Jacksonville owes its very existence to the waters that surround and flow through it. The city’s proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and Florida’s longest river has yielded lavish opportunities for commerce, transport, tourism, recreation, sustenance and simple beauty. Yet despite its near ubiquity, water remains our community’s greatest untapped resource. Efforts to create a truly successful urban waterfront have ebbed and flowed, while climate change threatens our unique coastal habitats and the abundant life they sustain. Join us April 5th for a special Salon, held in partnership with Jacksonville University, that highlights the economic, recreational and cultural elements of our waterways. We’ll explore new visions for these vital resources, as well as how we can forge new connections to — and also protections for — our most precious natural wonder. Our evening will begin with a reception and light refreshments at 5:30 p.m. in the Terry Concert Hall at Jacksonville University, followed by the opening of the program at 6 p.m. The program will include TED Talks, a panel discussion with experts throughout the region, and a dialogue with the audience. These discussions will focus on how we can positively effect change within the Jacksonville community, and will conclude at 8:00 p.m. The cost of “Water: Duval’s Untapped Resource” is $12, and includes one complimentary beverage. For directions to the Terry Concert Hall, download the Jacksonville University Campus Map. [This event has concluded.] Our Discussion Leaders for the evening will include:

• Daniel Bean, Holland & Knight
• Alyssa Bourgoyne, Groundwork Jacksonville
• Lori Boyer, President, Jacksonville City Council
• Dr. Quinton White, Jacksonville University
• Aundra Wallace, CEO, Downtown Investment Authority

Our panel will be moderated by Jeanmarie Grimsley, a TEDxJacksonville Team Member.

Discussion Leaders:

Daniel Bean: Holland & Knight. Daniel Bean is the Executive Partner of the Jacksonville Office of Holland & Knight. He is the current chair of the WJCT Board of Trustees and President of the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association. He is a retired Navy Captain and was awarded the Legion of Merit.

Alyssa Bourgoyne: Interim Director, Groundwork Jacksonville. Ms. Bourgoyne uprooted to Jacksonville in 2012 after spending much of her childhood in the Detroit area. Alyssa worked with the City of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department (JaxParks) in 2014 to create an online, interactive amenities map. In 2013, Ms. Bourgoyne started work as the project coordinator of the then start-up, environmental non-profit, Groundwork Jacksonville. She led the Groundwork Jacksonville steering committee through the feasibility study process, which launched the organization. She has since led all of Groundwork Jacksonville’s programming and project work along the Emerald Necklace. Ms. Bourgoyne graduated from the University of North Florida with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and Communications.

Lori Boyer: District 5 Representative, Jacksonville City Council. In 2011, Lori Boyer was elected to Jacksonville City Council and was recently re-elected for her second term. She has served on every standing committee of the Council and two years as chair of the Land Use and Zoning Committee. In 2013, Lori received the Charles Webb Award for Outstanding Service to the Council, and in 2014 chaired the year-long review of Jacksonville’s Consolidated Government. Most recently she has chaired the Special Committee on the Capital Improvement Program which has conducted an in depth review of capital accounts and borrowing practices. She is currently serving as City Council President.

Dr. Quinton White, Jacksonville University. A. Quinton White, Ph.D., is Executive Director, Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI) and Professor of Biology and Marine Science at Jacksonville University. The MSRI recently became home to OCEARCH, which is the world’s largest shark tagging and ocean research program of its kind. Dr. White joined the faculty at Jacksonville University in 1976, having completed his Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina at the Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research. Dr. White has written numerous research and technical papers or reports and received grants and contracts to support marine research at JU. Currently he is conducting research on the history of human impact on the Florida environment and especially on the St. Johns River with a focus on manatees and water quality issues. Dr. White has been active in the Jacksonville community and writes a monthly column in the Florida Times-Union called “River Life”. He is President-elect of the Southern Association of Marine Labs and Board Chair of the Southeastern Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association. Dr. White served in the U.S. Army prior to starting graduate school at the University of Virginia where he earned a MS in 1972.

Aundra Wallace: Downtown Investment Authority. Aundra Wallace is the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority. He has served in this capacity since August 2013. Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Mr. Wallace spent three years as Executive Director of the Detroit Land Bank Authority, with previous experience as the Senior Vice President for Commercial Real Estate at the North Carolina Community Development Initiative, as well as holding several senior executive and department head positions, managing community, economic and housing development initiatives over twelve years with Miami-Dade County Government. Mr. Wallace holds a Masters of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Georgia Southern University. He is a Certified Housing Development Finance Professional and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional.