COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Community Sustainability Advisory Committee is composed of 15 members, with three appointed by each of Lee County's five-member Board of County Commissioners. In addition, there are three ex-officio members, which are the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, the Chairman of the Lee County School Board, and the County Manager.

 

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 1:

AMELIA H. DAVIES

Occupation:  Associate-in-Charge leading the Fort Myers office of Wilbur Smith Associates with more than 30 years of experience in transportation finance and finance management. She is emerging as a national leader in carbon emissions reductions and sustainability efforts throughout the United States. Currently, Amy serves as the Vice-Chair of the American Public Works Association (SWFL Branch) and is on the Board of Directors for the Lee County Homeless Coalition.

Education:  Certified Government Fiscal Officer and Certified Public Manager

Home:  Cape Coral

Matthew Johnson

Occupation: 

Education: 

Home:  Fort Myers

KEN F. BUSCHLE

Occupation:   Specifications/Quality Control Manager for Gora-McGahey Architects.   A state and nationally certified building inspector in all major disciplines of construction.  Accredited by the US Green Building Council as a LEED Professional (LEED AP BD+C) and was instrumental in founding the SW Florida USGBC Branch.  Also an active member of Florida Green Building Coalition serving on the Commercial Building Standard Committee.  Recipient of the 2008 SW. FL. AIA “Architectural Achievement Award” for commitment to promoting sustainability in architecture and the Florida Gulf Coast USGBC Chapter 2010 “Chapter Member of the Year”.

Education:  Associate in Science in Architectural Technology, Saint Petersburg College; Associate in Science in Building Construction Technology, Saint Petersburg College

Home: Fort Myers

 Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 2:

DAVID V. WILLEMS

Occupation: Environmental Engineer with HSA Engineers & Scientists providing water resource consulting services.

Education: Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida. Currently working on Masters of Engineering in Environmental Engineering Science with a specialization in Systems Ecology and Ecological Engineering

Home: Fort Myers

DANA PIERCE

Occupation: Manager of WVP INC. for over 18 years. Board member-Elected Officer for Affordable Housing until April, 2014. Board Member-Appointed for Human Services Council until July, 2013.

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business Management of Hodges University. graduated in Law Enforcement (Detention) Academy, Hillsborough Community College (Plant City Campus) Pursing Property Management & Real Estate License. Specialized courses in: air,waste,water, and wetlands management.

Home: Fort Myers 

 JENNIFER A. DUFFALA HAGEN 


Occupation:  Planner with CH2M Hill and is currently project based with the City of Bonita Springs in the Community Development Department. Over 10 years of planning and environmental experience in both the public and private sector. Member of both the USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter (Southwest FL branch) and the Florida Green Building Coalition and is a LEED AP. Lee County native.

Education: B.A. in Sociology with a Minor in Visual Arts - Eckerd College. Masters of Environmental Education – Lesley University.

Home: Fort Myers

 Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 3:

FRANK O'NEILL - AICP, CBO, CGC

Occupation: Consultant in Building Code compliance, Planning, and Green Strategies. Founding principal of Full Service Green; providers of green education and solutions. Former Chief Building Inspector, Lee County (17 years); Municipal and Educational Facilities Manager, PEICO Engineering; contract Building Official for several School Boards and municipalities statewide; locally Building Official for Lee County School Board; and Planner, Flood Plain Coordinator, and Building Official for the City of Naples.

Education: Edison College, 68 credits personal development

Home: Fort Myers

DIANA M. GIRALDO

Occupation: Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Fort Myers for over 4 years.  Ten plus years experience in construction - several national and state licenses with the Building Code Administrators and Inspectors’ Board, and extensive knowledge of green building practices. Currently serves as a mentor of the Take Stock in Children Program; a judge for the Thomas Alva Edison Regional Science and Engineering Fair for the last three years.

Education: B.S. in Architecture & Urban Design; M.S. in Management; several advanced engineering classes.

Home: Fort Myers

ROGER STRELOW, J.D.

Occupation: Adjunct Professor, Environmental Policy and Sustainability, Florida Gulf Coast University; Member of Lee County Local Planning Agency; and Principal in both 3S Environmental & Energy Strategies, LLC and Strassner Strelow & Smith, Dispute Resolution, LLC. Formerly, Assistant Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency; Staff Director, US Council on Environmental Quality; Environmental Vice President of General Electric; and Executive Vice President, Bechtel Environmental.

Education: J.D., School of Law, University of California, Berkeley

Home: Estero 

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 4:

DR. MARGARET BANYAN, Ph.D.

Occupation: Currently is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. Dr. Banyan teaches in the Division of Public Affairs in the areas of land use planning, public administration, and political science. In addition to her faculty appointment, Dr. Banyan consults and conducts research through the SW Center for Public and Social Policy at FGCU. She is a member of the Lee County Community Sustainability Advisory Committee (formerly the Smart Growth Advisory Committee); BikeWalkLee; and the Art of the Olympians Advisory Board. Dr. Banyan’s interests center on intersectoral collaboration, complete streets, public transit, special districts, and citizen involvement. Previously, she worked at Portland State University as the director of the Center for Public Participation and research assistant for the National Policy Consensus Center.

Education: B.S. in History – University of Oregon.  Masters of Public Administration – Portland State University.  Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy – Portland State University. 

Home: Fort Myers

CHRISTOPHER M. RESSLER

Occupation: Project Manager and Intern Architect at Studio+. with 9 years of experience in the Architecture and Planning fields. Founding member and current Chair of the USGBC Southwest Florida Branch and one of our region's representatives at the USGBC Gulf Coast Chapter Board.

Education: Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech.; BS in computer Science with a Minor in Art/Architecture from the College of William and Mary.

Home: Fort Myers

CHRIS HANSEN

Occupation: Vice President of Operations, Priority Marketing, Fort Myers. Board Member-Elect Board of Directors for Lee Memorial Health System and Lee Memorial Trauma Agency until 2015.

Education: Edison Community College, Assoc. in Science, Emergency Medical technology; FL Institute of Government, Certified Public Manager – Level One; US Fire Administration/National Fire Academy, Management of Emergency Medical Services, Advanced Leadership Issues in EMS, Initial Response to Hazardous Materials, Incident Command Training; NAEMT/American College of Surgeons, PreHospital Trauma Life Support Instructor, American Heart Assoc. of Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, American Heart Association CPR-AED Instructor, Nat’l Academy of Professional Driving Emergency Vehicle Operations Instructor and more.

Home: North Fort Myers

Appointed by Commission DISTRICT 5:

RONALD J. HAMEL

Occupation: Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association that includes a geographical service area of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry Counties

Education:  A journalism/public relation's honors graduate of the University of Florida and a graduate of Leadership Florida.

Home: Fort Myers

CHARLES "GARY" VERWILT

Occupation: Manager of Realty Executives SW Florida. He holds the Graduate REALTOR® Institute designation (GRI), the SRES designation, and the “At Home With Diversity” designation.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision and 57 post graduate credits. Completed course work in Naples School of Real Estate, Ed Plofker School of Real Estate, REALTOR® Board Seminars, Academy of Real Estate Broker School, and the Graduate REALTOR® Institute. Currently is the Director for the Florida Association of REALTORS®

Home: Fort Myers

Damon Shelor

Occupation: 

Home: Lehigh Acres

EX-OFFICIO:

RAY JUDAH, Commissioner of District 3 

THOMAS SCOTT, Lee County School Board Liaison

KAREN HAWES, Lee County Manager

STAFF SUPPORT:

TESSA LESAGE, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER

(239) 533-2221