Meet the D9 team who works tirelessly to support students, families, and schools across South Dade, from Florida City to Pinecrest. From policy creation to community engagement, we are here to serve and ensure every student in D9 and Miami-Dade County has the opportunity to succeed. Learn more about the passionate individuals behind the work we do.
Chief of Staff
Johanna Ralsten-Cox is a proud District 9 resident, lifelong education advocate, and serves as the Chief of Staff in our office.
She began her career as a classroom teacher through Teach For America, where one of her proudest accomplishments was teaching students to read for the first time. Since then, Johanna has held leadership roles in the nonprofit sector, including at local nonprofit Miami YFC, Together for Children, and America on Tech.
In our office, Johanna leads strategic planning and implementation to ensure District 9 schools and educators have the support they need to thrive. As the spouse of a veteran MDCPS high school teacher and parent of two young children in District 9, she is deeply committed to building a stronger future for all families. She holds an M.A. in Education & Social Change from the University of Miami, and is happiest with cafecito in hand, a good book nearby, and her Florida City family and community surrounding her.
Senior Advisor
Leiva is a fierce social innovator, a dedicated educator at heart, and serves as the Senior Advisor in our office.
As a first generation Nicaraguan-American and Miami native with big dreams for Educational Equity in the 305, Leiva has spent the first seven years of her career advocating for students as a teacher and leader in South Florida schools, with a particular focus on equity and social justice. She then went on to serve as the Senior Manager for Leadership Innovation at Radical Partners, a social impact accelerator in our region. As the head of all leadership development and main facilitator at RP, Leiva was responsible for the overall strategic planning and partnerships, program creation and design, and content curation for all of their Leadership programs.
In our office, Leiva leads the overall strategic planning and implementation of our key priorities across all aspects of our work. As a key advisor to School Board Member Santos, she uses all of her talents to oversee and develop policy, head office-wide operations, staff development, and financial management. She has a Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University, claims Spanglish to be her first language, keeps us always laughing at the office, and is a natural born storyteller.
Constituent Services Coordinator
Sofia considers herself to be a bridge builder and a forever student. Sofia comes from a long line of educators in the Miami-Dade County Public School System and is a product of District 9 herself as an alumni of Coral Reef Senior High School.
Sofia is a proud Posse Scholar where she attended Syracuse University studying Public Relations and Citizenship and Civic Engagement with a minor in Atrocity Studies and the Practices of Social Justice. Living away from Miami, she developed an appreciation for the diverse educational ecosystem of MDCPS, as well as a hunger for empowering students and families back home.
As the Constituent Services Coordinator, Sofia looks to advocate for and build relationships with community members in District 9 and across the county. In her free time, you can find Sofia chasing the nearest body of water to relax or spending time with loved ones cooking. If anyone in our community has a concern or question, Sofia is always a call/email away.
Policy and School Engagement Manager
Community Involvement Coordinator
Katie has dedicated over 25 years to the fields of education and government. After attending M-DCPS public schools, she graduated from Duke University with a degree in psychology and a North Carolina elementary school teaching certificate. She then earned a Master’s in Education in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Katie has extensive teaching experience, having worked in both public and private schools across North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey. She then transitioned to Scholastic Inc. in NYC, where she worked as a Producer within the Internet Group. In this role, she supported various business groups with their online presence, with some of her most cherished projects involving the Harry Potter series, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and the teacher resources section of Scholastic.com.
Over the years, Katie has held numerous leadership positions. In November 2024, she completed her second term as a dedicated Councilmember in the Village of Pinecrest, Miami-Dade County, where she also served as Vice Mayor in 2022. Additionally, she co-coordinated the Pinecrest Youth Advisory Council from 2017-2025.
In the D9 office, she concentrates on communications, planning and organizing school visits, issuing Proclamations, and developing overall initiatives to enhance the well-being of the community.
