Rebecca L. Flora, AICP, was confirmed as Governor Wes Moore’s nominee for Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning on February 17, 2023, the latest achievement in a career spanning more than 35 years, including planning leadership positions in the public and private sectors.

As Secretary, Flora provides comprehensive leadership of the Department’s mission, objectives, and initiatives, including oversight of Planning Services, State Data Center, Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), and Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM) in Calvert County.

Flora comes to the Department of Planning with extensive urban planning experience, having worked in the Pittsburgh area for more than 20 years in project management, community development, and was the first executive director of the Green Building Alliance (GBA), whose vision is to address climate change, advance human health, achieve social equity, and create thriving economies.

As the GBA’s first executive director, she led initiatives that established the western PA region as a pioneer and leader in the green building movement. Among her key accomplishments, she launched GBA’s innovative Green Building Products Initiative and led the development and adoption of Pittsburgh’s Climate Action Plan. She also supported several of the country’s “first” green projects, including serving as the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) for the world’s first green convention center.

Her professional background also includes nine years with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), where she served on the board and later as senior vice president for education and research and was a founding member of the LEED ND Core Committee, a group that takes the green certification concept beyond individual buildings and applies it to neighborhoods.

Maryland Department of Planning

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