bio

A verb more than a noun, Natalia embodies a Founder-in-Chief, community builder extraordinaire, and resident madrina to the many businesses, organizations, and humans she helps incubate, develop, and inspire. An organizational psychologist and technologist with degrees from Harvard and Columbia University, she is laser focused on merging innovation, entrepreneurship, and lasting community impact. Above all, she leads from her heart.

Whether it's business, civic engagement, or the arts, Natalia's solution to most things is rooted in collaboration and guided by a desire to create projects, start conversations, and build communities that are as inclusive as they are dynamic. And she does so with grace and aplomb.

Her dedication is informed by her life as a twice-immigrant née to Russian and Cuban parents, an interdisciplinary approach, and a fascination with complex systems. Nothing if not passionate, she is a creative thinker and a bold executer. Just look at what she did with the Cambridge Innovation Center’s Miami expansion in the first year.

Natalia is the Founder of Awesome Foundation MIAMI, a micro-granting leader in South Florida that has supported 100+ grassroots projects over the last five years, as well as a Co-Founder of Aminta Ventures, a vehicle meant to educate/empower professional and philanthropic women to become angel investors. In addition, she is the woman behind Immigrant Powered, a nonpartisan, grassroots, inclusive campaign highlighting the positive economic impact of immigrants in our communities and empowering their businesses. She serves on the boards of LocalTAU and Venture for America (Miami), and was appointed by Governor Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Commission on Community Service, which oversees the delivery of more than $32M annually to high-impact service programs across the state.

When done exercising her left brain, her right brain kicks in. She's the co-creator and curator of Love Lost, Miami - an annual art exhibit that explores loss through personal and ordinary items that come alive through their accompanying stories. A dedicated fan of jazz and the opera, she is also a talented amateur photographer and infuses her own vodka. Natalia is a cat mom, porteña by choice, an avid hobbyist - just ask for the activity du jour, - a regular speaker/panelist, and an occassional contributor to outlets such as The Huffington Post, the World Economic Forum, Mic, and La Nacion.

A true tour de force, Natalia's being of work is the reason why several of us joined forces to create theNMK.com for her birthday.