Billy Hattaway, P.E., FITE, RSP1 – Chair
Our chair, Billy Hattaway, PE, is a Principal in Fehr & Peers’ Orlando office with over 45 years of professional transportation planning and engineering experience. During his career, he has held many roles, including executive leadership roles with the Florida Department of Transportation, City of Orlando as Transportation Director, and the consulting industry. While FDOT District One Secretary, Billy also led the development and implementation of the Department’s Complete Streets policy, and Pedestrian Bicycle Safety initiative focused on improving bicycle and pedestrian safety. While with the City of Orlando, Billy led the development of the Vision Zero Action Plan and also formed and led the Vision Zero Emphasis Area at the FDOT Pedestrian/Bike Safety Coalition. He is on the Board of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and Walk/Bike Tampa Bay, and is a member of FDOT’s Motorcycle Safety Coalition, ULI Tampa Bay and an Associate Member of the Florida Greenbook Committee.
In 2014, Billy received Governing magazine’s ‘Public Official of the Year’ award. In 2015, CNU Florida awarded him the John Nolen Award for his leadership on pedestrian and bicyclist safety initiatives and leadership on implementing Complete Streets at FDOT. Billy has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology from the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston and an MBA from Florida State University.
Artie White, AICP, CNU-A – Vice Chair
Our vice chair, Artie White, is the Director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Department of PLACE (Planning, Land Management, and Community Enhancement). The City of Tallahassee and Leon County created the joint Department of PLACE to emphasize the desire to create a livable, sustainable, and economically vibrant community through the coordinated efforts of the Planning Department, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency infrastructure projects, and the Office of Economic Vitality economic development programs.
Artie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is CNU-Accredited. He has also served as the Secretary and the Professional Development Officer for the Capital Area Section of APA Florida and as an Urban Plan Committee member for ULI North Florida.
Artie has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a master’s degree in Geography from Florida State University.
Eric Pate, CNU-A – Treasurer
Our treasurer, Eric Pate, is the Principal Urban Designer for the City of Tallahassee's urban design studio, DesignWorks. Eric has worked to create walkable, sustainable, and resilient communities across the country through zoning code reform, walkable neighborhood design, and street design. His efforts were instrumental in disaster recovery planning efforts in Panama City, FL after Cat 5 Hurricane Michael.
Eric has contributed to the management plans of over 100,000 acres of conservation lands and 191 miles of state trails in Florida. Eric is committed to helping communities develop healthy relationships between the built and natural environments.
He received his Master's of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans and B.A. from Florida State University.
Alexander Adams, AICP, CNU-A – Miami-Dade Regional Representative / Board Member
Alexander Adams is a certified planner by the American Planning Association and a CNU-Accredited professional. He attended the University of Miami post graduate program in architecture and urban design before leading the City of Miami’s Miami21 complete citywide rezoning and form-based code effort along with consultant Duany Plater-Zyberk. He is currently the Planning Manager of Palmetto Bay, Florida, serves on the board for South Florida Community Development Coalition, and is the chair of CNU+Miami and Strong Towns Miami.
He is passionate about historic preservation, urban design, sustainability, bicycle and pedestrian comfort and safety, as well as transit. Alex was a founding member of Bike-Walk Coral Gables and has been appointed to numerous local transportation and preservation boards for Coral Gables and Miami-Dade TPO. He was previously the Preservation Officer for the City of Miami and Monroe County and has helped rewrite zoning codes across South Florida.
Stephen Benson, AICP, CNU-A, FCCM – Tampa Bay Regional Representative / Board Member
Stephen Benson became involved in CNU as a graduate student at the University of South Florida. In 2012, Stephen attended his first national Congress in West Palm Beach, earned his CNU-Accreditation, and helped form the Tampa Bay regional group for CNU Florida.
Stephen has worked in the transportation and land use fields since 2011 as a consultant, and at state and local agencies. At 25, he became the youngest person ever appointed to the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission. He was the first District Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Specialist in the state and led the construction of the first cycle track on the state highway system in Downtown Tampa. While at the Florida Department of Transportation, he led the implementation of the FDOT Complete Streets policy in the Tampa Bay region and received the FDOT Innovator of the Year award in 2017. Most recently, Stephen has led the reestablishment of the City Planning function at the City of Tampa, building a long-term policy agenda that advances many new urbanist principles including zoning reform, missing middle housing, and highway conversion. Stephen is an AICP-certified planner and past Chair of the Sun Coast Section for APA Florida. He holds degrees in Geography and Urban & Regional Planning from the University of South Florida.
Andrés Corrales, CNU-A – Young Leaders Co-Chair / Board Member
Andrés Corrales is a driven Sprawl Repair Developer, urbanist, and founder of Aguadulce Companies. Raised in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Andrés discovered his passion for urban development during his time studying abroad with Florida International University (FIU) in the summer of 2016. The trip included stops in many cities in Spain and a few in Morocco.
