Previously, Ms. Garcia served as a U.S. Diplomat for Department of Commerce for almost a decade. Her last assignment before leaving Department of Commerce was in the Office of Asia in Washington, D.C. where she established relationships with key stakeholders across industry sectors to promote trade opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. She also led the EMPOWER Asia initiative, an agency priority, focused on women’s economic empowerment by increasing the number of women-owned and women-led businesses exporting to the region as part of the organization’s wider Global Diversity Export Initiative (GDEI). Prior to that she did a four-year assignment as Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, promoting U.S. exports, helping to attract foreign direct investment, and providing commercial advocacy / diplomacy support to U.S. companies doing business in Mexico. In this role, she managed a team of three locally engaged staff, covering healthcare, investment, financial services, and other priority sectors as part of her portfolio. Marixell also co-led the largest and busiest team for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Canada while serving her two-year assignment at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. She began her career with Department of Commerce by completing her domestic assignment at the Las Vegas U.S. Export Assistance Center, helping U.S. companies explore international market opportunities and supporting international buyer delegations at industry trade shows.
Prior to joining the foreign service, Marixell worked as a Senior Business Executive in the financial industry. She also worked for Department of State as the Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Managua for eight years and established the partner post relationship with the Department of Commerce team in Central America. Marixell has strong ties to Nicaragua, which also motivated her to serve as a Consultant for the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) to develop and implement Nicaragua’s export promotion strategy.
Ms. Garcia has a master’s degree in international trade and a double major in business administration with concentrations in economics and finance and a minor in English literature. She is fully bilingual and a native Spanish speaker.
How long have you been at The Beacon Council?
1 week
How long have you lived in Miami?
I grew up in Miami, but just moved back after being overseas for over 20 years.
Why Miami?
Miami feels like HOME!
What’s your favorite project that you have worked on at The Beacon Council?
Still very new to MDBC, so I don’t have any favorite projects yet, but I am looking forward to contributing to the community that helped shape me.
Why did you join The Beacon Council?
I joined the MDBC because I am passionate about bridging the gap between business leaders and government entities to drive economic development.
What is your perfect Miami day?
A perfect Miami day is a sunny weekend with family enjoying all the DELICIOUS multicultural cuisine in this amazing city!
Why do you work in economic development?
I am a bilingual trade professional with a +20 year career developing strategic campaigns to promote exports, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), and address adverse policies to break down market barriers. My expertise is in identifying new market opportunities, and understanding the intricacies of economic, government, and social factors that are relevant to developing trade competitiveness. As I mentioned before, I am passionate about bridging the gap between business leaders and government entities to drive economic development.
What do you imagine for Miami in the next decade?
It’s exciting to return to Miami after being away for many years, the vibrancy is contagious! I think the growth potential in the short & long-term is immeasurable, in almost every key industry.
How has working for The Beacon Council changed your perspective of Miami?
I’m excited to be a part of the amazing team at MDBC. They have been extremely welcoming and I can tell this is how they must also treat their clients. Their dedication and passion is just as invigorating as Miami!