Miami, June 6, 2018 – Dr. Susan Amat has been appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Board of Trustees. She replaces Mr. Daniel Diaz Leyva whose term expired. The MDC family thanks Mr. Diaz Leyva for his tireless service to the college.
Dr. Amat is the founder of Venture Hive, which focuses on democratizing entrepreneurship education through a global network of accelerators, universities, and K-12 programs. A serial entrepreneur, she built businesses in the entertainment industry for over a decade, including the first CD-ROM magazine and a national television show. After completing her MBA, Dr. Amat developed pediatric health monitoring products and earned a Ph.D. in Strategic Entrepreneurship (coursework in industrial engineering, business, and education). While teaching at the University of Miami, she founded The Launch Pad, which was considered the top model in entrepreneurship education. Her program and platform was replicated throughout the United States as Blackstone LaunchPads. Dr. Amat served as the founding Chair of the STEM Board for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and actively speaks about entrepreneurship education internationally. She has consulted with the US State Department, The Kauffman Foundation, and the World Bank on ecosystem development. In 2012, Dr. Amat was honored as a ‘Champion of Change’ at the White House.
On the MDC Board, she joins Chair Bernie Navarro, Vice Chair Marili Cancio and Trustees Jose K. Fuentes, Juan Carlos “JC” Zapata, Rolando Montoya and Benjamin Leon III, who was recently reappointed.