Meet Sommer Brugal, Axios Miami's new reporter

👋 Hi! I'm Sommer, and I'm so excited to begin.

First things first: Despite the spelling, my name is pronounced like the season. Easy!

Flashback: I was born in Miami and lived near The Falls until middle school before moving to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

• I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. In between degrees, I freelanced for a few years in Austin, Texas, and I also worked at a few coffee shops.
• I've been reporting on education in Florida since 2019 and, most recently, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and statewide education issues for the Miami Herald.
• I took leave from work this past summer to attend culinary school for two months in Madrid, Spain. Surprisingly, I only have a few scars from the experience.

Zoom in: I live in North Beach, the best neighborhood in Miami (not a debate, but happy to share my runners-up).

• I go "off island" daily, which is what my fellow North Beach friends and I refer to as going over the 79th Street Causeway, and can usually be found at a coffee shop (my current favorite is Surry Hills in Little River), playing soccer or doing pottery at Of Course I Still Love You Ceramics.
• I spend lots of time at the beach, and I frequent the Bandshell and Gramps for shows.

• Other favorites include Legion Park Farmers Market, Paradis Books & Bread, Peel Soft Serve and the burger at Over Under.

The bottom line: I have loved covering education and will continue to do so here. But I'm excited to expand my reporting to include other stories that matter to Miami's residents.

• Send all your tips and story suggestions — or even just your favorite places around town — to [email protected].