Elizabeth Taylor-Martinez is originally from North Carolina, the only child of Kenneth Leatherman and Ora Elizabeth (Hoyle), who moved to the Miami Springs-Virginia Gardens area in 1968 with her mother. She attended Miami Springs Junior High School and graduated from Miami Springs Senior High School in 1972. She has been a resident of the Village of Virginia Gardens since 1978. She is married to Hector Martinez, a Physical Education Teacher and retired First Class Petty Officer from the United States Naval Reserves having served 22½ years of service to our Nation. She is also retired from counseling and teaching.

She began public service to the Village of Virginia Gardens with the Beautification Committee in 1989, having served several terms as Chairperson. The mission of the Beautification Committee has always been to keep our streets tree lined and maintain our tree canopy. Making our neighborhood an oasis in Miami-Dade County. She resigned from the Beautification Committee to run for Council Member, to which she was elected. In addition, she has had the honor to serve as Council President for two terms.

As a Council Member, she has worked with the mayor and council to secure adequate drainage for the Village: seeking grants that are free or matching funds, to registration program for residents with special needs with our Police Department for hurricanes or other emergency events; annexation; Safe Parks Grant; and basically any other item or items that have come before the Village Council.

As a Council Member for the Village of Virginia Gardens, she is proud to serve the residents since 1989, in this special place that we all call home…