Resiliency, Renewal, Redevelop
Miranda Braatz
CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
I wake up each morning with the goal to reimagine community viability in a new era.
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Social Impact Entrepreneur
R3 Elevated: An Elevated Economic Enterprises Company
Miranda founded Elevated Economic Enterprises as a way to broaden social impact initiatives across all community sectors.
Through R3 Elevated, her mission and vision for community affordability and vitality is carried out.
Author of the Upcoming Book, August 2022
The Audacity of Authenticity: Preventing Displacement and Prioritizing Community During Redevelopment
A Note from Miranda
I grew up the youngest of three children in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. When manufacturing plants and factories began closing, quality of life changed dramatically for my family and so many others in our community. As my young mind searched for meaning amidst all of this decay, I learned terms like down-sizing and out-sourcing. I saw the devastating effects on every facet of the community; homelessness, substance abuse, unemployment, deteriorating environmental conditions, adverse health consequences and so much more. What had really been hollowed out in so many places just like this across America was the very faith that these towns had in themselves and their ability to create a bright future for their children.
As a young adult I was determined to try and provide any solutions I could to prevent this from happening to more families. My dreams of a college education and further still a graduate degree seemed so far away, since that would mean I was the first in the family to obtain a college education. Yet with the grit learned from a thrifty and sensible Midwestern Mother and the circle of love and possibilities created from a once-orphaned Father, who grew up in Milwaukee, I was taught that I could do anything, if I worked hard enough.
I set my mind to acquiring the education and experience needed to be successful in my field. I spent years immersed in the grants process, economic development and ultimately city management. Learning how things were done, I gained accolades and innovated where I could, but never felt fulfilled that economic development was reaching as broadly as it could. I yearned to change the development paradigm.
Currently only cities of a certain size and income level believe they can promote an effective economic development program. I hope to make these vital steps that every community needs to take more attainable and appreciated as the useful tools of economic mobility and empowerment that they are. It’s readily apparent that small to medium sized cities, as well as classically disadvantaged and underutilized areas, are being left out of Economic and Community Development. Equity and inclusivity became my driving forces.
With these ventures, we have it within our power to change and renew communities. I’ve brought together professionals from every angle of designing healthy communities into one enterprise, with one overarching mission… to bring unimagined projects into fruition. we partner and advocate for elevating all aspects of community.
Through R3. I envision rebuilding areas in a way that’s conducive to future growth while avoiding the displacement that often occurs. All too often our current development environment offers expensive cookie-cutter solutions. My belief is that growth and development isn’t a privilege reserved only for wealthier communities but must be accessible and affordable for cities and towns of all sizes. It’s possible to craft creative solutions designed for a specific community's natural strengths and challenges.
About Miranda
At the beginning of her career, Miranda rose to achievement as the youngest City Manager and CEO of a multi-million dollar local government entity in the country, where she pursued her passion for urban redevelopment and economic development. Miranda currently owns and serves as CEO of a nationally recognized set of Social Impact Enterprises. Miranda’s efficacious career spans public speaking, professional writings, teaching and years of dedicated public service. With her Master's Degree in Public Administration, Miranda enjoys teaching others her renowned approach to urban redevelopment and community advocacy.
Miranda Braatz, MPA is a Chief Executive Officer who partners with state and local governments to help create and administer innovative economic development programs that serve the communities’ strategic objectives. After nearly a decade of working in economic development and local government, Miranda knows what drives those conversations. Her extensive experience with underrepresented and marginalized communities has taught her to understand their economic needs and desires. Her focus has always been to shepherd the redevelopment process in sync with the community fabric, maintaining historic and cultural integrity while enhancing economic opportunities and viability.
Miranda’s professional experiences has made her an expert in redevelopment of retail shopping centers and ageing large land parcels. In order to facilitate economic growth, Miranda partners with both the public and private sectors; creating Public Private Partnerships (PPP), which in turn provides economic growth within cities. Miranda uses PPP’s because the infusion of private capital enables more efficient procurement of properties and improves the focus on both client satisfaction and life cycle maintenance. When used strategically PPP’s can be an important tool for infrastructure and development. Having grown up in an ageing and declining community, Miranda has always envisioned revitalizing those areas in a way that’s conducive to future growth while avoiding the displacement that often occurs. Her belief is that growth and development must be right for that community and not a disruptive force. Since the beginning, Miranda’s career has been a passionate and purposeful pursuit focused on economic development within low-to-moderate-income areas around the country.
Miranda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The George Washington University, a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from George Mason University, and a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in State and Local Government, where she graduated with Institutional Honors.
Most recently, Miranda served as the Chief Operating Officer of New American Strategies, Inc., which has been contracted by the Texas General Land Office to administer a $100 Million Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program. This program is the largest economic development project ever undertaken in the United States and is the only of its kind. Miranda’s collaborative leadership approach and perspicacity led this program to success for Hurricane Harvey victims in the State of Texas, paving the way for similar recovery program efforts across the nation.
Miranda has created and implemented Economic Development departments and programs and Incentive Funds for various local governments across the country. In addition to her economic development work, Miranda has served as a City Manager, City Administrator, and Economic Development Department Founder and Director.
As a City Manager, Miranda modernized the policies, practices and procedures of cities as she implemented her own style and work philosophy. She transformed governments and staff to high-functioning, technologically astute and responsive teams focused on implementing practical ideas. Miranda instituted City Economic Development Departments tasked with providing economic development incentives to local establishments. Following the institution of these Departments, Miranda established Economic Development Incentive Funds within these entities. These Programs managed over $1 Million throughout the Department. In addition to the establishment of these novel Programs, she also sought to repurpose an abandoned 1,000 seat theatre, cultivating Public Private Partnerships (PPP) that utilize the vacant theatre into high-end usable civic space for the community. Miranda built momentum as a City Manager and passed three (3) multi-million-dollar economic development projects that had been stagnant for years prior, while restructuring and implementing multi-million dollar budgets.
As Assistant City Administrator, Miranda founded the Economic Development Department for the City of New Carrollton, Maryland. Within one-year she expanded it to include two full-time employees with a $150,000 budget. As founder of the Economic Development Department, Miranda established a $1 million Fund to incentivize growth, which she used to implement a major revitalization of the commercial district in the City of New Carrollton. As Assistant City Administrator, Miranda harnessed her passion for community revitalization to breathe new life into dying and distressed communities. She has an uncanny ability to write grants, negotiate deals, pursue major development projects and conduct economic development with local and state governments. Miranda’s tenure with the City of New Carrollton molded her into the fearless and dedicated leader she has become. Miranda’s professional drive led her to manage a 5-year capital improvement plan and oversee grant spending for the City. Additionally, Miranda served as Lead Administrator for all insurance matters for the city, developed community endeavors for veterans and promulgated new policies and procedures regarding our environmental inheritance. Her consistent and responsible management of constituent engagement increased citizen participation and fostered community pride.
Miranda’s other roles include working for the City of District Heights, Maryland, as a Community and Economic Development Fellow, and working for the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory as a Government Programs Manager in Fairfax, Virginia. Additionally, Miranda served as a member for several professional organizations, including serving as President of the Maryland City and County Managers Association, Maryland Municipal League, Maryland Economic Development Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, International City and County Management Association, International Economic Development Council, Commercial Real Estate Development Association, Young Government Leaders National Chapter, and Women of Prince Georges. Miranda’s professional conduct has led her to receive the 2005 Wisconsin Volunteer of the Year and the 2013 ICMA Young Professional Award.