Michelle Ciudad Real is part of the Tampa Bay Chamber’s executive team, overseeing Member Engagement initiatives annually serving approximately1,400 member companies and the more than 9,800+ employees accessing member benefits. Prior to this role, Michelle led the Chamber’s prestigious Leadership Programs for six years, from January 2018 – May 2024.

During her tenure as Senior Director of Leadership Programs, Michelle was named among the nation’s top 40 Under 40 Emerging Leaders in the chamber of commerce industry. The recognition by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) spotlights chamber professionals, under the age of 40, who are shaping today’s industry.

She also has a Post-Crisis Hospitality Management Certificate and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida, where she has also served as a mentor for the University of South Florida’s Corporate Mentorship Program. At MacDill Air Force Base, Michelle served for two years (2022 – 2024) as the Honorary Commander of the 927^th Air Refueling Wing and she is currently a member of the Association of Leadership Programs (ALP), which is a national network of leadership programs.

Michelle is a proud Tampa native and a graduate of Sickles High School. Creative and versatile, she is a graduate of Valencia Community College with an AA in Dance Performance and earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida International University. Michelle started her career at Fontainebleau Hotel, then made her way to Triad Retail Media where she was a Conference and Event Specialist working with eBay Advertising. There, she worked with national brands, managing over 100 digital marketing campaigns within a year, and advertising on CVS.com. This Tampeña is incredibly proud of her Hispanic roots and growing up in a bi-cultural and bi-lingual home. Honoring their Cuban and Spanish ancestry, Michelle and her husband are following in their own parents’ footsteps, raising their daughter in a bi-cultural home.