Mimmi Balaam

Executive Director, Junior Orange Bowl

Originally from a small beach town in southern Australia, Mimmi Balaam’s route to Coral Gables came through a childhood passion for sports that has shaped her career. Throughout school, she competed in track and field, cross country, and rowing, often traveling for events. Her athletic prowess earned her scholarship offers in rowing from two American colleges, including the University of Miami, where she earned a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in sports administration. She also interned in the athletic department, which helped get her a job working in partnerships for the U. “That really exposed me to the kind of power that UM has in the global community,” says Balaam. While speaking at a Women in Athletics event earlier this year, a representative from the Junior Orange Bowl – one of South Florida’s biggest nonprofits, dedicated to youth sports and culture, and based in Coral Gables – approached her about  leading the organization. For the native Australian, it was a no-brainer. 

Latest Accomplishment

Balaam took over the reins of the Junior Orange Bowl in July at just 24-years-old. Her role encompasses everything you might imagine: marketing, event planning and management, member outreach, advertising, financial planning, social media, goal setting, and managing partnerships and sponsorships. That last is particularly important for her long-term vision, as she hopes to expand the Junior Orange Bowl’s Youth Ambassador program, and to create more programming for children with disabilities. “The best way for me to understand the organization is to understand all the roles that fit within it, learn them, and see what we can do better,” she says.

What She Says

“Whenever I mention the organization, somehow someone in the Coral Gables community has been connected to it, been impacted by it, or knows someone who’s participated in something we’ve done,” says Balaam. “More than anything, I appreciate the values and skills that I learned through sport. In this day and age, where sports are becoming largely led by financial decisions, we still have to make sure that we are providing a platform for kids to learn those skills and lessons. It’s really important that I am part of an organization that shares the values of the community, and that has the ability to provide those experiences and teach those lessons.”