Tampa Bay Times by Emily Mahoney
June 28, 2019
TALLAHASSEE — One of Florida’s foremost champions of transparency in government announced Friday that she is leaving her post as president of the First Amendment Foundation, saying it’s time to pass the torch.
“I decided some time ago that it was time for a change, and it seems appropriate to do it at my 25th anniversary with the foundation,” Barbara Petersen, 67 said.
She added that she’s considering going into consulting work to better train government employees on Florida’s public records and open meetings laws.
“I don’t have the temperament for retirement,” Petersen said.
The First Amendment Foundation is a Tallahassee-based nonprofit that advocates for open government and lobbies the state Legislature to increase citizens’ access to government meetings and records. Both the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald are members of the organization.