Located just south of Fort Myers and north of Naples on the Southwest Florida coast, Florida Gulf Coast University encompasses 800 acres on which academic buildings, residence halls and athletics facilities share space with wetlands, pinewoods and boardwalks in a natural setting. FGCU serves 16,000 students and offers more than 95 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It emphasizes a university-wide commitment to sustainability and service learning, with students having completed more than 4 million hours of service since the university opened in 1997. With six colleges, FGCU is committed to serving Southwest Florida with academic programs designed to meet the workforce demands of the five-county region. Growing interdisciplinary programs include The Water School and the Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship. 

Florida Gulf Coast University

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Valenstein was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He held the position through May 2021.

Florida Chief Resiliency Officer

Valenstein was appointed to the position by Gov. Rick Scott. Valenstein remained in the role during the first two years of DeSantis' administration.

Secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Valenstein was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott. He held the position until his appointment as DEP secretary in 2017.

Suwannee River Water Management District Executive Director

Florida Bar : Member

Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy : Trustee

Florida Communities Trust : Board Member

Fairchild Botanic Garden : Trustee

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust : Board Member

Biscayne Bay Commission : Commissioner, appointed by Gov. DeSantis

American Flood Coalition

Brightwater Strategies Group

Noah Valenstein, J.D., is the first Presidential Fellow in Water Policy for The Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University. Before he joined The Water School, Valenstein served as secretary for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and as the state’s chief resilience officer. Appointed in 2017, he was the first DEP secretary to serve two consecutive governors. 

As secretary, Valenstein focused on water quality, Everglades and springs restoration, coastal resiliency and conservation. As only the second chief resiliency officer in Florida’s history, he created the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection at DEP, developed the agency’s resilience grant program, and secured funding for climate change and resilience initiatives in Florida. He has more than 10 years of combined government experience.

Environmental Policy and Politics

Water Policy

Environmental Policy

Everglades

Agricultural Policy

Environmental Policy and Law

State Government

Coral Reef Conservation

Former DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein joins The Water School at FGCU

Former Florida DEP leader joins FGCU's Water School Program

Former state official named presidential fellow at university

Former DEP Secretary Joins FGCU’s Water School

FGCU Water School lands prominent name, former head of Florida Department of Environmental Protection

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