Mayte recently joined Hope for Miami's Board of Directors.
1. Hi, tell us who you are, what your vocational efforts have been and how you heard about Hope for Miami.
My name is Mayte Padron Cordones and I am the Director of Community Relations for WPLG-Local 10 News. In that capacity, I oversee all station involvement with businesses, organizations and events in South Florida. I am also the spokesperson for the station for anything relating to our community initiatives, which include everything from literacy and food insecurity campaigns to holiday toy drives and citizen recognitions.
It was sheer divine intervention as to how I heard about Hope for Miami. As co-pastor of a church in Southwest Miami-Dade, we were praying and searching for ways to host more community events. One day in 2013, while driving, I tuned in to a local radio station, LIFE FM, and heard Rick Sawyer, then the CEO of Hope for Miami, talk about the program and its mission. I knew that broadcast was an answered prayer, and I called Rick immediately after the program was over. Since then, we have hosted out-of-school and summer programs with Hope for Miami, along with leadership and youth events and prison ministry. We have remained close and continue to work together.
2. Thanks, so, what is it about the agency that attracts you and prompts you to serve in such a significant way as Board Director. What’s one aspect of Hope for Miami’s work that most encourages and motivates you?
What I most admire about Hope for Miami is its versatility and reach as an organization. It serves families and youth across South Florida through relevant programming while still exercising a laser-focused approach on smaller, underserved neighborhoods that are too often overlooked.
3. Great, next, how do you think your skills/gifts, knowledge and interests equip you as Director? What do you think you bring to the organization?
I am humbled to be selected as a board director for Hope for Miami, and I sincerely hope I can contribute to its reputable work. I think, being both a journalist and a pastor, I have a unique perspective on community needs. I am able to harness the power of television to help struggling families or bring issues to light. Hope for Miami, for example, is a partner in Local 10’s Big Book Drive event. We have the resources to purchase thousands of books and distribute them to schools and nonprofits that benefit children. Hope for Miami is also a beneficiary of this event, a testament to the power of collaboration. As a pastor, I have fine-tuned the art of listening. I believe much of society’s woes can often be resolved when people listen to one another and pursue effective action as a result.
4. Finally, tell us something interesting about yourself to help us get to know you better.
Well, you can always find a way to my heart with pizza. You’ll rarely find me in flat shoes or sneakers, unless I’m running or taking photographs, which is a hobby of mine. If asked for my honest opinion, I will give it to you as nicely as possible. I love decorating, every kind of hot tea, and Captiva Island is my happy place. I enjoy 80’s music (listening and dancing to it) and have an obsession with hummus, cheese, peanut butter and animal crackers (specifically the Stauffer’s brand).