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1000 Friends of Florida is pleased to announce that Jane West of St. Augustine has been selected to serve as the organization's Policy and Planning Director. "Even among a group of well-qualified applicants for this position, Jane stood out for her extensive legal experience and her planning knowledge," says 1000 Friends President Paul Owens. "We're delighted that she will be dedicating her considerable talents to advancing our mission of saving special places and building better communities throughout Florida." Jane starts with 1000 Friends on Thursday, September 12.
"1000 Friends is well poised to continue its leadership role in addressing the significant environmental threats facing Florida and I look forward to continuing that work with the highly regarded staff and members on issues that I'm deeply passionate about," says West. "We enjoy a unique quality of life in Florida. Our resources are wildly diverse, from our coastline, farms, springs, wetlands and forests, but they all warrant critical protection from overdevelopment threats. 1000 Friends affords that protection through smart policy, educational outreach and advocacy work. It's a very exciting opportunity."
"Jane West will bring an unprecedented record of legal talent to 1000 Friends, but also a proven history of civic engagement with governmental, business and citizen interests," explains 1000 Friends Board Chair Vicki Tschinkel. "At a time when Floridians desperately want assistance in improving communities and saving our natural resources, 1000 Friends will be even more capable of providing that help."
Jane has been practicing law for 21 years, and for the past 7 years has owned Jane West Law, P.L., a boutique litigation law firm focused on precedent-setting public interest land use and environmental cases throughout the state of Florida. She is an AV-rated attorney admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the 7th and 11th U.S. Court of Appeals and the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. She is highly knowledgeable on comprehensive plan amendments, the quasi-judicial process, and zoning matters. The majority of her case load has involved land use litigation in circuit court and the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) along with federal litigation. Previously, she practiced law in Portland, Maine at Conservation Law Foundation, and Jupiter and West Palm Beach, Florida. Jane has a law degree from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University and B.A.s in both International Relations and Fine Arts from the University of South Florida.
Jane currently serves as the Chairperson of the City of St. Augustine Beach's Planning and Zoning Board, she was the founding member and President of the St. Johns Association of Women Lawyers and is a long standing member of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers. She likewise is a founding member of GreenHands, Inc., she served on the Land Development Committee of Conservation Florida-, and chaired the Agriculture and Environmental Council for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce. Jane lives in St. Augustine Beach with her husband, two sons, three dogs and chickens.
1000 Friends, a statewide not-for-profit membership organization, was founded in 1986 to serve as "watchdog" over planning and growth issues in the third largest state in the nation. For more information, visit www.1000friendsofflorida.org.
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