Broward College to Host Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Fireside Chat on October 12

Pembroke Pines, FL (September 19, 2017) – As part of an ongoing commitment to environmental awareness, the Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership at Broward College will host a Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Fireside Chat on October 12 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Judson A. Samuels South Campus in Pembroke Pines, Fla. The event is a collaboration between Broward College, Broward County, and Miami-Dade County.

The event will consist of panel presentations and intimate discussions with leading South Florida climate change and sea level rise experts. Panelists will include Miami-Dade County Chief Resilience Office James Murley, Broward County Chief Climate Resilience Officer Dr. Jennifer Jurado, and Broward College Political Science Professor Kari Hebert. The moderated discussion will be followed by an interactive Q & A session with students, faculty, environmental advocates, and business leaders.

"As South Floridians, we must be vigilant of changing climate projections. Our livelihood – home, work, and recreation – could potentially be threatened by the smallest increase in sea levels," said Broward College President J. David Armstrong, Jr. "We must begin the conversation now and be prepared for how these changes will affect us."

Miami-Dade County Chief Resilience Officer James Murley boasts over four decades of public policy issues management in Florida. Prior to assuming his position, Murley was the executive director of the South Florida Regional Planning Council where he helped author portions of the 2014 National Climate Assessment and the secretary of the Department of Community Affairs for the state of Florida. He currently serves on various committees and task forces dedicated to energy and climate issues and was the founding executive director for 1,000 Friends of Florida, a statewide organization "focused on community planning and protection of natural resources." He also has spent ten years of his career with Florida Atlantic University overseeing research on urban and environmental issues. He received his juris doctor in Land Use and Environmental Law from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and his Bachelor of Arts in History from Denison University in Granville, Ohio.

Dr. Jennifer Jurado was named Broward County Chief Climate Resilience Officer in 2016 with responsibilities that include regional coordination of climate change, community sustainability, and environmental planning. She oversees shoreline protection and water management planning and in her time with the County she has led the formalization of sea level rise adaptation strategies through community planning and agency operations. She is specialized in advancing multi-jurisdictional projects and has led the organization of the County's Climate Change Task Force, Water Resources Task Force and Water Advisory Board. She also oversaw the development of Broward County's first community-wide Climate Change Action Plan, and progressive changes in policy to reflect new environmental standards. During her 15 years with the County she also served as staff to President Obama's Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, and received recognition in 2013 by the White House as a Champion of Change for her "leadership on climate resilience, and participation in diverse domestic and international workshops and symposia as an invited speaker on planning for climate resilience and the importance of regional collaboration."

Broward College Political Science Assistant Professor Kari Hebert has been with the College since 2009. Her focus in the classroom has been on national government, international relations, state and local government. In addition to her role as an educator, she is the faculty advisor for the South Campus Political Science Club and has served as host of various political speaking engagements for the Judson A. Samuels South Campus including serving as moderator of the Speaker Series Fireside Chat with political analyst, Ana Navarro. Prior to her tenure as a faculty member, Hebert was a Naval Reserve Intelligence Officer.

The lecture will begin with a welcome by Former Broward County Commissioner John P. Hart, executive director Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership at Broward College. The event is free and open to the public.

Sponsorship opportunities are available, starting at $2,500. For sponsorship information please contact David Rigby at (954) 201- 7970 or drigby@broward.edu.

-BC-