David Boston, Ph.D., AI Cp
About David Boston, Ph.D., AI Cp
David Boston, Ph.D., serves as the Chief Planning Official for the City of Ocala, Florida, where he has worked since 2021. He has extensive experience in community planning, having held various roles in planning and zoning across multiple organizations, and he co-founded Bears Consulting in 2017.
Work at Ocala
David Boston serves as the Chief Planning Official for the City of Ocala, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, he manages the SunTran bus service, overseeing capital improvement projects and the administration of federal and state grants. He is responsible for organizing community meetings and delivering presentations to engage the public in planning processes. Prior to his current role, he worked as the Planning & Zoning Manager for the City of Ocala from 2020 to 2021 and served as a Senior Planner / GIS Analyst from 2016 to 2020.
Education and Expertise
David Boston earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Urban and Regional Planning and Design from the University of Maryland College Park, completing his studies from 2013 to 2020. He also holds a Master of Community Planning (MCP) from the same institution, which he obtained between 2010 and 2012. Earlier, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of North Florida from 2005 to 2010. His expertise includes planning process systemization and placemaking.
Background
Before his tenure at the City of Ocala, David Boston worked at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission as a Senior Planner from 2014 to 2016 and as a Principal Planning Technician from 2012 to 2014. He also gained experience as a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Maryland from 2013 to 2015. His early career included writing roles at Suite101.com and Demand Media from 2008 to 2011, as well as a position as a Research Assistant at Wiley-Blackwell in 2010.
Achievements
David Boston has been involved in various initiatives related to community planning and development. His current responsibilities include coordinating with federal and state agencies to amend code requirements and development entitlements. His research interests focus on the economic impacts of mega-events and major political initiatives, as well as planning in areas of violent conflict. He has contributed to the planning field through his roles in both public service and consulting.
Current Consulting Role
In addition to his role with the City of Ocala, David Boston co-founded Bears Consulting in 2017, where he serves as Director. This position allows him to apply his planning expertise in a consulting capacity, further enhancing his contributions to urban planning and community development in Ocala, Florida.