UNITED WAY MIAMI ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
UNITED WAY MIAMI ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY IMPACT AND ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
Esther Surujon named Chief Financial Officer; Norie del Valle promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Paola Hernandez to Chief Human Resources Officer
MIAMI, Fla., July 27, 2026 — United Way Miami today announced three executive leadership appointments that position the organization for its next phase of growth and impact. Esther Surujon, CPA, MBA, has been named Chief Financial Officer, while Norie del Valle has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Paola Hernandez has been promoted to Chief Human Resources Officer.
“Our greatest strength has always been our people, and building an exceptional organization requires exceptional leadership at every level,” said Symeria Hudson, president and CEO of United Way Miami. “Esther, Norie and Paola bring the experience, vision and commitment that will help us strengthen our financial sustainability, invest in our people, embrace innovation and position United Way Miami for its next horizon of growth and community impact.”
Chief Financial Officer Surujon will oversee United Way Miami’s accounting, finance and administrative functions, ensuring that every dollar entrusted to the organization is managed with transparency, accountability and a focus on measurable results.
A Miami native and University of Miami alumna, Surujon brings more than three decades of executive financial leadership across healthcare, finance and organizational operations. Most recently, she served as CFO of Memorial Healthcare System’s Physician Enterprise, overseeing the financial operations of more than 450 physicians across 60 adult and pediatric specialties. Earlier in her career, she co-founded one of Florida’s first physician-owned Medicare Advantage health plans, helping establish the financial infrastructure to support innovative models of care.
Chief Operating Officer del Valle assumes the role following more than 30 years of leadership at United Way Miami, where she has held executive roles spanning strategy, fundraising and community impact. Most recently, as Chief Impact Officer, she oversaw more than 100 employees, relationships with dozens of community partners and nearly $30 million in annual community investments. She also played a central role in developing United Way Miami’s Blueprint for Impact, a comprehensive roadmap for advancing lasting change across Miami-Dade through 2031.
In her expanded role, del Valle continues to lead Community Impact while assuming responsibility for Business Solutions and IT, championing the strategic use of artificial intelligence, technology, automation and data to improve outcomes. She will also help lead Next Horizon, United Way Miami’s enterprise strategy focused on organizational growth and emerging business models.
Chief Human Resources Officer Hernandez brings more than 20 years of executive experience across the nonprofit, public and private sectors, reflecting her commitment to fostering a workplace where employees can grow and thrive. A SHRM Senior Certified Professional, she also serves on the Board of Directors of the SHRM Miami Chapter.
In her new role, Hernandez will oversee leadership development, employee engagement, succession planning and talent investment, ensuring United Way Miami continues to attract, develop and retain the workforce needed to advance its long-term mission.
Together, these appointments strengthen United Way Miami’s executive leadership team as the organization continues building the capacity to innovate, grow and deliver measurable results.
About United Way Miami
For more than 100 years, United Way Miami has brought together people, ideas and resources to solve the community’s most pressing challenges. Through strategic investments, direct services, volunteer engagement and cross-sector partnerships, United Way Miami generates more than $100 million in annual community impact while advancing measurable outcomes in health and wellbeing, education, resilient communities and economic mobility. Guided by its Blueprint for Impact, the organization is helping build a stronger, more resilient Miami-Dade where every person has the opportunity to thrive.
