Nancy Angela Fontanella Rogers, 73, chairs the Town of Miami Lakes Public Safety Committee.
Rogers is a retired dispatcher for the North Miami Beach Police.
She was married to Thomas B. Rogers, a Miami-Dade Police sergeant who died in 2018; their son is Thomas B. Rogers, Jr.
Q: Where are you from, and what is your background?
A: I moved to Miami from New Jersey with my parents when I was 10 years old. I graduated from Miami Norland High School and attended Miami-Dade College.
Q: What do you most like about Miami Lakes?
A: I like the fact that the town involves the residents in helping to improve the town. The mayor and councilmembers listen to residents’ input and address the issues like broken sidewalks, potholes and drainage problems. If residents have problems, they work with us and check out our concerns. Vice Mayor Luis Collazao and Councilman Josh Dieguez are my two favorite councilmen because they are always there, listening to what we have to say and [they] work hard to fix our issues. The two call me “Mama Rogers” and I adopted them as my two sons.
Q: What do you dislike about the town?
A: The different committees work with town employees who are the liaison between us, and we need the town’s permission to carry out our ideas and it takes time to get their approval. We are patient, but I wish we could get things done faster. Checkpoints must be met to get things done.
Q: As chair of the Public Safety Committee, what are the challenges and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: To maintain communications between the residents and the town to keep everyone safe. Fixing bro- ken sidewalks and potholes and suggesting solutions
o the speeding problem in the town are on our agenda right now. Speeding is the biggest problem, and I would like to do something to stop it because it’s not safe for pedestrians. ... Speed bumps would help address the problem.
Q: What is your biggest accomplishment, whether in your personal life or career?
A: Next to my grandson, working with the Miami Lakes Elderly Affairs Committee delivering the meals to senior citizens during the coronavirus pandemic. Seeing the expressions on their faces makes us feel good about volunteering.
Q: Do you have a fantasy career?
A: When I was growing
up in New Jersey, I dreamt of becoming a Radio City Music Hall Rockettes dancer in New York City. I wanted to be a Rockette so bad. I needed to take dancing lessons, but my parents couldn’t afford them. It’s something that sticks in my head ‘til this day.
Q: What are you reading, what podcasts are you listening to?
A: I wouldn’t know how to listen to a podcast if my life depends on it. But I’m currently reading “The Unbreakable Brain” by Will Mitchell. It’s a book that offers ways to keep your brain healthy and understanding how the brain works. Exercising, eating healthy and staying active can help improve brain health.
Q: What have you binge- watched on TV?
A: Bravo’s “Below Deck.” It’s a reality show about groups of people working aboard charter boats and yachts and they take ad- venturous three-day trips. The different crewmembers visit some of the world’s most beautiful places and take part in adventures like scuba diving in the Mediterranean Sea.
Q: Where did you last travel to on a vacation? A: I visited my hometown in New Jersey in 2019, and Arizona to visit some of my relatives that same year.
I never traveled out the country. My husband and
I purchased property in Okeechobee, Florida and that was our vacation spot each year. We went there to fish and hunt. It was our little sanctuary to get away from Miami-Dade for a while.