For Illine Davila, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival isn’t just a Miami tradition — it’s part of the fabric of her life. Born and raised in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Illine grew up watching the festival unfold each year as one of the city’s signature cultural moments. Today, as a member of the CGAF Board, she brings a lifetime of community-building experience to an organization she has come to see as inseparable from the story of Coconut Grove itself.

“Family, hard work, loyalty, faith in what you’re building, and giving back were always important in our home,” Illine says of her upbringing. “Those values have followed me throughout my life.”

A Foundation Built on Family and Trust

That foundation shaped both her personal and professional path. A wife, mother of four, and grandmother of four, Illine calls her family “my greatest accomplishment” — the anchor that grounds her amid a busy, multifaceted career. She entered real estate more than two decades ago under the mentorship of Lee S. Katsikos, an experience that redefined how she approached the profession.

“Real estate is not simply about selling property — it’s about people, relationships, trust, and understanding the communities you represent,” she says. “More than 20 years later, those lessons are still at the heart of how I work.”

Illine’s devotion to community extends well beyond her career. She currently serves as President of the Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove, an organization with more than a century of history in the neighborhood, and in 2026 she received a Preservation Award from the Dade Heritage Trust. “I believe we have a responsibility to protect the history and character of the places we love while still allowing them to grow,” she explains.

From Festival Spectator to Board Member

It was Camille Marchese, CGAF’s executive director, who first encouraged Illine to consider joining the board — an invitation that turned a lifelong appreciation for the CGAF into hands-on involvement. “I saw it as an opportunity to become more involved in a community I already cared deeply about,” Illine recalls.

Once on the board, she quickly discovered the depth of work behind the event she’d attended for years as a spectator. “There is so much more to this than I ever knew,” Illine remembers thinking during her first meetings — planning, fundraising, community outreach, and year-round support for artists and students, much of it invisible to festival-goers.

Preserving the Grove’s Creative Spirit

For Illine, what makes the festival endure after more than six decades is its deep connection to the people who make Coconut Grove distinct. “It feels like Coconut Grove — creative, colorful, a little different, and full of life,” she says. “But as it continues to grow, I believe we have to make sure it always stays connected to the community.”

Illine sees the event as belonging not only to the artists who exhibit each year, but to generations of residents, families, and local businesses who have shaped the Grove’s identity. “We can grow and evolve without losing that sense of community,” she says. “I think that balance is what will keep the festival special for the next generation.”

Inspiring the Next Generation of Artists

That focus on the next generation runs through much of Illine’s vision for the CGAF’s future. As a mother and grandmother, she is drawn especially to the arts festival’s potential to inspire young people — whether a child discovering a love of art for the first time or an emerging artist finding early encouragement. “If a child walks through the festival and sees something that inspires them, or a young artist begins to believe in themselves because of an opportunity we helped create, that means something to me,” she says.

Illine hopes to see the CGAF continue expanding opportunities for young and emerging artists, while remaining accessible to families. “Art shouldn’t feel intimidating or out of reach,” she says. “I think it’s important that the festival remains affordable and accessible so families can come, experience it together, and maybe even take home their first piece of art.”

Bringing People Together, One Connection at a Time

Outside the festival, Illine’s passion for bringing people together finds expression in Casa Davila, a community initiative she describes as starting with something as simple as a cup of coffee. “It has become something much more personal — a place to talk about women, family, friendship, home, and meaningful connection,” she says. “I’ve always believed some of the best conversations happen around a table with a cup of coffee.”

Whether through her family, her real estate career, the Woman’s Club, or her seat on the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Board, Illine sees a common thread tying her life together. “I love bringing people together,” she says, “and I think that’s where I’m happiest.” It’s a philosophy she now carries directly into her work with the festival — helping ensure that, as it continues to grow, it never loses sight of the community that gave it life.