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  4. 2024 APA Florida Executive Committee Elections

Lara Bouck, AICP, PE (Candidate for Vice President of Continuing Education)

Professional Experience:

  • Sr. Transportation Engineer/Project Manager with MetroPlan Orlando. Support the Transportation System Management & Operations Transportation (TSM&O) program, concentrating on leveraging technology-based and non-capacity strategies to improve the safety and reliability of the existing transportation system in Central Florida. (4 years)
  • Chief Production Engineer at City of Tampa. Managed the Capital Program for the City’s Mobility Department. (1 year)
  • Detail-driven transportation professional with more than 20 years of progressively responsible experience as a transportation planner and engineer.

Educational Background:

  • Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. May 2004
  • Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. June 2002

APA/APA Florida Experience:

  • APA Florida Chapter VP of Continuing Education, 2022-Present.
    • Committees: Bylaws (2018-Present)
    • EDI (2018-Present)
    • State Conference Committee (2022-Present)
  • APA Florida Chapter Secretary, 2018-2022.
    • Committees: Bylaws, EDI, Editorial (2018-2022)
  • Orlando Metro Section: 1st Vice President, 2013-2017, At-Large Director, 2012
  • FPC Host Committee, 2020 and 2022: Mobile Tours (co-chair) and Programs subcommittees
  • FPC Host Committee, 2012: Programs and Logistics subcommittees
  • APA (National) Task Force for AICP Exam Recertification 2021-2022

Position Statement

My time on the APA Florida Executive Committee has been incredibly inspiring and educational as I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the benefits available to APA members and gotten to learn from and work with dedicated planners from around the state. Given the continuing education requirements for AICP-certified planners and the need for each of us to continue refining our technical skills and understanding of how the planning profession fits into broader community development objectives makes this role a critical one for the Chapter.

The Chapter’s current Strategic Plan lays out a variety of tasks to support the goal of expanding and diversifying opportunities to develop the professional skills of planners at all levels statewide, including partnering with our excellent state universities and allied professional colleagues to identify learning opportunities based on their research and planning-related work, and researching alternative technologies to provide both CM and non-CM professional development. I relish the opportunity to continue to work with the dedicated APA Florida staff, executive committee, Section leaders, and others who commit their time to dive into this work and help the Chapter serve our members with frequent, easily-accessible opportunities for high-quality educational content. Additionally, I am committed to building on relationships with allied organizations to bring a broad range of educational and professional development resources to our members.

I am a champion for the planning profession and continually seek out opportunities to support the work we do as planners to improve our communities. I believe that my experience and proven commitment to APA Florida and the planning profession will continue to be an asset to the organization. I would be honored to continue serving the membership of APA Florida as VP of Continuing Education and, if elected, thank all who vote for me in advance.