Gloria Suarez Mendez, E.I.

Vice Treasurer, Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers

Mrs. Suarez currently serves as Engineer II at the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. In her role, she is responsible for determining and monitoring compliance with Chapter 24 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, including Section 24-42.2(Volume Sewer Customer Ordinances), Federal Consent Decree, and department standards, procedures, and policies. Mrs. Suarez is tasked to oversee the $2M Sanitary Sewer Overflow Prevention SmartCovers Pilot Study and a 1$M Rain derived Infiltration and Inflow project, prepare enforcement notices, supervise technical and non-technical staff, review utility and non-utility submittals, and prepare requests of information and approved letters for said submittals.

Prior to joining RER, Mrs. Suarez worked as an engineering consultant supervising, planning, designing, and performing construction inspections of public and private complex Civil and Structural projects. As a consultant, she was tasked with preparing proposals, construction estimates, and permits, scheduling and preparing progress meetings, reviewing and approving changes of orders and periodic requisitions, performing field inspections, as well as preparing civil and structural calculations. 

Born in Havana, Cuba, Mrs. Suarez migrated to the United States of America in 2011 after she had completed her fifth year as Chemical Engineer in Cuba. She earned her Associate in Art at Miami Dade College in December 2015, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineer in December 2018. Gloria was awarded the SGA Excellence Scholarship and received several grants from FIU because of her good standing grades and her involvement. 

While still in college, Mrs. Suarez worked as an intern in land development, and water and sewer projects in two prestigious engineering consulting firms. Simultaneously, Mrs. Suarez Gloria was involved with Engineers without Borders (EWB), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers (CAACE). She became the Research/Community Chair of the EWB where she managed a team that conducted research about the hydrology and quality of the water in the community of El Chimborazo in Nicaragua. Later, she became the president of the CAACE-Student Chapter during the school year 2016-2017, and during her presidency, Gloria and her board members organized many professional and social activities and kept the organization very well known. She also participated in the Cuban American Infrastructure Scholarship and was awarded the Young Engineer of the Year in March 2019 for her exemplary in the Civil Engineering Industry and her commitment and dedication to the Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers and the Civil Engineering Profession.

Mrs. Suarez is a registered Engineer Intern (E.I), holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Florida International University, and continues her involvement in extracurricular activities and participation in non-profit organizations to positively impact our community. Mrs. Suarez is currently the vice-treasurer of the CAACE.