Johanna Cervone to leave Florida Democratic Party for University of Miami

Come early January, Johanna Cervone will no longer be working for the Florida Democratic Party.

The state party’s communications director is leaving her post to work at the University of Miami, where she will be the executive director of communications at the Office of President Julio Frenk.

Cervone was hired in March to expand the state party’s press outreach, soon after ousted Chair Stephen Bittel was elected to lead the party. She was brought in with a special Hispanic media focus.

It is not yet clear who will be the main point of contact for the media when dealing with state party issues. But her departure comes at a time when Florida Democrats are finding a new leader and a new president while also facing a financial strain ahead of a busy election year.

Before coming to work for Florida Democrats, she served as the South Florida Regional Press Secretary for the Hillary for Florida campaign. Prior to her role on the campaign, she served as the communications director for Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava.

Cervone did not want to go into details regarding her decision.