James F. Murley
Director, Catanese Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions
at Florida Atlantic University

In February 1999, Jim became the Director of the Florida Atlantic University Anthony James Catanese Center for Urban & Environmental Solutions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The mission of the Catanese Center is "to work with policy makers and the public in their pursuit of options for managing growth while preserving natural systems, promoting a strong economy and planning livable communities." Jim is a 1974 graduate of the George Washington University Law School where he specialized in environmental and land-use law. Before coming to Florida, he worked for the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration in coastal zone management. He first joined the Florida Department of Community Affairs in 1983 as its director of Resource Planning and Management. In that position, Jim helped draft and gain passage of Florida's landmark Growth Management Act. In 1987, Jim left DCA to head 1000 Friends of Florida, a nonprofit, public interest group that works to promote sensible planning, economic development, and environmental preservation. Jim was then appointed Secretary of DCA by Governor Lawton Chiles, who called him a "seasoned leader on growth management issues with nearly two decades of experience under his belt." Jim is a former member of the Miami River Commission and the Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Coordination. A fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a board member of the Seaside Institute, and the Congress of New Urbanism.