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Celebrating 50 Years of Florida Planning: Annual Bartley Lecture Reflects on the Past and Looks Ahead to the Future

View the lecture recording.

The University of Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning recently hosted the 2025 Bartley Lecture, “Looking Back, Looking Forward: 50 Years of Florida Planning” at the Cade Museum in Gainesville. The annual lecture celebrates the legacy of URP department founder and Professor Emeritus Ernest R. Bartley.

This year’s lecture coincided with the department’s 50th Anniversary and featured a panel of alumni who reflected on the department’s legacy, the evolution of planning in Florida over the past five decades, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Eight people stand in a row, smiling and holding awards, at the 2025 Annual Bartley Lecture event for the University of Florida. A large screen and wall with hexagonal designs are visible behind them.

Interim Department Chair Dr. Laura Dedenbach noted that this year’s panel-style lecture was a shift from previous years, which typically featured a single speaker.

“To celebrate the department’s 50th Anniversary, we wanted this year’s Bartley Lecture to feel truly special,” said Dedenbach. “We were fortunate to bring together a panel of distinguished alumni to reflect on the past, present, and future of planning in Florida.”

Each of the five alumni panelists represented a decade of Florida planning from the 1980s to the present and specialize in a variety of areas from transportation planning and community development to environmental policy and growth management. 

A middle-aged man wearing glasses, a gray pinstripe suit, and a red tie, smiling slightly while standing indoors with blurred shelves in the background.
A woman with curly dark hair, wearing blue glasses, pearl earrings, and a pearl necklace, smiles while dressed in a black blazer and dark top. The background is softly blurred stonework.
A man wearing glasses, a dark blazer, and a light pink collared shirt, smiling outdoors with a blurred background.
A man with short black hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a dark collared shirt, smiles in front of a plain gray background.
A woman with long, wavy brown hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a dark blazer over a green top, and the background is a soft gradient of pastel colors.

From left to right:

1980s: Howard Nelson Head of Environmental Practice, Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP

1990s: Elizabeth Abernethy, AICP, Planner in Residence, University of Florida Department of Urban and Regional Planning

2000s: George Kramer, AICP, President, Inspire Placemaking Collective

2010s: Jarrell Smith, AICP, Transportation Planner, VHB

2020s: Haley Busch, Communications & Outreach Director, 1000 Friends of Florida

Each panelist delivered remarks on their time in the program, their professional experiences, and their views on the future of planning in Florida. The presentations were followed by an audience Q&A that explored topics like sustainable planning, natural disaster mitigation, growth management, and other planning issues.

Six people sit on ornate chairs in a semi-circle, engaged in conversation. One person holds a microphone. They appear relaxed and attentive, with empty white chairs in the foreground and colorful decor in the background.

Following the lecture was the department’s 50th Anniversary Celebration held at the Boxcar at Depot Park in Gainesville. Faculty, students and friends mingled and danced the night away to live music from across the decades.

Kyle Dost, Instructional Assistant Professor and MURP Online Director, said the event served as a reminder of the department’s strength and commitment to empowering the next generation of planners.

“Events like this remind us of the power and connection of our community within URP,” said Dost. “Hearing from alumni across multiple decades showcases the impact our alumni have had within their communities. It also reinforces how committed our department and faculty are to preparing the next generation of planners.”

Check out more photos from the event below.

For more information on the annual Bartley Lecture, click here.

  • Four smiling people sit behind a blue table with a “UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning” banner, welcoming attendees in a bright, modern event space with chairs and colorful posters in the background.
  • A speaker stands at a podium addressing an audience during the 2025 Annual Bartley Lecture at the University of Florida. Five panelists sit on stage under a large event screen in a modern, bright venue.
  • A speaker addresses an audience at the 2025 Annual Bartley Lecture hosted by the University of Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning. A large screen displays event details and a QR code for donations.
  • A group of people socializing around tall blue tables in a modern, spacious room with large floor-to-ceiling windows and natural light. Some individuals are talking while others stand alone or in small groups.
  • Two women stand at a registration table with papers and badges, smiling in front of a sign that reads Depot Event Space. There are colorful balloons and a yellow wooden wall in the background.
  • Six people sit on orange chairs and a sofa on a stage during a panel discussion. One person stands at a podium speaking, while the others listen. Vibrant decorative lights and a display screen are in the background.
  • A group of people stand and socialize around cocktail tables at an outdoor evening event. String lights and balloons decorate the area, and a Goldies Burgers sign is visible in the background.
  • A woman speaks at a podium in front of an audience. Three people sit on ornate orange chairs behind her, listening attentively. The room has modern decor and a blue table is visible to the side.
  • Three musicians perform on stage at night; two play saxophones while the third plays guitar. They are illuminated by blue and purple stage lights, with microphones and music stands in front of them.
  • A speaker addresses an audience at the 2025 UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning Bartley Lecture, with a presentation screen and panelists visible on stage.
  • A group of people are sitting at round tables, eating and talking in a warmly lit room decorated with plants and orange tablecloths, creating a lively and friendly atmosphere.
  • A group of people dance and mingle under a white tent illuminated by purple and blue lights at an outdoor nighttime event. String lights hang above, and a live band performs in the background.
  • A group of thirteen people stand close together and smile for a photo under a white tent with string lights, illuminated by a blue glow, at an outdoor nighttime event.
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