SACE Statement on the appointment of Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s Chief Resilience Officer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor DeSantis just appointed Dr. Julia Nesheiwat as Florida’s new Chief Resilience Officer, tasked with coordinating statewide resilience goals and preparing Florida for the environmental, physical and economic impacts of climate change. Nesheiwat most recently served as the Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and was previously appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Implementation in the Bureau of Energy Resources.

In response to the appointment, SACE Florida Director Susan Glickman offered the following statement:

“With Floridians feeling the heat and paying the price for climate change impacts, it’s key to have a Chief Resilience Officer tasked with meeting the challenges of sea level rise and extreme weather. Dr. Julia Nesheiwat, who at the State Department managed the integration and collaboration of analysis and reporting with intelligence agencies, brings skills that can make Florida more resilient by assessing vulnerabilities and marshaling resources. She can also help to advance the vital work underway at the regional resiliency compacts around the state. We look forward to working together with Dr. Nesheiwat to find ways to adapt to climate impacts underway and to dramatically reduce the dangerous emissions driving the problem.”