Board of Directors

Officers

Chair: Rosana Cordova, P.E. LEED AP, AICP, Cordova, Rodriguez & Associates, Inc.
Vice Chair: Marianne Winfield, Brickell Bay Realty Group, LLC
Treasurer: Donna Ogdon Chen, Flamingo Gardens
Secretary: Kimberly Pearson, City of Fort Lauderdale
Immediate Past Chair: Nadia Locke, P.E., LEED AP, RES (Resource Environmental Solutions)


Board Members:


Bennett Brooks, P.E., Brooks Acoustics Corporation

Kathryn Collins, Bryte

Courtney Crush, Crush Law
Jesús Fuentes, P.E., EXP

Jason Hagopian, Neuvio Architects
Thuy Turner, Turner Planning Solutions, LLC
Djerlens Cherry, City of Fort Lauderdale Parks & Recreation
Leslie Del Monte, Inspire Placemaking Collective
Ken Reinhardt, AARP
Josette Serveryn, Broward County

Sierra Taliaferro, Environmental Protection Network

Directing Manager: Rebecca D’Amico

Advisory Council

Gloria Katz, Past President/Founder, Former City Commissioner
Samuel E. Poole, III, Esq., Retired
Ellen Feiler, Past President, Retired
Wazir Ishmael, City Manager, City of Hollywood
Jeremy Earle, City of Hallandale
Richard Barkett, CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors
Michael Maxwell, Real Estate Development Program
Adam Sanders, Government Affairs Director, Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors    

Sponsors and Friends

The first step in reconnecting the experts with the citizens is understanding where each of us is coming from. Experts can converse through these pages and our organization so that trust and understanding reappear among those who make the decisions and those who live with them.

Here are some of our current partners:
AIA Fort Lauderdale
APA Florida, Broward Section
Audubon Society
Brooks Acoustics Corporation
Florida Dept. of Health in Broward County - View our brochure
Broward Housing Partnership
Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization 
Broward Regional Health Planning Council TOUCH
City of Coconut Creek
Cordova Rodriguez & Assoc., Inc.
City of Dania Beach
City of Lauderhill
City of Miramar
E Sciences
Florida Atlantic University
FDOT
Florida Redevelopment Association
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance 
Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors
Kittelson & Associates
Lauderdale Lakes CRA
Nova Southeastern University
Project Caine
Regent Bank
South Florida Regional Planning Council
Southeast Florida Regional Partnership
Urban Land Institute
USGBC
Village of Palmetto Bay

Founders

Devin Avery
Ron Drew
Barry Heimlich
Ralph Johnson
Gloria Katz
Peg McPherson
Lou Orosz

Gary Rogers
Adam Sanders
Cyril "Sid" Spiro
Marianne Winfield

Committees

Smart Growth Committees work toward moving our mission forward. See below descriptions of each committee and feel free to contact us at smartgrowthpartnership@gmail.com if you would like to join or learn more about any of the committees.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee meets to focus on long term strategy planning and continuously improve our general organizational functions. As infrastructure needs of the organization arise, these needs become “projects” for the committee to address. Typical projects include website maintenance as well as development, and on-going improvement, of templates, by-laws, databases, etc.

Annual Event

The Annual Event Committee organizes a workshop or forum each year, the purpose of which is to examine and illustrate how to include smart growth principles in the planning and development of our existing communities protect the environment, provide economic opportunities, and create sustainable communities. With this in mind, our events host a variety of notable speakers of academic note and practitioners with expertise in real world application. An important part of every annual event is the presentation of Smart Growth Excellence Awards and highlighting of awarded projects.

Complete Streets

The Complete Streets Committee advocates for and educates our communities on the concepts and benefits of implementing complete street guidelines. Complete Streets are a vital part of livable, attractive communities. Everyone, regardless of age, ability, income, race, or ethnicity, ought to have safe, comfortable, and convenient access to community destinations and public places–whether walking, driving, bicycling, or taking public transportation. A Complete Streets approach integrates people and place in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of our transportation networks. This helps to ensure streets are safe for people of all ages and abilities, balance the needs of different modes, and support local land uses, economies, cultures, and natural environments.

Education and Networking

The Education and Networking Committee plans and holds educational and social events with smart growth themes periodically throughout the year. The Committee coordinates the venues, secures sponsorships, solicits and prepares publicity announcements, prepares the registration notices, and makes arrangements for the execution of the events. Committee Members work with other SGP Committees to determine the specific themes and venues for events. The Committee may arrange with other organizations to co-sponsor and/or announce events and to offer continuing education units or professional development hours to participants. 

Marketing & Membership

The Membership and Communications Committee is the face of our organization. It focuses on one of our most fundamental tenants to inform and educate our members about Smart Growth Principles, our organization, and our initiatives, including the promotion of all forums. The committee provides communications through the use of (but not limited to) the following tools: website, e-newsletters/e-blasts, press releases, email, social media, and community outreach. The committee maintains the email database of general subscribers, members, local government representatives, and other interested parties. Specific to members, the committee sends welcome emails to new members, features and highlights stories about members and board members via e-newsletters and social media, and is responsible for invoicing annual dues to members.

Nominating

The Nominating Committee receives prospective Board Nominations from an existing Board Member. The Committee reviews and if applicable, accepts the application and interviews the potential Board Member. The Committee makes a recommendation to the Board for a vote.  If approved by the Board the Board Nomination becomes a Board Member.

Recognition

The Recognition Committee was established to acknowledge, reward and promote projects that demonstrate substantial consistency with our organization’s Smart Growth Principles. Our committee recognizes communities and projects that have successfully used the principles of smart growth to preserve and enhance the regional quality of life while helping to protect public health and the environment. 

The committee has an annual nomination process that is advertised through email, press releases, social media and “word of mouth.”  After project nominations are closed, the recognition committee reviews the projects, uses a rating system approved by our Board of Directors, and selects projects for recognition. 

The awarded projects are announced at our annual event and presented at various meetings of each award recipient’s choice (typically City Commission meetings). The projects are also recognized through press releases. Examples of past projects that have been recognized include the following:

•            Gran Forno Parklet

•            Brickell City Centre

•            Northwest Gardens Housing

•            Hallandale Beach Infill Housing Project

•            Dania Beach Nanofiltration Plant

•            City of Fort Lauderdale’s Sistrunk Streetscape Enhancement

Regulatory Reform

The Regulatory Reform Committee stays abreast of the changing regulatory environmental in our region and seeks opportunities to reduce regulatory obstacles to smart growth and educate lawmakers on the importance and positive impact of applying smart growth principles. Projects that the Committee has supported includes the application of form-based code in select areas of South Florida, speed reduction and quality of life improvement in pedestrian areas using parklets and planning for improvement of the walkability of the Fort Lauderdale Uptown Business district.

Cities and towns in the eastern portion of the county where redevelopment is occurring along the Florida East Coast Railway and US-1 corridor will hold the highest priority for providing presentations.