Karla Ebenbach, AICP, LEED Green Associate (Candidate for Secretary)
Professional Experience:
- President, Ebenbach Consulting LLC, Coral Gables, Florida (current)
- Senior Project Manager, Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities & The Smart Growth Partnership at the Collins Center for Public Policy, Miami, Florida
- Urban Planner, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, The Governor’s Commission for a Sustainable South Florida, Miami, Florida
Educational Background:
- Master of Urban Planning, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Secretary-Treasurer, APA Sustainable Communities Division (current)
- Chair, APA Sustainability & Resilience Series (current)
- Working Group Member, APA Inclusive Growth and Equitable Economic Development Policy Guide (current)
- Chair, AICP Sustainability & Resilience CM Credit Task Force
- Working Group Member, APA Climate Change Policy Guide
Position Statement
Thank you for considering me for the position of Secretary of the Florida Chapter of APA.
I am Karla Ebenbach, President of Ebenbach Consulting LLC, a woman-owned planning firm based in Coral Gables, Florida. I have more than fifteen years of experience in project management, strategic planning and policy development, with a focus on planning for sustainability, resilience and equity. As a professional, I am known for facilitating engagement as well as effective written and oral communication on planning subjects.
I aspire to be FAPA Secretary in order to support and strengthen the planning profession in Florida. I believe I can effectively fulfill this purpose by directly aiding the work process of the Chapter Board. I have confidence that I can serve this role well because of my directly comparable experience as Secretary-Treasurer of APA’s Sustainable Communities Division (SCD) from January 2020 to the present, as well as my other volunteer leadership roles.
In my similar role as the Secretary-Treasurer of SCD, I maintained financial records, documented division planning and decision making, and took a major role in the preparation of the Division’s Annual Performance Report. In addition, I contributed to the Division’s 2021 strategic plan, recruited new executive committee members, and aided the enhancement of internal processes and procedures. I also directed SCD’s successful annual sponsorship program.
If elected FAPA Secretary, I will responsibly record Chapter Board proceedings and serve as a liaison to Board committees as required. I will contribute to an ethos of teamwork and common purpose while assuring clear and timely communication with Board members. I will be a proud member of the Board, glad to serve on behalf of all planners in the State of Florida.