Senior Vice President, Research & Strategic Planning
As Senior Vice President, Dr. Donath is responsible for providing up-to-date data and information on Miami-Dade County to allow companies to make informed decisions on locating or expanding in Miami-Dade County. He also works on One Community One Goal, the strategic plan for the community to ensure Miami continues to grow in a sustainable manner.
Prior to the Beacon Council, Donath was Business Development Coordinator at the City of North Miami. In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at Barry University, teaching International Business in the MBA program and Adjunct Professor at Johnson & Wales University, teaching Research & Inquiry in the MBA program. He also taught at Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University and St. Thomas University.
Volunteer Activity
Jaap is Board Member and Past Chairman of the North Dade Regional Chamber of Commerce. He also was Vice-Chair of the Northeast Dade Municipal Advisory Committee. Other civic involvement includes the 21st Century School Bond Advisory Committee (a $1.2 billion bond), Life Sciences South Florida and eMerge Americas Conference.
Awards & Recognition
Awards and recognitions include the Member of the Year of the North Dade Regional Chamber of Commerce. He has published and lectured internationally. He has been interviewed by national, regional and local media, including Time magazine, Bloomberg News, Florida Trend, and the Miami Herald. Donath has been a speaker at national and international economic development and business conferences.
Education
Dr. Donath, a native of the Netherlands, received a Ph.D. and M.A in International Relations and International Business from the University of Miami and a B.A. in Education for History and Dutch Language from Windesheim University in the Netherlands. He is fluent in English, Dutch, and German languages.
Manager, Research & Strategic Planning
Francisca Montes de Oca helps companies make better business decisions through customized research and data reports. She prepares and distributes economic and industry analysis about Miami-Dade County and the region, as well as manages the information required for collateral material promoting the county including Advantage Miami.
Prior to her current role, Francisca worked for the City of Miami as a Special Projects Specialist. At this role she worked in the development and execution of dynamic and highly visible municipal innovation projects in areas including Digital Service, Open Data, IoT Implementation, Micro IT Procurement, Process Improvement, Collaboration, Smart Cities, Resilience, and Sustainability
Furthermore, Francisca also worked as a Legal Secretary in the Office of the City Attorney at Sunny Isles Beach, in addition to being a Legal Assistant at Paz Law Firm, P.A., both located in Miami. She served in 2017-2018 as Treasurer to the Public Administration Honor Society, Pi Alpha Alpha.
Education
Francisca holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Marshall University.
