under 40” Professionals, City of Miami – 3x Recognition for philanthropic work in the community.
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