Doral Swears In Zeta Sardinas as City Manager

Zeta Sardinas was sworn in as Doral’s city manager at a public ceremony in Doral, where elected officials, city staff and community members gathered to mark her return to city government.

Mayor Christy Fraga introduced Sardinas and praised her record of public service, calling her “a leader that embodies everything that we strive for in Doral” and saying, “Zeta’s leadership style is one we should all admire. She knows how to bring people together, how to listen, and how to accomplish anything she sets her mind to.” Kenneth A. Jessell, president of Florida International University, administered the oath. Sardinas repeated the oath’s pledge to support the U.S. and Florida constitutions, “the charter and all ordinances of the city of Doral,” and to “perform the duties of city manager.”

Nut graf: Sardinas, who has previously worked in Doral city government and in roles across the public and private sectors, said she accepted the position with gratitude and outlined priorities for her first weeks on the job. Her stated focus areas include strengthening public safety, maintaining Doral’s fiscal standing, advancing park and transportation projects, and deepening partnerships with regional institutions including Florida International University.

In remarks after the oath, Sardinas thanked elected leaders and staff and described the first 10 days in her new role as a period of learning and engagement. “I am grateful for this incredible opportunity to serve the city of Doral once again,” she said. Sardinas listed concrete priorities she plans to review and pursue in the near term: increasing police presence including specialized units, enhancing traffic safety measures, reviewing ongoing park and transportation projects to keep them “on time, on budget,” and exploring additional trolley routes, shelters and on-demand transit services.

Mayor Fraga and other speakers credited Sardinas with prior work for the city and with helping advance local programs, citing initiatives mentioned in remarks such as the repairs and replacement fund policy, a senior tax-exemption program, and early plans for a Doral swimming pool. Fraga called Sardinas’s appointment a “full circle moment,” noting Sardinas’s earlier work in the mayor’s office and subsequent roles elsewhere before returning to Doral.

Several city officials and regional partners attended the ceremony, including Vice Mayor Maureen Porras; Councilmembers Rafael Pinedo, Nicole Reynoso and Digna Cabral; Miami-Dade School Board Member Danny Espino; Miami-Dade Tax Collector Daniel Fernandez; former mayor Luigi Boria; City Attorney Raul Gazzetti; City Clerk Connie Diaz; Deputy City Manager Francisco (Frank) Rios; Assistant City Manager Fernando Casamajor; Police Chief Edwin Lopez; and Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia.

The ceremony also included an invocation by Pastor Tina Floyd of Dios Con Nosotros Church and presentation of colors by the Doral Police Department Honor Guard. Organizers invited attendees to a reception after the program.

Ending: The event was ceremonial and celebratory; the transcript records the oath and remarks but does not record a council vote or an effective date for the appointment beyond the swearing-in itself. Sardinas and the mayor both emphasized collaboration with regional partners, staff retention and completing existing capital projects as next steps.