With Just Getting Started, Deputy Mayor and City Administrator Dr. Kanika Tomalin is “telling the St. Pete story” through one-on-one conversations with change-makers. With many exciting plans and projects on the horizon, St. Petersburg’s upward trajectory remains strong. “So much has been done, but here’s the secret: We’re just getting started.
Dr. Tomalin's guest is Sharon Wright, Director of Sustainability and Resilience Initiatives for the City of St. Petersburg. Sharon is responsible for delivering Mayor Kriseman’s sustainability priorities by working across city departments and with citizens, businesses, and community partners to establish a community-wide sustainability program.
We decided to do it all all in one big Integrated Sustainability Action Plan ... that's why it has the 'integrated' name, with so much department and community input."
We're really trying to build up and fortify homes with energy efficiency, resiliency, weatherization - and some of them have already made it from getting all of those things done up to having solar panels added to their home."
Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a thought leader, policy-maker, community ambassador, and health advocate.
As the first African-American, female Deputy Mayor and City Administrator of one of Florida’s largest cities, Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a role model for women from all walks of life and an advocate for innovative policies, equitable community revitalization, healthy families, at-risk youth and education.
Her signature initiative, Healthy St. Pete, which launched in 2014, has made community health a priority and impacts the lives of thousands of Sunshine City residents. By creating access to healthy food options, implementing free fitness zones in city parks and adding resources for individuals and families to make healthy living easier – Dr. Tomalin has made a tangible difference.
Dr. Tomalin’s understanding of the critical role health plays as a determinant of overall quality of life was shaped prior to her career in the public sector. She quickly climbed the ranks in the healthcare industry, most recently serving as the regional vice president of External Affairs for the Bayfront Health Network and director of Strategy for Health Management Associates’ 23-hospital Florida Group.
