Wifredo Fernandez
Wifredo Fernandez
Fernández, Wifredo ("Wifi") is a social entrepreneur and educator. He is a director of CREATE Accelerator at Miami Dade College, one of the founder of The LAB Miami, a fellow at Miami Law School Center for Ethics & Public Svc. and a trustee at OurKids Inc . [2] [4] Wifredo was born and raised in Miami, South Florida. He holds MA in Teaching from American University and BA in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Currently, Wifredo Fernandez works in the Division of Innovation & Economic Development at Florida International University, helping lead StartUP FIU, and teaches entrepreneurship at the Florida International University Honors College. He is the Co-Founder of The LAB Miami, a 10,000-square-foot co-working, incubation, education space and a startup community hub in Wynwood, South Florida.
“When I heard the Idea Center was greenlighted, it was the obvious next step for me. It’s a timely challenge to take what I learned from the innovation center at the LAB and create a similar space at the college. When people share ideas, special things happen. New relationships are built. New companies are built,” Fernandez said . [9]
Previously, Wifredo was a Founding Director of The Idea Center at Miami Dade College, a student start-up incubator, where he helped to develop programming and resources to nurture and accelerated the entrepreneurial ideas of students from the college’s various campuses. Fernandez said he enjoys creating a community of entrepreneurs with new programs, new curriculum and a physical space for like-minded students.
“The work we are doing will have a lasting impact ,” he said.
He is a Trustee of OurKids, overseeing the foster system of care in Miami-Dade & Monroe. He is an Advisory Board member and a Fellow at the University of Miami School of Law's Center for Ethics and Public Service and is an adviser to the Urban.Us fund. Before moving back to Miami in 2011, Wifi was a Teach For America's member in Washington, D.C., where he taught first, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh graders Spanish, Math and Social Studies. The fourth graders were Wifi's favorite.
"I want to help students take an idea to reality and create new products and solutions that add value to our city and the world,” said Wifredo. "Five years from now, I hope to have put students on a different path. I want to help them transform their lives and give them support that until now has been concentrated in a small segment of Miami.”" [9]
Wifredo commits to building Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
"With a background in teaching, a passion for technology, and a deep love for the future of Miami, Wifredo is poised to break new ground for the next generation of students and entrepreneurs and ultimately impact the economic ecosystem of Miami and our region,” says Miami attorney, Marlon Hill.
His work and his energy already have earned him a reputation as a humble yet effective leader, mentor, and connector.
Awards
The Millennials Project is the organization choosing Miami’s most interesting man each month, as part of their ongoing campaign against domestic violence. ** They have chosen Wifredo Fernandez as Miami's most interesting man on June 2016. It’s this drive and commitment to building Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that made him June 2016’s most interesting man in Miami, a monthly series launched by The Millennials Project, which encourages men to become allies and advocates for women in the fight against domestic violence.
Interests
Wifredo's favorite place in Miami is the WDNA, community jazz radio station, 88.9 on FM dial.
Other places are Fairchild Botanical Gardens or the Deering Estate. He lives in Coral Gables and loves being there and around trees. Fernandez thinks it's a nice contrast from the concrete jungle of Wynwood. His favorite meal of the day is dinner because it’s the only time it’s acceptable to eat pizza.