The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council elected new board officers for 2023 at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. The leadership reflects the Council’s range of members, with leaders hailing from Manatee County, Dunedin, Largo and St. Petersburg.
Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh is the new chair of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council board. Largo Mayor Woody Brown is vice-chair and City of Dunedin Commissioner Maureen “Moe” Freaney is secretary and treasurer. St. Petersburg City Council chair Brandi Gabbard is immediate past-chair.
“The Council’s officers play an important role in coordinating plans for our region’s future,” said Regional Planning Council executive director Sean Sullivan. “This coordination is necessary for important initiatives like the Regional Resiliency Action Plan and the Resiliency Leadership Summit that can proactively and collaboratively address regional challenges and opportunities.”
Vanessa Baugh, chair
A Manatee County Commissioner since 2012, Vanessa Baugh has been involved with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council since 2019. She is chair of the Council’s Executive Budget committee and serves as a Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Steering committee member. She is a member of the board of Manatee Port Authority and the Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Woody Brown, vice chair
Largo Mayor Woody Brown was first elected as Largo Commissioner in 2007, then Mayor in 2014. He has been involved with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council since 2012, and he previously served as chair of the Council in 2016. He currently serves as vice chair of the Council’s Agency on Bay Management, which is focused on the protection and management of the Tampa Bay estuary.
Moe Freaney, secretary and treasurer
City of Dunedin Commissioner Moe Freaney was elected to the Dunedin City Commission in 2016. She has been involved with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council since 2017, and serves as a Steering Committee member for the Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition. She has more than 31 years of experience in Dunedin and Pinellas County.
Brandi Gabbard, immediate past-chair
St. Petersburg City Council chair Brandi Gabbard has been involved with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council since 2018. A St. Petersburg City Council member since 2017, she is part of the steering committee for the TBRPC Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition, and she served as Chair of the Board of the Pinellas Realtor® Organization in 2014.
These leaders represent the Regional Planning Council’s members, which include six counties and 21 municipalities as they make long-range plans related to the future of the Tampa Bay region.
About the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council brings together governments to coordinate planning for the community’s future and provide an opportunity for sharing solutions among the local government jurisdictions in the Tampa Bay region. The TBRPC works with six counties and 21 municipalities as they make long-range plans related to the future of the Tampa Bay region. The Council’s work focuses on resiliency, planning for climate change and sea level rise, environmental management, water quality, emergency preparedness planning, protection and restoration of the Tampa Bay estuary, economic analysis, coastal zone management, housing and infrastructure analysis, local government comprehensive plan reviews, cross acceptance, dispute resolution and reviews of transportation plans. Learn more at tbrpc.org.