Mayor Dan Gelber

City of Miami Beach, Florida

Born on Miami Beach, Dan Gelber was raised to believe in public service and the importance of community. His father, respected former Miami Beach Mayor Seymour Gelber, and his mother, Beach High foreign-language teacher Edith Gelber, were models of that service.

Dan lived these principles through service as a federal prosecutor for nearly a decade, handling public corruption prosecutions, complex economic crimes, and eventually becoming a decorated top deputy. Dan was then appointed by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn as the Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the prestigious U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations – a position previously held by Bobby Kennedy - where he worked on counter-terrorism issues and combated fraud and waste in government.

Dan returned home and served Miami Beach as a Florida State Representative and Senator, where he was unanimously elected by his colleagues to be their House Democratic Leader. While representing Miami Beach in the legislature Dan was a leading voice on strengthening public schools and improving public safety and public corruption laws. He led the battle against windstorm insurance rate hikes and was recognized as a relentless champion for LGBT rights. Today, Dan is considered to be one of Florida’s most respected voices on Florida public policy.

Dan has also always been devoted to helping his community, especially those who need a hand. Dan joined the Big Brothers program and was matched to 6-year old Travis, who he has stayed with for over 25 years and is now a practicing dentist. When he was just 26, Dan co-founded a camp for kids with cancer where he has spent most of his summers as a volunteer counselor.

Dan practices law with the firm of Gelber Schachter & Greenberg PA in Miami and is listed in Best Lawyers in America, and Chambers. Dan is married to Joan Silverstein, a career federal prosecutor, and they have three teenagers and a dog named Buddy they are still trying to train (the dog not the teenagers).

Dan graduated from Tufts University magna cum laude and the University of Florida Law School where he was a national Truman Scholar.