Today, we’d like to introduce you to Meg Daly.
Hi Meg, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have been working as a volunteer CEO at the Friends of The Underline for over 11 years.
Over a decade ago, I had a bike accident in Miami and broke both of my arms. At the time, I was working as Chief Marketing Officer and equity partner at a tech startup, and because my arms were broken, I had to be driven, or I had to walk everywhere.
A couple of months after breaking my arms, I was able to travel on my own. I took the train and then took a short walk below the train (Metrorail) to get to physical therapy. It was summer, and it was hot, but in the shade of the train tracks, it felt really comfortable.
At that moment, I thought, “Let’s turn this dead space into a park.” Because of this big idea, we have created a movement to create a safer, more mobile, healthier, resilient, and connected Miami-Dade County.
When done in 2026, The Underline, a 10-mile linear park, urban trail, and community destination, will transform 120 acres of underutilized land below Metrorail and be the fastest-moving project of its scope in the country.
That’s good; Miami-Dade is one of the fastest-growing urban areas, one of the most dangerous places to walk and bike in the country, and ground zero for sea level rise and climate threats. The Underline provides tangible green offsets to rapid urbanization in the areas of transportation, resiliency, and community connectivity.
I have been a mother, grandmother, wife, entrepreneur, and now, community activist. In one way or another, all these roles prepared me to lead The Underline despite having no urban planning or public sector experience. In addition to the professional and personal preparation (or lack thereof!), I am passionate about how parks provide a valuable green soul in cities, restoring nature and our human connection to the environment.
Mentor?
I am currently a mentor, and my advice to my mentee, and he has done it: be everywhere, seize every opportunity afforded you, and have the courage to ask for more opportunities.
There are so many people are willing to mentor others. The most important thing is to ask. Let that person know you admire them and why, ask them for a cup of coffee, and that you could use advise or help. Some will say no, but others will say yes. You only need one yes!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Big infrastructure projects are never smooth! Also, as a public-private partnership, we had to build trust both within our non-profit organization and our public sector partners.
My two biggest struggles are/were:
- My dad, a community leader and attorney, was my partner in the formative years of the project. As the founder of the Arsht Center, Miami’s performing arts center, he helped build the governance structure of our organization, and he helped open doors he had forged while working on the public-private partnership in building the Arsht Center. When he died unexpectedly in 2017, I didn’t know if I could carry on. But I was “lifted up” by my family, members of the board of directors, founders, and friends.
- Education and re-education: As the project development takes place over time, new people come into the picture, and people I have dealt with go away. The new folks have to be educated about a decade of work, and it takes time for them to believe in the project, our mission, and our work. And, with those who have left, institutional knowledge departs with them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I lead a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
As CEO, I lead the organization with the help of a growing, talented team. But my biggest job is to raise public and private funding. I think my strength is that I am always thinking laterally and vertically. The lateral thinking keeps us pursuing many funding opportunities at the same time. Vertical thinking ensures we finish what we start and don’t leave balls hanging in the air.
My other strength is gratitude. I am so thankful for the myriad of people and organizations that have supported me personally and The Underline as a project. Whether it is a stranger telling me that The Underline has changed the way she lives or an elected official who is a bold champion, I have built lasting relationships because of gratitude and then trust
Contact Info:
- Website: theunderline.org
- Instagram: @theunderlinemia
- Facebook: @theunderlinemia
- Twitter: @theunderlinemia
