LTC 630-2019 CROMIAMIBEA
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
No. LTC#: 630-2019
L TTER TO COMMISSION
To: Mayor Dan Gelber and Member
Date: December 2, 2019
Subject: CRO
I am pleased to announce that Amy Knowles will serve as the new Chief Resilience
Officer, reporting directly to me. Amy will work across the organization to convene
departments and programs to build and operationalize resilience throughout the
city . Amy will be a strategic resource to my executive team and department directors as
we move to change or enhance planning, projects, and services to increase resilience
today and in the future. I am currently evaluating candidates for the Assistant City
Manager role as well as using this as an opportunity to re-evaluate the organization chart
of my executive team.
Now that the city has adopted Resilient305 and the Strategic Plan through the Lens of
Resilience, our goals are clear, and we must move thoughtfully and swiftly forward with
implementation. As CRO, Amy will lead cross-cutting teams to address complex issues
such as the business case analysis of the stormwater program, seawall legislation, private
property adaptation and financing, resilience building legislation, FEMA issues related
mapping and flood insurance implications. Amy will continue to work with the finance and
budget teams to integrate resilience into the capital and operational budget process. She
will continue to work with the READY Team to ensure interdisciplinary collaboration and
communication. The READY Team was created on the tails of the 2018 Urban Land
Institute Recommendations for the City of Miami Beach Stormwater Management
Program and Climate Adaptation Approach.
Amy will continue partnering with Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami to implement
Resiient305. From time to time, she will be reaching out to department directors on the
key initiatives that require our participation. From the strategic perspective, Amy will
support me coordinating the management team to achieve Commission goals and
prepare for Commission retreats and workshops.
Amy has been a valuable member of my team for four years as the city's first Deputy
Resilience Officer. Amy brings twenty years of a rich portfolio including environmental
management, strategy and planning. Prior to working at the city, Amy was the Assistant
to the City Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale , where she led vision planning,
strategic planning, process improvements, and performance management. Amy began
her career with the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource
Management as an environmental inspector, moving on to progressively more
responsible supervisory and strategic roles. Accomplishments there included GreenPrint,
the County's sustainability plan, performance scorecards and special projects.
Amy holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami and a
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, Public Policy, Administration and Law from
Binghamton University in New York. Ms. Knowles is a graduate of Leadership ICMA, the
University of Virginia Senior Executive Institute, and the Harvard Kennedy School's
executive program. Given her role as the deputy CRO under Susie Torriente, she is
ready to assume responsibility for a seamless transition as the new CRO. I have enjoyed
working with Amy and she has my full confidence and support in this new role.
Please join me in congratulating her as she leads our delegation this week to the
Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Annual Summit.