Please join Gunster Shareholder, AWRA Florida Board Member and Meeting Chair Luna Phillips, along with Gunster Attorney Beth Ross, for the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) – Florida Annual Meeting. Among many other great speakers, we will hear from the executive directors of Florida’s five Water Management Districts as well as get a federal update from Colonel James Booth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Established in 1964, the AWRA is the preeminent multidisciplinary association for information exchange, professional development and education about water resources and related issues.
Agenda Highlights:
Thursday, August 4
10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. | AWRA Florida Board Meeting – Monroe County Commission Building. All are welcome to attend.
12:30 P.M. | Meeting Registration Opens
1:00 P.M. | Welcome and Opening Remarks (Randy Smith, Chief – Natural Systems & Restoration Bureau and Luna Phillips, Shareholder, Gunster)
1:15 P.M. – 1:45 P.M. | Keynote Address (Noah Valenstein, Former Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary, President of Brightwater Strategies)
1:45 P.M. – 2:45 P.M. | Florida Keys Update – Discussion on the Latest Issues Affecting the Florida Keys (Karen Bohnsack, Associate Director, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; Alison Higgins, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Key West)
2:45 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. | Break
3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M. | Update on Climate Change and Resiliency Developments in the State of Florida (Erin Deady, Esq., President, Erin Deady Law, P.A.)
3:30 P.M. – 4:15 P.M. | Emerging Issues related to Florida’s Water Supply (Beth Ross, Shareholder, Gunster; Lisa Kelley, Senior Project Manager, Dewberry)
4:15 P.M. | Closing Remarks (Randy Smith, Chief – Natural Systems & Restoration Bureau and Luna Phillips, Shareholder, Gunster)
5:30 P.M. | Networking Reception and Dinner at the Audubon House
Friday, August 5
8:00 A.M. | Networking Continental Breakfast
8:45 A.M. | Welcome and Opening Remarks (Randy Smith, Chief – Natural Systems & Restoration Bureau and Luna Phillips, Shareholder, Gunster)
9:00 A.M. – 9:15 A.M. | Keynote Address (Roman Gastesi, Monroe County Administrator)
9:15 A.M. – 10:45 A.M. | Water Management District Update from the Executive Directors of the State’s Five WMDS (Drew Barlett, SFWMD | Brian Armstrong, SWFWMD | Mike Register, SJRWMD | Lyle Seigler, NWFWMD | Amy Brown, SRWMD)
10:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. | Federal Agency Update with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Colonel James Booth)
12:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. | Lunch on Your Own
1:30 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. | FDEP Update (Kristine P. Morris, Assistant Deputy Secretary for the FDEP)
2:00 P.M. – 2:30 P.M. | Tribal Update
2:30 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. | AWRA Awards/Announcements and Drawing for Cooler of Cheer
3:00 P.M. – 3:15 P.M. | Break
3:15 P.M. – 4:15 P.M. | Past Presidents’ Roundtable on Water Resource Issues
4:15 P.M. | Closing Remarks
5:30 – 7:30 P.M. | Past President’s Networking Reception at the Schooner Wharf Bar – 202 William Street, Key West.
More information, including the draft agenda, registration details and hotel information, is available on the AWRA Florida event page online.
Please contact us if you have any questions!
