Karyn Cunningham was elected as Palmetto Bay’s Mayor on November 6, 2018 after serving four years as a Councilmember. A native of Miami-Dade County, Mayor Cunningham is an accomplished teacher, community activist, and advocate for education. She began her career as a teacher with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. In 2004, Karyn took her career outside the classroom by serving with United Teachers of Dade. At UTD she served in many capacities during her seventeen years. She specialized in review of public policy, community engagement, communications, and membership support.
She is actively involved on the boards of many local not-for-profit organizations. She is the past Vice-President and current Board Member of The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment and is the Co-Chair of the South Dade Coalition for Chamber South. In addition, she serves on The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center Board, Community Health of South Florida Capital Fund Advisory Board, the Palmetto Bay Business Association, Friends of Chapman Field Board, The Edge Helps Foundation, 100 Ladies of Deering, and is the 2nd Vice President of the Miami Area Salvation Army Advisory Board. Mayor Cunningham, who was featured in the 24th Edition of the Book of Leaders (2021) , published by Miami Today, highlighting Miami’s top 52 South Floridian achievers who “are shaping the development of Greater Miami”, also serves on the Florida League of Cities Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, the Green Corridor Pace District, and MDCPS Citizen Oversight Committee.
A graduate of the Greater Miami Chamber’s Leadership Miami Class of 2012, Mayor Cunningham believes that the best way to serve a community is to serve humanity. During COVID recovery she was actively involved with local organizations, such as Christ Fellowship, Feeding South Florida and Be Strong, to provide essential relief though bookbag and food drives to the community.
