Governance

The USGBC South Florida Chapter, a nonprofit (501[c][3]) organization that is governed entirely by volunteers who serve without recompense, has five extremely active Branches under its organizational umbrella -- the Treasure Coast Branch, Palm Beach Branch, Broward Branch, Miami-Dade Branch and the Keys Branch.  Our Chapter has more than 1,000 dedicated members and would enthusiastically welcome you and your business to our group. 

USGBC South Florida Chapter members are engaged in numerous educational and outreach activities, making a real difference in our community.  It’s through the work of our volunteers on various committees at the five Branches that our Chapter's education and advocacy efforts flourish.

The growth and success that the USGBC South Florida Chapter has enjoyed in recent years is very much tied to the dedication, talents and judgments of our successive Boards of Directors, all of whom are volunteers and all of whom serve at the pleasure of our membership and without recompense.  The quality, depth and comprehensiveness of Board members’ vision and advice is impressive, as is the amount of time that is demanded of individuals serving in this leadership capacity.  Team players all, their contributions -- of time, business acumen, green expertise, industry contacts, and monies -- have been off-the-charts remarkable since the formation of the South Florida Chapter in 2004, and it's with gratitude and thanks that we list the current Board members below.

Board Members
To learn more about our Chapter's elected volunteer leadership, please review Board members' bios here.  to review position descriptions for the officers, directors and branch chairs, click here.  to see a group shot of the current board, scroll to the bottom of this webpage.

Officers
President -- Paul Carty, State Contracting & Engineering Corporation
Vice-President -- Sandra Lee, Calvin, Giordano & Associates
Treasurer -- Neyda Otero, Miami Dade College
Secretary -- Gary Pirtle, Pirtle Construction Company
Chair, Broward Branch -- Anthony Alfonso, Holland & Knight LLP
Chair, Palm Beach Branch -- Robin Blakeman, Foliage Design Systems
Immediate Past President -- Robert Cannellos, Next Earth Design

Directors
Stephen Chang, Moss & Associates (Chair, Miami-Dade Branch)
Mike Enderlin, Trane South Florida
John Hardman, Florida Atlantic University
Rob Hink, The Spinnaker Group
Larry Jennings, Solar Energy Systems (Chair, Treasure Coast Branch)
Brian Lomel, TLC Engineering for Architecture
Patrick McElhaney, FPL Energy Services
Allen Messer, Skanska USA

Chair, Keys Branch -- Ada Truesdell, PinoDiaz Design Partnership

Board members are eligible to serve two successive, elected two-year terms.  Elections to Board seats are covered in our Bylaws.  Board members are required to conduct their service to the Chapter in accordance not only with the Bylaws, but also via signed agreements tied to Conflict of Interest and Code of Conduct policies.

In general, each August our five Branches elect their Officers.  Branch Chairs also serve on the Chapter Board of Directors.  Each August, a communication is disseminated to the entire membership soliciting nominations to serve as Chapter Board members.  Each September, the Chapter’s Nominating Committee reviews applications and assesses the quality of proposed, self-nominated candidates, narrowing the field to the most highly qualified individuals to fill open Board member positions.  Nominees are then posted on the USGBC South Florida Chapter's website and elections ensue.  New and reappointed Board members commence their respective terms in October.  At the conclusion of this activity, the Chapter hosts its Annual Meeting of Members, during which the new slate of Officers and Directors are introduced to the membership.  This Members-only meeting also features general information-sharing with attendees and recognition of volunteers and donors.

To contact individual Board members, click on the links above or direct your requests to Lee Cooke, our Executive Director, at 561-373-7367.

Chapter Committees
As with most nonprofit organizations, the great majority of our work is accomplished by committees, both at the Chapter and Branch levels.  Administered by our talented and dedicated volunteers, committee work generally mirrors the committee's name.  Ad hoc committees are occasionally formed by the Board to tackle short-term tasks (e.g., Bylaws Committee), and the Board may also appoint other working groups or task forces as it deems necessary to carry out the business of the Chapter. The following standing committees are currently in place at the Chapter level.  To review a committee's description, click on the name of the committee.

Advocacy Committee -- Chair: Tammy Cook-Weedon
Communications Committee -- Chair: Jesse Miller

Education Committee -- Co-Chairs: Stefano Fontana

Emerging Professionals Committee -- Chair: David Truong
Executive Committee -- Chair: Paul Carty

Finance Committee -- Chair: Neyda Otero

GalaVerde Committee -- Chair: Sandra Lee
Green Schools Committee -- Chair: Elena Gibson

Hospitality Committee -- Co-Chairs:  Ana Maria Huertas-Iragorri and K. Denaye Hinds

Leadership Development Committee -- Chair: Stephen Chang
LEED Committee -- Chair: Sandra Lee

Membership Committee -- Chair: Neyda Otero
Nominating Committee -- Chair: Paul Carty

Programs Committee -- Chair: Andrea Best
Residential Green Building Committee -- Chair: Stace McGee
Sponsorship Committee -- Chair: Paul Carty

Strategic Planning Committee -- Chair: John Hardman

Branch Committees
Our Branch committee structure basically mirrors that at the Chapter level ... but not always.  Local initiatives and on-hand talent at the Branch level often brings about the creation of a committee to address a specific initiative.  To learn more about the committees set up at the four Branches and to volunteer at a Branch, click on the applicable links below. 

Treasure Coast Branch

Palm Beach Branch

Broward Branch

Miami-Dade Branch

Keys Branch

Chapter Advisory Council
The following individuals have been recognized by our Board of Directors for their special contributions of time, talent, expertise and sponsorship tied to our Chapter.  As members of the Chapter Advisory Council, their wealth of knowledge and experience have set them apart as distinctive contributors to the Chapter, and they are tapped by the current Board for special assignments and counsel.  Chapter Advisory Council membership is an honorary appointment and a non-voting position in relation to the Board of Directors.  We honor and thank the following Chapter ambassadors for their ongoing contributions to the Chapter:

Kyle Abney, Abney + Abney Green Solutions

Olga Alvarez, Project Coordinating Services

Manny Diaz, Lydecker Diaz

Carlos Duarte, Turner Construction

Carolyn Mitchell, Carolyn Mitchell Landscape Architecture / Urban Design 

Dave Vernon, Resource 4 Floors
Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science (representative tbd)

Transwestern (representative tbd)

Chapter Past Presidents
Anyone who has served in the chief executive officer role of a business or volunteer organization appreciates the commitment of time that is put in to figuratively steer the ship safely into port.  To that end, it's with thanks that we note the outstanding contributions of the past Presidents of the USGBC South Florida Chapter:

Carolyn Mitchell -- 2003-2005 (Organizing Group Leader / Board Chair); 2005-07 (President)
Rob Hink -- 2007-08
Olga Alvarez -- 2008-2009
Kyle Abney -- 2009-2010
Robert Cannellos -- 2010-2011