Date 6/14/2019
CONTACT: Cragin Mosteller – (850) 294-9307
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Commissioner Emily Bonilla
earns Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) Designation
ORANGE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Counties Foundation (FCF) presented Orange County Commissioner Emily Bonilla with the Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) designation following completion of a comprehensive study program developed by the Foundation. Commissioner Bonilla received the designation along with 22 other county commissioners during an awards ceremony held at the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Annual Conference in Orange County, Florida.
“The programs at FAC have been instrumental to me as a Commissioner. I have learned a lot about how counties work in Florida in order to make better decisions for my constituents. I don’t know of any other place I could have learned all the knowledge I have gained from FAC,” says Commissioner Emily Bonilla.
Launched in 2006, the Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) education program is an advanced leadership program designed for graduates of the Certified County Commissioners (CCC) program.
The course content focuses on leadership with an emphasis on the future of Florida. Participants are tasked with preparing for the future by thinking and acting anew and asserting skillful leadership in times of daunting challenges and rapid change.
“Given that this is a voluntary program, those commissioners who chose to participate have shown an exemplary commitment to the betterment of the communities they serve,” said Florida Counties Foundation Executive Director, Eric Poole. “The program is structured in a way that allows veteran commissioners from across the state to work collaboratively on Florida’s most pressing challenges.”
The ACC program is organized as a series of three seminars, with 27 total hours of course work. Participating commissioners must commit to fully participate in all three seminars in order to graduate.
The University of Florida/IFAS Extension has sponsored this program for the last twelve years in Alachua County. For more information about the ACC program and other educational courses, visit the FCF website at http://factor.fl-counties.com.
For more than 85 years, the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) has represented the diverse interests of Florida’s counties, emphasizing the importance of protecting home rule – the concept that government closest to the people governs best. The Florida Association of Counties helps counties effectively serve and represent Floridians by strengthening and preserving county home rule through advocacy, education and collaboration.
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Commissioner Emily Bonilla was elected in November 2016 to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Her district runs from parts of Downtown Orlando to East Orange County through Bithlo and Christmas. Commissioner Bonilla is honored to serve her district because she has the opportunity to improve the lives of residents by focusing on smart growth, economic development, protecting the environment, supporting local service organizations, and listening to the people.
