Higgins Names Casado Chief of Staff, Viciedo Strategy
Mayor Eileen Higgins's two new top aides will shape how City of Miami policy gets set in the months ahead.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People
Miami's city hall gets a new top staff team: Maca Casado takes over as chief of staff and Marta Viciedo becomes chief strategy officer, both Mayor Eileen Higgins's picks. The shake-up follows Higgins's split with former chief of staff Maggie Fernandez in August.
Why it matters
The people running the mayor's office set the agenda for city hall, from budgets and development decisions to how Miami handles the everyday issues that reach residents' blocks. Higgins has not said whether the promotions come with a pay raise, so the cost to taxpayers remains unclear.
The announcement is a personnel change rather than a figures-driven decision, and no salary or budget numbers were released. Casado moves up from communications director, and Viciedo moves up from director of strategic initiatives and economic growth, both inside the mayor's office.
The players
Eileen Higgins
Mayor of the City of Miami, who made both appointments and oversees the mayor's office.
Maca Casado
Named chief of staff, a former national spokeswoman for the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign.
Marta Viciedo
Named chief strategy officer, a co-founder of Transit Alliance Miami and former director of strategic initiatives and economic growth in the mayor's office.
The details
Higgins announced the two appointments together on Monday, November 2. Casado, who served as vice president of communications at Operativo and as a national spokeswoman for the Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign, will become chief of staff. Viciedo, a co-founder of Transit Alliance Miami who previously worked at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will become chief strategy officer.
Timeline
August: Higgins parted ways with chief of staff Maggie Fernandez.
February: Casado began serving as Higgins's communications director.
Monday, November 2: Higgins announced the Casado and Viciedo appointments.
Beyond the 305
Miami's mayor holds real influence but not strong-mayor authority, since the 2018 referendum to change that failed and the City Manager and commission still carry most statutory power. These staff picks therefore shape how Higgins works with that structure more than they change who holds formal authority.
If you follow city hall, expect the new chief of staff to be the day-to-day point person for the mayor's office, so questions about city business will route through her team. Residents who want to track the office's priorities can watch how Viciedo's strategy role shapes upcoming city initiatives.
The takeaway
The mayor's inner circle is taking shape with two experienced hires, and the chief of staff and chief strategy officer will guide how the city's agenda gets set. Watch for any follow-up from the mayor's office on whether the promotions carry a pay change.
Further reading
For more on the people shaping local leadership, explore the People section.
