Mayor Larisa Svechin of Sunny Isles Beach was first elected City Commissioner in 2016, appointed Vice Mayor in 2018, re-elected in 2020, and assumed the office of Mayor in 2021. She was duly elected Mayor in December 2022.
She is the first woman to serve as Mayor of Sunny Isles Beach, the first Russian-speaking mayor in the United States, and the first duly elected Belarusian-born mayor in the country.
Mayor Svechin’s approach to the office is centered on listening, advocating, and executing for the residents, visitors, and friends of Sunny Isles Beach. She maintains an open-door policy and is dedicated to accessibility and transparency in City government.
Roots and Education
Mayor Svechin grew up in Sunny Isles Beach, attended Highland Oaks Middle School, and graduated from North Miami Beach Senior High School. She then moved to New York City, where she earned an Associate of Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science from The New School. She later completed a Master of Liberal Arts in Government at the Harvard University Extension School, along with a Harvard certificate in philosophy and ethics.
She returned home to Sunny Isles Beach in 2009 and became increasingly involved in community life, the path that led her to run for office.
Professional Background
Before entering public service, Mayor Svechin served as Senior Vice President, Director of Print at Zenith Media, part of Publicis Groupe, one of the world’s largest advertising and communications companies. In that role she managed more than $300 million in annual advertising spend.
Civic and Policy Service
Mayor Svechin was elected to the Board of Directors of the Florida League of Mayors. She currently serves on the Florida League of Cities Legislative Policy Committee, the Citizens’ Coalition for Public Education, Critical Supports for Holocaust Survivors, the Republican Mayors Association, and various PTSAs in Miami-Dade County. She serves as a committeewoman for the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County.
She previously served on the boards of the Sunny Isles Beach PTSA, Friends of Oleta River State Park, the Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Educational Excellence School Advisory Council.
Mayor Svechin also serves, in a volunteer capacity, as Vice President of the YG Institute, a nonprofit think tank and legislative policy organization whose mission is to help families, children, and those reentering society become contributing members of their communities.
Personal Convictions
Sunny Isles Beach is home to one of the largest Russian-speaking and Israeli-American communities in Florida, and Mayor Svechin is an outspoken advocate for its residents. She is a committed Zionist and a steadfast supporter of Israel, and has been a consistent voice against antisemitism in South Florida.
News from Mayor Svechin