Miami’s skyline is changing — and increasingly, so are the leaders shaping it.

For generations, real estate development and property management were industries largely dominated by men. Today, that landscape is evolving. Across Miami-Dade County, women are stepping into executive roles, guiding redevelopment efforts, and helping define how our neighborhoods grow.

At MAGASI Management, a Miami-based real estate management and development firm, that evolution is not theoretical — it is lived daily.

Recently, Maty Beraja Jamal, Chief Operations Officer of MAGASI, was honored with the Sandra C. Goldstein Young Leadership Award by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. The award recognizes emerging leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service and civic engagement.

For Jamal, leadership is rooted in responsibility.

“Real estate isn’t just about buildings,” she says. “It’s about people, families, and the long-term health of our neighborhoods. Operations may happen behind the scenes, but they shape the everyday experience of residents.”

With an MBA from the University of Miami and experience overseeing underwriting, budgeting, and project management for large-scale developments, Jamal now directs operations and client relations across a diversified portfolio that includes multifamily, commercial, hospitality, and affordable housing properties. Her role requires financial rigor and compliance expertise — but also empathy and community awareness.

That perspective reflects the leadership of her mother, Lisette N. Beraja, MAGASI’s Chief Executive Officer.

Beraja founded the firm in 2016 alongside her husband, Victor, after careers in mental health and medicine. She brought a distinctly people-centered philosophy to an industry that often focuses narrowly on assets and returns and works with two of her daughters, Maty Beraja Jamal (Chief Operations Officer) and Sabrina Beraja (Chief Investment Officer).

“Property management is stewardship,” Beraja explains. “You’re responsible not just for maintaining buildings, but for protecting stability and dignity for the people who live and work there.”

Under her leadership, MAGASI has grown into an Accredited Management Organization (AMO), a nationally recognized designation held by a select group of firms that meet rigorous standards for ethics and operational excellence. The company has managed hundreds of units across South Florida and played a role in significant capital improvement and redevelopment initiatives.

But beyond credentials and square footage, Beraja believes the firm’s strength lies in its culture.

“As women in leadership, we often bring a collaborative and communication-driven approach,” she says. “In redevelopment work — especially when public-private partnerships are involved — listening matters as much as building.”

That collaborative spirit is increasingly visible across Miami’s built environment. Women are leading development companies, architecture firms, planning departments, construction projects, and community organizations that influence how neighborhoods evolve.

The presence of women in these roles shapes outcomes in subtle but meaningful ways: prioritizing long-term community impact, emphasizing transparency, and fostering inclusive decision-making.

Jamal sees her Federation award as part of a larger story about civic engagement and professional leadership intersecting.

“Community service and professional work aren’t separate,” she says. “They inform each other. When you care deeply about the community, it changes how you approach your responsibilities.”

As Miami continues to address challenges related to housing affordability, historic preservation, and smart growth, leadership diversity will play an important role. Development is not only about economics; it is about identity and belonging.

Women executives across Miami are helping guide projects that revitalize legacy neighborhoods, expand housing opportunities, and restore historic properties — all while navigating complex financial and regulatory environments.

The next chapter of Miami’s growth will require thoughtful, disciplined leadership. It will require professionals who understand both spreadsheets and neighborhoods, compliance frameworks and community dynamics.

Increasingly, those professionals are women.

And as leaders like Lisette Beraja, Sabrina Beraja and Maty Beraja Jamal demonstrate, the future of Miami’s built environment is not just rising higher — it is becoming more inclusive, collaborative, and community-centered.