Advertise on podcast: Resilient Forward

In this episode of Resilient Forward, the hosts sit down with Dr. Jennifer Jurado, Deputy Director and Chief Resilience Officer for Broward County, to talk through the county's newly completed resilience plan and the Section 203 study to upgrade the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control System. Jennifer breaks down how Broward put $5 million on the table to accelerate the federal study timeline, paving the way for five major pumps designed to tackle the county's flood control challenges head-on. The conversation also looks ahead to the Southeast Florida Climate Compact's 18th annual summit, taking place November 4–6 at the Broward County Convention Center, where Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties will come together around shared climate challenges, public-private partnerships, and emerging technologies.

In this episode of Resilient Forward, Paul Taylor, Growth Director for Resilient Services at Black & Veatch and former FEMA Region 7 Administrator, joins Irela Bagué, David Rathke, and Pepper Uchino to discuss what FEMA reform could mean for disaster recovery. They share practical steps that local governments can take to prepare for the next storm, emphasize the importance of getting funding into communities quickly, and explore how the return of BRIC grants indicates that mitigation funding may finally be heading in the right direction.

In this episode of Resilient Forward, Irela Bagué, David Rathke, and Pepper Uchino sit down with Florida Chief Resilience Officer Eddy Bouza II to discuss the progress of the Resilient Florida Program, the recent signing of Florida's Coastal Resilience legislation, and the investments helping communities prepare for future risks. From vulnerability assessments and infrastructure projects to supporting local governments and measuring long-term outcomes, the conversation explores how resilience is being put into action across the state.

In this episode of Resilient Forward, Irela Bagué, David Rathke, and Pepper Uchino are joined by Dr. Erik Stabenau of The Everglades Foundation to discuss the current drought and its impact on the Everglades. The conversation also touches on recent legislative developments shaping resilience and water management across the state.

As Florida navigates drought conditions, shifting Senate priorities, and evolving environmental policy, what role does the ocean economy play in shaping the state’s future? In this episode of Resilient Forward, Irela Bagué, David Rathke, and Pepper Uchino sit down with Dr. Colin Polsky — Professor of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University and newly appointed leader of Florida’s Office of Ocean Economy — to explore the intersection of science, policy, and economic opportunity. From water scarcity and legislative impacts to the promise of Florida’s blue economy, this conversation unpacks the risks, realities, and strategies shaping the state's future.

Resilience, Risk & What’s Next: Closing Out 2025, Looking Ahead to 2026 by Resilient Forward

Florida is leading the wave in resilience. In this episode, David and Pepper recap key takeaways from the Florida Resilience Conference — from AI-powered innovation and creative funding to the growing One Water movement. Special guest Gary Hubbard from the City of Winter Haven joins to share how his team is pioneering an integrated, sustainable approach to managing all water as one. Resilience Forward — Florida’s path to a stronger, smarter, and more connected future.

Featuring Jonathan Lord, Director of Emergency Management, this episode explores restoration successes, emergency response strategies, and what lies ahead for the state.

Exploring how tech and teamwork are changing the storm game.

We are back! In this episode: ✅ 2025 FL legislative session recap ✅ FEMA Review Council's impact ✅ Preview of the 2025 FL Resilience Conference

We had the pleasure to speak with Chief Meteorologist of NBC6 John Morales. Listen in as we discuss the 2020 hurricane season projections, hurricane preparations during a pandemic, lessons learned from Hurricane Maria, the importance of scientists and climate advocacy in meteorology. If you would like to know more about John Morales follow him on social: Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnmoralesnbc6 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnmoralesnbc6/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmoralesnbc6/ To learn more about NBC6 First Alert Doppler 6000 visit https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/first-alert-doppler-6000-2/30882/. Learn more about Resilient Forward at www.resilientforward.com Follow us on Twitter @ResilientFWD, Facebook @ResilientForward, and Instagram @ResilientForward Resilient Forward is also available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, and Google Play. Hosted by Irela Bagué |​ Produced by Ana Fiotte

For those who have not noticed, it’s been pretty dry in south Florida and we have been experiencing drought conditions. Since most of us are working from home, water conservation and being mindful of our water and sewer systems become incredibly essential, and there are many things we can all be doing to preserve our water resources and protect our water infrastructure during this time. We spoke with Jennifer Messemer-Skold from Miami Dade Water and discussed water conservation, tap water, COVID-19 Relief, and flushing wipes versus toilet paper. Learn more about Miami Dade Water and Sewer visit: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/water/home.page. Follow Miami Dade Water And Sewer on social media. Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiamiDadeWater?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiamiDadeWater/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miamidadewater/ Learn more about Resilient Forward at www.resilientforward.com Follow us on Twitter @ResilientFWD , Facebook @ResilientForward and Instagram @ResilientForward Resilient Forward is also available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, and Google Play. Hosted by Irela Bagué |​ Produced by Ana Fiotte

For those who have not noticed, it’s been pretty dry in south Florida and we have been experiencing drought conditions. Since most of us are working from home, water conservation and being mindful of our water and sewer systems become incredibly essential, and there are many things we can all be doing to preserve our water resources and protect our water infrastructure during this time. We spoke with Mark Darmanin from Broward Water and Wastewater Services. We discussed the drought, COVID-19 Relief, water infrastructure, and wipes instead of toilet paper. To learn more about Broward Water and Wastewater Services visit: https://www.broward.org/WaterServices/Pages/Default.aspx. To learn more about Broward's water rebates here: https://conservationpays.com/ Learn more about Resilient Forward at www.resilientforward.com Follow us on Twitter @ResilientFWD , Facebook @ResilientForward and Instagram @ResilientForward Resilient Forward is also available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, and Google Play. Hosted by Irela Bagué |​ Produced by Ana Fiotte

This episode of Resilient Forward was recorded in early March 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in how we operate our day to day lives. Our goal was to release the episode during Women’s History Month but we decided to release it in celebration of Earth Day. We are pleased to feature two amazing women dedicated to climate literacy in our community on the importance of acting now to reduce climate change impacts. Caroline Lewis is the Founder and Senior Climate Advisor of the CLEO Institute and Gabriela Rodriguez, is a climate activist and leader for the GenCLEO advocacy program. Listen in as we talk about how far the climate change movement has progressed in Florida and the importance of climate activism. To learn more about the CLEO Institute visit here: https://www.cleoinstitute.org/ Follow CLEO on social media for the latest news and information: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLEOInstitute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleoinstitute/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLEOInstitute/ To learn more on GenCLEO visit: https://www.cleoinstitute.org/youth-empowerment-movement-1 For more on the GenCLEO podcast 'House On Fire" visit: https://www.cleoinstitute.org/house-on-fire-signup Learn more about Resilient Forward at www.resilientforward.com Follow us on Twitter @ResilientFWD , Facebook @ResilientForward and Instagram @ResilientForward Resilient Forward is also available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, and Google Play. Hosted by Irela Bagué |​ Produced by Ana Fiotte

Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez shares what Florida is doing to speed up the unemployment application process during COVID-19 and how wearing rainboots to the capitol helped him pass a transformative sea level rise bill. Follow Florida Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez on social media for his latest updates and information: Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoseJavierJJR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoseJavierJJR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josejavierjjr/ Learn more about Resilient Forward at www.resilientforward.com Follow us on Twitter @ResilientFWD , Facebook @ResilientForward and Instagram @ResilientForward Resilient Forward is also available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, and Google Podcast and Apple Podcast. Hosted by Irela Bagué |​ Produced by Ana Fiotte