FAU ECOS Digital Exhibit Booth | 17th Annual Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit

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Keith James was first elected Mayor of the City of West Palm Beach on March 12, 2019 and re-elected, unopposed, to a second-four year term in 2023. Focused on creating a community of opportunity for all, Mayor James has a vision for West Palm Beach that is resident-driven. Mayor James is committed to creating a customer friendly culture in City Hall that focuses on neighborhood initiatives, regional collaboration, and community partnerships. Mayor James has been a champion of bringing new financial business to the City, which the New York Post has labeled as "Wall Street South". Mayor James, however, remains committed to making West Palm Beach a Community of Opportunity For All. Mayor James is the City's first African-American "strong mayor," whereby the Mayor is the City's Chief Executive Officer directing the administrative structure, and the City's fourth African-American Mayor. He was recently profiled in Bitter Southerner Magazine. Prior to being elected Mayor, Keith James served as the District 4 City Commissioner from 2011 to 2019, serving as President of the Commission twice. During this time, Mayor James helped create West Palm Beach's strategic plan, finance plan, water plan and mobility plan. Mayor James has been a part of the leadership that has led West Palm Beach from the depths of the recession to the booming metropolis we have today. Mayor James is the Past President of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, where he championed a collaborative approach to solving regional and state issues on equality, home-rule, health and addiction challenges, and transportation. Born in Wichita, Kansas to a teenage single mother, Mayor James learned at an early age the value of hard work, service and education. As a young man, Mayor James overcame the challenges of segregation and inequality to become accepted and then graduate from Harvard College and then Harvard Law School. Mayor James has served in numerous leadership positions to address a range of issues in the community. Mayor James was the former Chair of the West Palm Beach Citizens' Ethics Task Force, a position to which he was appointed by then-Mayor Lois Frankel. Mayor James is a former Board Member of the Florida League of Cities and Palm Beach County League of Cities. A trailblazer in his own right, Mayor James was the first African American Chair of Leadership Florida and the Quantum Foundation. Mayor Keith James has been a West Palm Beach resident for more than 30 years. It is where he raised his two children and has dedicated his life to public service. Mayor James and his wife, Lorna, are proud to call West Palm Beach home.

Jimmy Morales was appointed Chief Operating Officer for Miami-Dade County by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in December 2020. In this role, he oversees key county departments including Water and Sewer, Transportation and Public Works, Regulatory and Economic Resources, Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, Solid Waste Management, Elections, Aviation, and the Seaport. Under his leadership, his departments have launched major initiatives, like a $1.7 billion million Water and Sewer improvement program and he successfully led the negotiation of the $117 million naming rights agreement at the Kaseya Center. He played a key role in the county’s rescue and recovery response in the Surfside Collapse and is currently leading the efforts to build a new waste-to-energy facility and implement a zero-waste strategy. He chairs the Mayor’s Infrastructure Group, which has secured over $1 billion in grant funding for County projects.

Before joining Miami-Dade County, Morales served as the City Manager for the City of Miami Beach for eight years, where he led significant projects like a $620 million Convention Center renovation and oversaw the city’s response to crises including Hurricane Irma and COVID-19. His public service career also includes roles as City Attorney for the City of Doral and Marathon. He also served as the Commissioner for District 7 on the Miami-Dade County Commission, in which he prepared and sponsored the legislation creating the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission, co-sponsored the historic Human Rights Ordinance in 1998 that added sexual orientation to the County's anti-discrimination laws, and was the co-prime sponsor of the legislation that created the Children's Trust. During his time on the Board of County Commissioners, Morales served as Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee from 1996 to 2002 and Chairman of the Mayor’s Task Force on Efficiency and Competition from 1996 to 2004.

Morales graduated Magna Cum Laude from both Harvard Law School and Harvard College. He has received numerous awards, including the Public School Achievement Award from The Education Fund for Excellence, the Bill Colson Outstanding Leadership Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, named a Champion of Equality by SAVE Dade, and was recognized as a Children's Trust 15th Anniversary Honoree.

