Executive Vice President, Strategic
Partnerships and Funding Development
Miami-Dade Beacon Council
As Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Funding Development at the Miami-Dade Beacon Council (MDBC), Dr. Paula Hopkins will champion The Beacon Council’s partner engagement and major gifts strategy in support of its mission to develop a more sustainable, inclusive and competitive economy for Greater Miami.
The former PepsiCo executive brings more than 30 years of experience in leadership, sales, strategy and operations to the organization. The newly created role allows her to focus on foundational and institutional giving, public and private sector grants, and higher level partnerships that extend the organization’s reach and impact.
A long-time Miami resident and advocate, Dr. Hopkins is an innovative leader with experience in commercial strategy, supply chain operations, and non-profit board participation. She understands the dynamics driving a diverse economy like Greater Miami’s, and knows how to harness the power of a shared vision to deliver for investors, partners, the organization, and our community.
In addition to her role in PepsiCo’s sales organization, Paula oversaw and executed strategic initiatives that cut across the enterprise and its multi-billion dollar sales units. Her leadership was pivotal in driving numerous initiatives that advanced equity within the organization, including analytical workstreams for PepsiCo’s journey to become a company that focused on equity and inclusion through the pillars for People, Business, and Community. Most recently, Dr. Hopkins launched her own investment and consulting firm, Second and Sixth, which specialized in reinvigorating businesses, developing and preparing top talent for executive leadership, and supporting organizations with new strategic initiatives.
A three-time Rollins College alumnus, Dr. Hopkins followed her Bachelor of Arts in Sales and Marketing from Rollins College with a Master of Business Administration and a Doctorate in Business Administration, both from the Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College. Dr. Hopkins completed her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification at Purdue University, and is a certified LifeBound Executive Coach.
Dr. Hopkins is actively engaged in her community, volunteering with several non-profit organizations including Women of Color Empowerment Institute, Best Buddies, and National Forum Black Public Administrators. Leadership roles include serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for GlobalMindED, a non-profit dedicated to closing the equity gap by cultivating a diverse and skilled talent pipeline, and as a member of the Board of Directors for Warrick Dunn Charities and the Urban League of Louisiana. Paula actively participates in the YWCA of South Florida’s Economic Justice Council, and was a distinguished member of Greater Miami’s Super Bowl Host Committee in 2020.
Vice President, Member Investor Relations & Development
Urban Initiatives Taskforce (UITF) Lead
Julio Piti rejoins the organization as Vice President of Member Investor Relations & Development. Julio comes with over 20 years of experience with fortune 500 companies, non-profits and start-ups in business development, marketing, training, fundraising, and community relations.
Most recently Julio held the position of Director of Strategic Initiatives for Neighborhood Fuel. Neighborhood Fuel is on demand fuel delivery service providing fuel primarily to major employers throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties as a direct employee benefit. They also provide the service to a growing fleet and residential community as well. His duties included development and expansion of strategic partnerships and initiatives to position Neighborhood Fuel as the most efficient solution to the motor fuel/energy supply chain that will lead to growth in South Florida and beyond.
Julio also served Miami-Dade’s business community as the Business Services Manager for CareerSource South Florida. CareerSource South Florida is the largest workforce board in the South and its territory covers both Miami-Dade and Monroe County. In this capacity, he was responsible for meeting the dedicated needs of the business community and offer specific business incentives that offer viable real-time solutions to their workforce needs. He represented the agency in community associations and forums while maintaining a direct line of communication with the employer’s specialists that cover the over 15 service centers that operate in the region.
For more than a decade, Julio’s work was instrumental in the growth of the Beacon Council’s membership base and revenues. Julio drove the private-sector business goals of the organization by partnering with top local executives. He regularly consulted with organizational members from a diverse business landscape to identify and maximize development opportunities.
He also managed a department that lead new business investment pitches, proposals, and presentations; assists in the development of member client events, strategic communications efforts, sponsorships, and co-branding opportunities. As one of the top economic development organizations in the country, The Miami-Dade Beacon Council focused its efforts on two major goals: First, marketing Miami-Dade County nationally and internationally to attract new businesses to the area, resulting in economic growth. Second, helping local businesses prosper by assisting them in their expansions through a variety of economic development programs, activities, events, initiatives and award-winning marketing and research materials.
Prior to joining Career Source South Florida and Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Julio served as Vice President of Education for Junior Achievement of Greater Miami, a national nonprofit that concentrates on economic education for young people (K-12) via work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs.
Julio holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Florida International University in Miami and an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Miami Dade College. Julio is currently serving on Downtown Miami Charter School Board and has been appointed to the Miami Dade Economic Advocacy Trust Board. He also served on the boards of Hands On Miami, The 100 Black Men of South Florida, Miami Dade County School Board Bond Advisory Committee and was a member of the eMerge America’s Steering Committee.
