Introducing CBI's Florida Office

CBI is excited to announce the establishment of our Florida office, led by Tampa native Ashira Pelt, whose family has called Florida home for five generations. Ashira brings a decade of experience in facilitation and mediation, with expertise in international development and diplomacy. Ashira is based in Tampa, and is excited to use the breadth of her experience to support her home state and the Southeast.

Others at CBI will be working with Ashira on Florida projects. This includes Sofia Soto Reyes, an experienced D.C.-based facilitator, who brings a particular interest in risk and resilience in South Florida. As a proud Cubanita (on her mom’s side!), Sofia’s deep connection to the region comes via a lifetime of visits to Miami (and partial residency from time to time) that have rooted her commitment to the state. 

Ashira Pelt.

The Florida office will focus on critical regional priorities, including (but not limited to): coalition building, affordable housing, water management, wildlife conservation, extreme heat mitigation, Everglades protection, land use planning, siting, and safe and healthy communities. 

Ashira has been engaging across the state, connecting with municipalities, NGOs, and foundations. She and Sofia have attended regional events such as the inaugural Statewide Community Conference on Environmental Hazards in Tampa, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit, and the inaugural Resilience 365 Conference during the first annual Miami Climate Week. And they’re fostering academic partnerships with universities to develop workshops, certifications, and speaking engagements. In recent months, the Florida office also conducted a two-day professional development workshop for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program on facilitation, conflict resolution, and negotiation. If you or someone in your network is based in Florida and interested in potential collaboration opportunities, we welcome your connections as we continue to expand our presence and impact throughout the state.