Ashlee Thomas Takes Helm at Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs
Key Takeaways
- •Ashlee Thomas became director of Miami-Dade's Cultural Affairs Department in July.
- •The department supports more than 1,000 cultural organizations and thousands of artists.
- •Thomas brings 25 years of experience including roles at Adrienne Arsht Center.
Ashlee Thomas stepped into the director role at Miami-Dade County's Department of Cultural Affairs in July, bringing more than 25 years of experience in arts administration, nonprofit leadership and public administration to the position. Her appointment followed a national search and garnered broad community support.
The Miami native previously served as deputy director in 2023 and held the interim director position in 2025 before securing the permanent role. Her career trajectory mirrors the growth of Miami-Dade's cultural sector, evolving from neighborhood programs into a nationally recognized network.
Thomas now oversees a department that supports more than 1,000 cultural organizations and thousands of artists who serve both residents and visitors throughout the county. She collaborates closely with the Cultural Affairs Council, the Art in Public Places Trust and the Tourist Development Council, working to ensure artists and cultural organizations remain central to county development and quality of life.
Her professional background spans multiple dimensions of the arts sector. Thomas toured as a performer with Los Angeles-based dance company Contra-Tiempo and founded the Melbourne Webfest in Australia, the first international web series festival of its kind in that country. She also co-founded and led Miami Urban Contemporary Experience as president for eight years, where she managed programming, fundraising, operations and large-scale cultural events.
In arts administration, Thomas held positions including marketing manager at the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center and manager of education and community outreach at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. She also taught as a drama magnet teacher at Charles Drew K-8 Center.
Her creative work includes performances at venues such as Disney Concert Hall and Highway Theater. The Adrienne Arsht Center commissioned her musical The Busy Bees' Great Adventure, which premiered for 30,000 Miami-Dade County Public School students.
Thomas emphasizes her focus on connecting cultural nonprofit organizations and individual artists with essential resources. She guides investments in innovative programming and funding strategies designed to elevate local artists both regionally and internationally. Her approach combines administrative expertise with lived experience growing up within Miami's creative community, providing her with practical understanding of how public investment in the arts affects individual lives and community development.
The appointment represents both continuity and evolution for the department, as Miami-Dade's cultural sector faces pressures including rising operational costs and growing demand for equitable access to arts programming across diverse communities.