He completed his Bachelor’s of Communications at FIU and went on to pursue a master's degree with a concentration in Urban Development at the University of Barcelona, located in one of the most prestigious places for walkable urban design in the world. This immersive experience provided him with a comprehensive understanding of innovative urban design, revitalization strategies, and sustainable development practices.
In 2020, Andrés founded Aguadulce Companies, dedicated to Sprawl Repair Development and urban revitalization. He collaborates with like-minded professionals to shape vibrant, inclusive communities. Andrés is CNU-Accredited and actively contributes to advancing New Urbanism practices and engaging with industry leaders.
Briana Dobbs, AICP, CNU-A – Young Leaders Co-Chair / Board Member
Briana Dobbs is Chief Planner for the City of Sarasota Planning Department and attended her first national CNU conference in 2017. She has worked with the City for 9 years, assisting in drafting zoning text amendments, long range planning, and current planning initiatives for the Urban Design Studio, Planning Department, and Development Services Department.
Briana is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is CNU-Accredited. She also serves on the Gulf Coast Florida Planning and Zoning Association (FPZA) Chapter Board of Directors and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Citizen Advisory Committee.
Briana received her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Virginia and Master of Science in Architectural Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Design from the University of Florida – Design, Construction, and Planning School.
Christi Bowler Elflein, AICP – Jacksonville Regional Representative / Board Member
Christi Elflein was on the organizing committee of the Florida Chapter more than twenty years ago and was instrumental in starting the Chapter’s first regional group, CNU Orlando. She also started the CNU Hampton Roads Regional Group while living in Virginia. Today, Christi has returned to her hometown of Jacksonville Beach, and is the chair of the CNU JAX Regional Group.
Christi is an urban planner with experience in both the public and private sectors, including the City of Atlanta, Georgia, the Town of Vail, Colorado, and Glatting Jackson in Orlando. Today, she is the Planning Director for Starr Sanford Design in Jacksonville Beach. Christi has planned, permitted and managed dozens of projects ranging in scale from single family oceanfront estates to new neighborhoods, such as Alys Beach. Christi is also an accomplished writer and street photographer with publications in local and national magazines as well as her own book, Great Streets of Singapore’s Chinatown.
Christi received a Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and a Master’s in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Debra Hempel, AICP – Board Member
Our board member, Debra Hempel, became active in the CNU while working with Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. She attended her first national Congress in 2001. After joining HDR in 2006, Debra continued her involvement with the national organization, but began focusing more of her time at the state level with the CNU Florida chapter. She has served on the CNU Florida board since 2014.
Debra has worked in the architecture, engineering, and environmental field for more than 30 years. Her diverse background includes project management, planning, marketing, communications, and public engagement services on complex urban design, land development, transportation, and water projects across the country. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a certified Charrette Planner through the National Charrette Institute. Debra has also served as the Professional Develop Officer for the American Planning Association Florida Chapter and the APA Sun Coast Section.
Debra received her B.A. in Geography from the University of South Florida.
Michelle Zehnder – Secretary
Our secretary, Michelle Zehnder, has actively participated with CNU since interning with CNU national in 2013. Michelle is an urban planner at HDR, Inc., where she focuses on transportation planning, land use, urban design, and public involvement. She has over 15 years of experience as a planner, graphic designer, and project manager.
Michelle earned her undergraduate degree in Graphic Design from the University of Florida and completed her Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Rick Geller – Board Member / Past Chair
Rick Geller is board certified by The Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law. An attorney for more than 30 years, Rick is a partner with Fishback Dominick in Winter Park, where he represents local governments and businesses. He is city attorney for the city of Ocoee and deputy city attorney for Winter Park and Winter Garden, which have some of Florida’s best small town urbanism. Rick helped fashion Winter Garden’s Historic Preservation District Code and assisted the city of Groveland in preparing its comprehensive form-based zoning code.
Rick’s advocacy on behalf of CNU Orlando and Bike/Walk Central Florida, of which he served as vice chair, helped bring Central Florida its first cycle track, its second road diet, as well as a revision to the Orange County School Siting Ordinance making high schools embedded in neighborhoods legal again. He is CNU-Accredited.
Rick obtained a B.A. from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a J.D., cum laude, from Temple University in Philadelphia, where he was a law review associate editor.
Roya Edwards, AICP – The Palm Beaches Regional Representative / Board Member
Roya Edwards, AICP is a certified planner with experience in site design and planning, transportation planning, transportation demand management, and land use planning. She has a Bachelors and Masters degree from Florida Atlantic University in Urban and Regional Planning. In her current role, she is a Land Use Planner for toothaker.org, a land use and development law firm that specializes in entitling mixed-use developments, political strategy, and procurement.
