Edward “Eddy” C. Bouza II has been named as Florida’s new chief resilience officer, taking on the responsibility of leading state efforts to coordinate mitigation strategies across agencies in response to hurricanes and flooding.
Bouza’s appointment drew support from a range of environmental leaders and stakeholders, who highlighted his experience with the Resilient Florida Program and his contributions to state-wide flood vulnerability assessments.
“Eddy Bouza has been a driving force in advancing Florida’s resilience strategy, helping communities better prepare for flooding and hurricanes. Through the Resilient Florida Program, he has positioned Florida as a national leader in resilience, and his appointment as chief resilience officer will further strengthen efforts to protect our environment, economy and communities,” said Alexis A. Lambert, Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Dr. Mark Rains, Chief Science Officer for Florida, noted Bouza’s technical background: “Eddy Bouza’s vision and technical expertise have been central to landmark efforts like Florida’s Comprehensive Statewide Flood Vulnerability and Sea Level Rise Assessment, providing state and local leaders with the data they need to identify risks and make informed decisions that strengthen infrastructure and protect communities. I look forward to continuing this important work with him to build a more resilient Florida.”
As director of the Resilient Florida Program and a certified Floodplain Manager, Bouza was also recognized by Dr. Tom Frazer of the University of South Florida: “As the director of the Resilient Florida Program and a certified Floodplain Manager, Eddy Bouza brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position of chief resilience officer. The Florida Flood Hub has had a productive relationship with Eddy, and we look forward to further collaboration that increases Florida’s resilience and protects its people and their assets.”
Greg Knecht from The Nature Conservancy described Bouza as an experienced advocate for environmental resilience: “Congratulations to Eddy Bouza on his appointment as Florida’s chief resilience officer. Eddy has been a champion for Florida’s environmental resilience for years, and so many of us have worked with him to protect our state’s natural resources. He is a top-notch addition to Governor DeSantis’s team, and all Floridians will benefit from Eddy’s knowledge, passion and experience. The Nature Conservancy is eager to see what we can accomplish together.”
Kate Wesner at American Flood Coalition commented on ongoing investments in community protection: “With the appointment of Eddy Bouza as Florida’s new chief resilience officer, Governor DeSantis continues to demonstrate strong leadership in addressing the growing risks of flooding. The chief resilience officer serves a crucial role in protecting Florida’s economy and communities, and I’m thrilled to see Eddy Bouza, who has dedicated his career to supporting communities through the Resilient Florida Program, take on this role. This leadership role, paired with significant investments through the Resilient Florida Grant Program, positions the state to continue to lead on resilience and ensure communities are better prepared for the future. We congratulate the Governor on this important appointment and applaud the state’s continued investment in protecting Florida’s communities.”
Jim McDuffie from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust added: “Bonefish and Tarpon Trust applauds the ongoing efforts of Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature to ensure that Florida is resilient for our people, communities, natural resources and fisheries. The Governor’s appointment of Eddy Bouzato be the next chief resilience officer builds upon that commitment and secures Florida’s position as a leader in impactful resiliency response.”
Dawn Shirreffs at Environmental Defense Fund addressed nature-based solutions under Bouza’s guidance: “The Environmental Defense Fund applauds Governor DeSantis’ appointment of Eddy Bouza as Florida’s chief resilience officer. As Florida’s Resilient Grant Trust enters its fifth year,Bouza’s leadership and experience will be essential to operationalize nature-based resiliencesolutionsand scale critical effortsto protectFlorida’ familiesand businessesfromthe risks offloodingand hurricanes.”
Jessica Beach from St. Augustine emphasized past collaborations: “On behalf of cityofSt.Augustine,weareveryexcitedtowelcomeEddyBouzaalsthe stateofFlorida’snextchiefresilienceofficer.ThecityofSt.AugustinehasworkedwithEddyandhisteamthroughtheResilienceFloridaProgramoverthepastfouryearsinadvancingtheneedsandadvocatingtheurgencyforresilienceeffortsforthestateofFlorida.WelookforwardtocontinuedcollaborationwithEddyandhisteaminhisnewrole.Havingastate-appointedchiefresilienceofficerisatestoftothestate’scontinuedcommitmenttoresilience,supportforourcommunitiesandleadershipinthiscriticalarea–weareproudtopartnerwiththestatechiefresilienceofficertoadvanceresilienceplanningprogramsandprojectsthatprotectourstate.”
Pepper Uchino at The Shore & Beach Preservation Association spoke about coastal planning: “TheFloridaShore&BeachPreservationAssociationisthrilledattheappointmentofEddyBouzaamFloridasnextchiefresilienceofficer.HavingworkedcloselywithEddyintheresilientfloridaprogram,weknowhebringsaproventrackrecordofcollaborativeleadershipandadeepunderstandingofthechallengesfacingFloridascoasts.As thenextchiefresilienceofficer,hiscommitmenttolong-termresilienceplanningwillbeinstrumentslprotectingourshorescommunitiesandnaturalresourcesforgenerations.WelookforwardtoourcontinuedcollaborationtoadvanceFloridasbeachandcoastalresiliencest.”
The state’s Resilient Florida Program aims at strengthening infrastructure against severe weather events by focusing not only on physical improvements but also emphasizing coastal management approaches such as wetland restoration or vegetative barriers which help reduce storm surge impacts.