Yoca Arditi-Rocha is a proud Latina and internationally recognized sustainability leader with over 25 years of experience. Trained as a biologist, she earned her degree in Corporate Sustainability from the University of Vermont and a Master’s in Liberal Arts from Harvard University, blending academic excellence with realworld impact.

Yoca is the CEO of The CLEO Institute, a women-led, nonpartisan nonprofit advancing climate literacy, policy advocacy, and community resilience. CLEO partners with communities, governments, and philanthropy to translate science into civic capacity—training educators and residents, mobilizing youth, and shaping pragmatic, people-first solutions that protect health, strengthen economies, and build climate-ready cities across Florida and beyond.

For over seven years, Yoca has transformed the organization into a national catalyst for climate action. Her strategic, equity-driven approach has unlocked several hundred million of dollars in federal funding through landmark initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act, while engaging more than 1.6 million people in grassroots education and advocacy. Notably, CLEO efforts have mobilized Gen Z youth, cultivating a dynamic generation of climate champions.

Yoca’s influence extends beyond CLEO’s efforts. She served on the leadership council of Resilience 21, a nationwide coalition of climate resilience experts, and as a member of The Resilience Roadmap’s Steering Committee at Duke University, where she helped shape actionable recommendations for the Biden-Harris national resilience agenda.

A sought-after keynote speaker at international forums, including UN climate negotiations, NPR, and major TV networks, Yoca is a respected voice in climate advocacy. Her work has been honored with the Ford Motor Company’s “Mujeres Legendarias Award in Sustainability” (2019), the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s “Hispanic Leadership Award in Sustainability” (2021), and most recently named among “100 Latinos Most Committed to Climate Action” (2024).

From her early inspirations in the Caribbean to her groundbreaking work on the global stage, Yoca channels her passion into tangible change. Under her leadership, The CLEO Institute continues to unite communities, policymakers, and industries to build a just, resilient future for all.

Joseph Abruzzo is the County Administrator of Palm Beach County, where he oversees more than 7,100 positions and manages a $9 billion budget on behalf of 1.6 million residents. He is dedicated to transparency in government, creating a positive workplace culture, and improving e􀆯iciency so residents experience the highest quality of service.

For nearly five years, Abruzzo was Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Palm Beach County, serving as the county’s Chief Financial O􀆯icer, Treasurer, Auditor and Custodian of Public Funds. Leading a team of 650 employees, he safeguarded nearly $6 billion in assets annually and modernized financial operations with automation and transparency tools. Under his direction, the county’s investment income grew from $27 million to a record $230 million in Fiscal Year 2024, reinforcing the county’s financial strength. He also launched community initiatives to protect homeowners from fraud, expand access to services and support residents without stable housing.

Before serving as Clerk, Abruzzo represented Palm Beach County in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. Over a decade of legislative service, he helped pass more than 50 bills into law, including the Florida Silver Alert program, Nicole’s Law to protect young equestrians, and legislation supporting survivors of sexual assault. He also secured state funding for local priorities such as the Pahokee Marina, Glades Communities infrastructure and mental health services, ensuring that vital resources flowed directly to Palm Beach County. He served in leadership roles, including Minority Whip in both chambers, Vice Chair of Finance and Tax, and Chair of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee.

His public service began in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, where he served as a port security specialist from 2005 to 2013. A proud veteran, Abruzzo remains a strong advocate for veterans, first responders and public safety.

Abruzzo has served on the Palm Beach County Health Care District Board and the Consumer Affairs Hearing Board. He continues to champion policies that attract new and diverse businesses and foster long-term economic growth.

Abruzzo is a graduate of Lynn University and is currently completing a Master of Legal Studies at Pepperdine University School of Law. He is married to Abigail and has a son, Joseph Abruzzo II.