Opening Keynote Speaker

Wesley R. Brooks, Ph.D.

Statewide Office of Resilience - State of Florida
Tallahassee, FL

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Wesley R. Brooks, Chief Resilience Officer for the State of Florida, will deliver the keynote address during the opening plenary at the Symposium on Flooding Adaptation: Spotlighting Solutions for Florida on Tuesday, October 29.

Born and raised in Miami, Dr. Brooks serves as Florida’s Chief Resilience Officer, leading the Statewide Office of Resilience under Governor Ron DeSantis. In this role, he spearheads efforts to improve agency collaboration on resilience initiatives and strengthens flood protection and mitigation strategies for both inland and coastal communities across the state. Dr. Brooks also represents the state on the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Working Group and serves as Chair of Florida’s Coral Reef Coordination Team. He holds a Ph.D. in Ecological Science from Rutgers University and earned Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Political Science from Duke University.

Dr. Brooks' keynote, titled "Adapting Florida for the Future – Putting Resilience into Action Statewide," will offer valuable insights into Florida’s resilience efforts and future strategies. Given his deep policy experience and knowledge of climate pressures across the Florida landscape, Wes will inspire and engage attendees and set the stage for the symposium as we gather to address the critical challenges posed by flooding.

Don't miss out! Make plans to join us.