My name is Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich. I am a mother, wife, lawyer, business owner, and community leader. Across all areas of my identity, I have always been a problem-solver. I am running for Doral City Council because I’ve been fortunate to reside here for almost two decades and during this time, I have witnessed our City’s profound growth and evolution. I purchased my first home in Doral and I feel great pride to raise my children alongside my neighbors. To me, and so many of my fellow residents, Doral is our shining city on a hill, where we each pursue our own American Dream. In this same spirit, I will endeavor to secure Doral’s future, ensuring our biggest investments – our homes, families, businesses, and overall well-being, continue to flourish.
“As a working mother of 2 alongside a husband with whom I have shared the last 24 years, I know how important community can be to feeling happiness at home and in the workplace. As your Councilwoman, I will always promote the strong sense of community that prioritizes the health and well-being of all our families here in Doral.”
— Ivette
Focus on Doral
Covanta
The Covanta incinerator along 97th avenue and 69th street is an ongoing quality-of-life nuisance to Doral citizens. The facility also has a variety of economic drawbacks, including negative impacts on home values in Doral. Unfortunately, it remains central to Miami Dade County’s waste management strategy. As your councilwoman, Ivette will work collaboratively with the city’s Council and county officials to mitigate the facility’s impact on our daily lives and on a long-term plan to move Miami-Dade’s waste incineration to a more appropriate location.
Smart Growth
Doral’s triumphant growth over the past two decades has not come without challenges. With open spaces quickly disappearing, it’s crucial for development to remain mindful of our City’s future. Preserving green spaces, attracting top employers, and thoughtful zoning will ensure our City reaches its full potential and remains a world-class place to live.
Improving Traffic Conditions
If there is one issue most of us would want to be resolved in Doral, it would be our traffic situation. Ivette recognizes traffic is a major quality-of-life concern for many. Time spent in our cars is time away from our home, our family, and even our business. For many, this means taking longer to pick up children from school or making it difficult to get to their extra-curricular activities on time. Ivette will advocate for continued improvement to our roads, comprehensive zoning solutions, and the deployment of smart traffic control devices to address this daily source of stress and frustration for so many Doral residents.
Doral Community Coalition
Since 2020, Ivette has proudly served as President of the Doral Community Coalition (DCC). The DCC is a non-profit organization whose founders date back to Doral’s incorporation and was founded to promote good governance within our City. During her leadership, the Coalition mobilized to protect Doral’s interests when the County Commission eliminated Doral’s application to annex an area west of the City’s border. Also under her leadership, the DCC actively organized Doral residents to mobilize against the Covanta garbage incinerator and to insist that the County find a more appropriate location for the facility. She also oversaw the organization’s filing of a lawsuit against the Florida government, challenging Covanta’s air permit for the facility.
Meet Ivette
As a lifetime resident of South Florida and a product of traditional public schooling, I have always advocated and fought for those in need and for issues requiring a spotlight where there was none. Earning my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Miami and then receiving my Juris Doctorate degree from St. Thomas University School of Law, my ability to steward justice is incredibly purposeful to me. My passion for action, a cornerstone in all areas of my professional and personal life, comes from understanding the obstacles we all face, as my own life has been peppered with hurdles and challenges. Problem-solving is my truest passion and I firmly believe any problem can be solved. In the rare event it cannot, there is certainly an opportunity to pivot and find a new path to actionable steps for the better.
As a city council member, I will endeavor to truly understand you – my neighborhood friends, family, and residents, and the unique challenges we all face together, while, most importantly, providing compelling solutions to enrich our everyday lives and Doral, as a whole. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. I would be honored to learn more about what is important to you. If you’d like to connect with me, I encourage you to contact me or partake in an upcoming virtual roundtable. I hope to have the opportunity to serve our great city on your behalf.
“I was born in Miami-Dade and I am a proud product of our public schools and private universities. Miami-Dade and, more specifically, Doral, is home. My love for our region and my work as an advocate has powered my passion and commitment to community service, from my time at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Sr. High School 25 years ago, through my current work as the proud President of the Doral Community Coalition.”
— Ivette
COMMUNITY LEADER
DORAL COMMUNITY COALITION
Since 2020, Ivette has proudly served as President of the Doral Community Coalition (DCC). The DCC is an organization of residents whose founders date back to Doral’s incorporation, with the mission to promote good governance within our City. During her leadership, the Coalition mobilized to protect Doral’s interests when the County Commission eliminated Doral’s application to annex an area west of the City’s border. Also under her leadership, the DCC actively organized Doral residents to mobilize against the Covanta garbage incinerator and to insist that the County find a more appropriate location for the facility. She also oversaw the organization’s filing of a lawsuit against the Florida state government, challenging Covanta’s air permit for the incinerator (OGC CASE NO. 21-1321). Doral Community Coalition v. Miami Dade County (2022-017005-CA-23): As counsel for the DCC, Ivette and her law firm filed for a Permanent Civil Injunction to prevent the County Commission from taking action on their July 19, 2021 decision to build a new garbage incinerator in Doral.
SERVICE
DORAL BAR ASSOCIATION, Vice President (2022-present)
CITY OF DORAL CHARTER REVISION COMMITTEE, Commission Member (2023-2024)
CITY OF DORAL CITY ATTORNEY SELECTION COMMITTEE, Member (2023)
CITY OF DORAL CHARTER ENFORCEMENT SELECTION COMMITTEE, Member (2021- 2022)
CITY OF DORAL COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, Vice Chair (2019-2022)
CITY OF DORAL CITIZEN’S AUDIT ADVISORY BOARD , Secretary (2017-2018)
Miami Dade League of Women Voters, Board Member (2016)
Get Involved
Paid by Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich for Doral City Council