Chief Heat Officer

In 2021, Miami-Dade County received a challenge grant offer from the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to fast start an extreme heat initiative under the Resilient305 program. This grant led to the creation of the world’s first Chief Heat Officer (CHO) position.

The CHO is responsible for improving coordination and accelerating existing heat protection efforts and initiating new work that reduces the risks and impacts of heat stress and extreme heat for vulnerable communities in Miami-Dade County.

On behalf of Miami-Dade County and Resilient305, the CHO will develop and launch a multi-stakeholder Climate and Heat Health Task Force to analyze existing conditions and vulnerabilities and identify strategies to address current and future impacts of extreme heat on human health, lives and livelihoods.