Schedule: Thursday, October 16, 2025

Registration Desk Open
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Oceana Pre-Con

Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Oceana AB

Light Continental Breakfast in the Exhibit Hall
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Oceana AB

It Takes a Village: How Successful Communications Can Lead to Transformations
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Oceana C

This session aims to inspire other organizations to prioritize community communications and highlights the importance of adaptive strategies in grant management.

Moderator: Sharon McCormick, Director of Business Attraction & Marketing

Speakers: Kelsey King, Project Manager, CRA, City of West Palm Beach; Stephanie Swimmer, Marketing Coordinator, Redevelopment Management Associates (RMA)

Transforming Urban Mobility: Leveraging Mobility Plans and Smart Streetscapes for Safer, Smarter Communities
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Oceana D

Street design mobility is one of the most critical aspects of redevelopment and one that CRAs can affect. This presentation highlights how mobility plans can be used to transform local roadways by integrating land use, redevelopment, and multimodal transportation strategies to create safer, more connected, and vibrant urban environments. It also explores how smart cities technology and data-driven tools can be used to monitor mobility patterns, improve operations, and measure the impact of public investments – providing a consistent framework to guide future infrastructure decisions and redevelopment efforts.

Moderator: Allison Justice, CRA Administrator, Town of Lake Park

Speakers: Uyen Dang, Principal, DDEC; Kimberly GlasCastro, Assistant Village Manager, Village of Palm Springs; Dr. Jason Hallstrom, Florida Atlantic University; Christopher Roog, Executive Director, CRA, City of West Palm Beach

Navigating Evolving CRA Requirements and Effective Communication
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Coral Ballroom

This session will explore ways to utilize free or affordable tools and ideas for turning your projects into exciting posts, to share the great work that your CRA is doing to improve your redevelopment area.

Moderator: Brenda Thrower, FRA-RA, CRA Development Manager, Community Redevelopment, City of Tampa

Speakers: Robert Allen, Vice President, HCP Associates; Grace Gdaniec, Program Director, CRA, City of Delray Beach; Renee Jadusingh, Executive Director, CRA, City of Delray Beach; Brenda Thrower, FRA-RA, CRA Development Manager, Community Redevelopment, City of Tampa

Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Oceana AB

The Final Countdown: Transitioning Beyond CRA
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Oceana C

As the sunset of your Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) approaches, redevelopment professionals must navigate a complex landscape to ensure that ongoing projects are completed, funding is appropriately allocated, and community goals are met. This session will provide vital strategies, tools, and insights for professionals working within CRAs to manage the transition effectively and with minimal disruption to redevelopment efforts.

Moderator: Ken Thomas, MPA, FRA-RA, Director of Redevelopment & Neighborhood Services, CRA, City of Daytona Beach

Speakers: Peter Altman, Finance Director, City of Dade City and Councilmember, City of New Port Richey; Sherri Curtis, CRA Redevelopment Coordinator, CRA, City of Tallahassee; Cliff Shepard, FRA General Counsel, Shepard, Smith, Hand & Brackins, P.A.; Ken Thomas, MPA, FRA-RA, Director of Redevelopment & Neighborhood Services, CRA, City of Daytona Beach

The Pond Awakens: From Stormwater Pond to Strolling Paths
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Oceana D

Learn how to work together with various agencies (FDOT & City) and multiple departments in the city (CRA, Parks and Rec, Public Works, Utilities) to
redevelop an area, and talk with the adjacent private property owners for their buy-in and support of a project.

Moderator: Angie Hibbard, CRA Manager, City of Winter Haven, CRA

Speakers: Ed Dean, Landscape Architect, PLA, ASLA, Kimley-Horn; Angie Hibbard, CRA Manager, CRA, City of Winter Haven

A Tale of Two CRAs: Using the Federal Brownfields Program to Boost Redevelopment
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Coral Ballroom

In 2023, the Cities of Apopka and Kissimmee joined the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council’s Resilient Corridors Brownfields Coalition to fund redevelopment projects within their CRAs. Learn how both cities have used this program to boost the redevelopment of catalyst sites and attract new

Moderator: Luis Nieves-Ruiz, FAICP, Director of Economic Development, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council

Speakers: Shakenya Harris-Jackson, Grant Administrator, City of Apopka; Trey Hess, Director, Brownfields & Economic Development, PPM Consultants, Inc.; Luis Nieves-Ruiz, Director of Economic Development, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council; Samia Singleton, Redevelopment Specialist, CRA, City of Kissimmee-Downtown

Networking Luncheon in the Exhibit Hall
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Oceana AB

Keynote Address
Sponsored by: Inspire Placemaking Collective
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Salon E

Keynote Presentation: Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities

Keynote Speaker: Veronica O. Davis, PE

Veronica O. Davis, PE, is a self-described transportation nerd and author of Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities. She believes everyone should have access to safe, reliable, and affordable transportation.

She is currently the Director of Cities Program for AtkinsRéalis. She has over 20 years of experience in civil engineering and planning. Under the Mayor Turner Administration, she was the Director of Transportation and Drainage Operations for the City of Houston. She is also the co-founder and former Managing Partner at Nspiregreen LLC. She is one of the co-founders of Black Women Bike (BWB). She was the Vice President and City of Houston representative on the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

She earned her dual master’s Degrees (Engineering Management and Regional Planning) from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Maryland. In July 2012, the White House recognized her as a Champion of Change and Transportation Innovator for her professional accomplishments and community advocacy in transportation.

She currently lives in Baltimore, MD, with her husband and child.

Annual Membership Meeting
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Coral Ballroom

Counties Can Do Redevelopment Too – The Polk County Experience
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Oceana C

While CRAs tend to be city-oriented, redevelopment also occurs in counties. Over the past couple of years, Polk County has reinvigorated its redevelopment efforts using various methods and techniques. This session will summarize these efforts and also provide examples of how to do redevelopment without a CRA.

Moderator: Mark Bennett, AICP, FRA-RA, CNU-A, Senior Planner, Polk County BoCC Land Development Division

Speakers: Chanda Bennett, Comprehensive Planning Administrator, Polk County BOCC Land Development Division; Mark Bennett, AICP, FRA-RA, CNU-A, Senior Planner, Polk County BoCC Land Development Division; Ben Ziskal, Director, Polk County BOCC Land Development Division

Part 1: Enhancing Community Safety: The West Palm Beach CRA Experience
Part 2: Crackdown on Carson
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Oceana D

Learn how the West Palm Beach CRA has significantly improved security and reduced crime through innovative initiatives and community partnerships. Explore the remarkable transformation of Carson Drive in Fort Walton Beach, showcasing the power of evidence-based crime prevention design principles. Once a high-crime area, Carson Drive has evolved into a safer, more welcoming environment that supports family living. The session will demonstrate how systematic application of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles can dramatically improve high-crime areas, benefiting the entire community.

Moderator: Christopher Roog, CEcD, Executive Director, CRA, City of West Palm

Speakers: Rodney Archer, Officer, West Palm Beach Police Department; Alisa Burleson, CRA Administrator, City of Fort Walton Beach; Ariel Munoz, Sergeant, West Palm Beach Police Department; Carlos Rodriguez, Security Manager, CRA, City of West Palm Beach

From Empty to Energized: Reclaiming Spaces for Walkable Vitality
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Coral Ballroom

Redevelopment districts can deliver the energy, connection, and character that draw people in – but vacant storefronts, empty lots, and underutilized buildings can quickly drain that momentum. Across Florida, CRAs are addressing these challenges through interim uses – strategic activations that bring spaces back to life over a multi-year horizon. From community markets and food truck courts to neighborhood hubs, creative site design, and adaptive reuse, these mid-term solutions increase foot traffic, improve public perception, and lay the groundwork for permanent investment. Learn how communities are leveraging design-forward strategies and local partnerships to restore vibrancy, build confidence, and transform vacant properties into active, valuable assets. Walk away with actionable ideas and proven tools to turn stalled sites into walkable destinations that align with your CRA’s long-term redevelopment goals.

Moderator: Kathie Ebaugh, FAICP, Director of Planning, JBPro

Speakers: Kathie Ebaugh, FAICP, Director of Planning, JBPro; Laura Jones, City Planner, City of Williston; Ed Ng, AICP, Technical Vice President, Corradino Group; Uma Sarmistha, PhD, FRA-RA, Senior Planner, Axis Infrastructure

Banquet Reception
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Event Lawn

Academy Graduation and Awards Banquet
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Oceana AB

Help us congratulate our Academy graduates, award winners, and the 2025-2026 Board of Directors. This event is included with a full registration, and guest tickets are available for an additional fee. Cocktail attire recommended.

After-Party
8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Coral ABC