Draft:Ben Sorensen



Ben Sorensen is an American military officer, small business owner, minister and politician who served on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission from 2018 to 2023. He gained national attention when he moved his City Hall office into a homeless encampment, helped to house the homeless and eliminated the encampment. He was elected to public office in March 2018 and re-elected in 2020, then named Vice Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale and served as Vice Mayor from 2018–2019. Sorensen ran unopposed and was re-elected as Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner, District 4 on November 3, 2020. In 2022, he ran for the United States House of Representatives.

Early life
Sorensen was born in Rochester, N.Y. and grew up in Gainesville, FL. Sorensen has one brother and his parents were long dedicated to education and public service. His father Andrew Sorensen was a university president, public health researcher and dean. His mother Donna was a chemist, teacher and dietician. His parents' careers merged at Johns Hopkins University where his father cofounded the HIV/AIDS Institute at Johns Hopkins University and his mother served as a nutritionist and dietician to HIV/AIDS patients.[6]

Education
Sorensen received a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University where he double majored in International Studies and Spanish. In 2002, Sorensen received a Master of Arts of Leadership from Duquesne University and in 2007 he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a Juris Doctor degree. In 2010 Sorensen received a Master of Divinity from Amridge University where in 2013 he received a Doctor of Ministry. He graduated from the National Intelligence University with a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence in 2013.

Business career
Sorensen is the founder, president and CEO of Sorensen Consulting, Inc. which provides leadership training and executive coaching to corporate and non-profit organizations across a wide spectrum of industries globally. Sorensen trains thousands of leaders annually.

Prior to his 20 years in leadership training and executive coaching, Sorensen worked in pharmaceutical sales and financial services.

Military service
Sorensen is currently as department head for a Navy Reserve unit at the U.S. Southern Command.

U.S. Navy Reserve
Sorensen is the third generation in his family to serve in the United States Armed Forces. His grandfather served in World War II as a Staff Sergeant in the Army, where he earned multiple combat awards. Sorensen's father served as a Chaplain in the Army for nine years, rising to the rank of Captain.

Sorensen serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Lieutenant Commander specializing in intelligence. He was selected as an Information Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve in February of 2008. From 2008 to 2009, LCDR Sorensen served as Officer-in-Charge of a country analysis team for NR JIOC SOUTH 0174 and from 2009 to 2011 he served as the Administrative Department Head for NR JIOC SOUTH 0174. In 2010, Sorensen was named NR JOIC SOUTH 0174 Junior Officer of the Year. In 2011, Sorensen was accepted to the Defense Intelligence Agency's National Intelligence University for a two-year Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence program and graduated in 2013.

Pentagon service
Sorensen served in a Navy Reserve unit NR DIAHQ 0466  at the Pentagon from 2013 to 2018 where he worked for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While at DIAHQ 0466, Sorensen served as Administrative Department Head, Deputy Operations Officer and as the Regional Desk Officer Training Officer at the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon.

Military awards

 * Joint Service Commendation Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
 * Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
 * National Defense Service Medal
 * Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor
Ben Sorensen was sworn in as the Fort Lauderdale District 4 City Commissioner on March 20, 2018  with an eye towards improved City-County relations, addressing homelessness, implementing solutions for better traffic management, and a proactive approach to sustainable economic development. He served as Vice Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale during 2018, 2019 and 2022.Known for his dedication to effective communication with District 4 residents and effective consideration of Sober Home regulations and their impact on community, Sorensen was re-elected unopposed as Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner, District 4 on November 3, 2020. During his time on the city commission, he was designated to serve as the City's Representative on the Broward County Continuum of Care Board. To raise awareness surrounding the needs of homeless members of the community, Sorensen relocated his office to a homeless encampment in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. This was a significant moving factor in triggering the collaboration of over 40 public and private entities which resulted in more stable housing offerings, health screenings, and wraparound case management for residents of the encampment. It also prompted the formation of  “The Broward Business Council on Homelessness.” With Sorensen’s leadership, in 2019 the City of Fort Lauderdale partnered with the 17th Judicial Circuit Community Court to run Community Court out of the Commission Chambers weekly. This offering is the first of its kind in the State of Florida, with the goal of addressing the underlying causes of homelessness rather than continuing the cycle from the streets to jail. Commissioner Sorensen played a lead role in the 2022 second naming of Davie Boulevard to Rubin Stacy Boulevard to honor Mr. Rubin Stacy who was lynched in the area on July 19, 1935. During Sorensen’s time in office he worked to ensure development throughout the city was sustainable, economically beneficial to the community and respectful of neighborhoods. This included opposition to “Alexan Tarpon River,” an “AHF” proposed development, a 100 year lease of public land for private residences at the “Bahia Mar” property, and a 572 foot tower in the City’s historic district. Sorensen also played a pivotal role in the City’s embracing innovative ways to reduce emergency and first responder response time. Partnering with District 2 Commissioner Steven Glassman, he led the efforts of the Las Olas Boulevard Mobility Working Group which included collaboration with stakeholders on the issues and reviews of the concept. After a process designed to build consensus on the future of a world-class corridor over a 2.5-year timeframe from September 2018 to June 2021, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to endorse the Las Olas Conceptual Design Visions for the Eastern and Western Corridors and begin implementation. Sorensen has also played a significant role in making sure Fort Lauderdale is prepared for climate change and sea-level rise. He led efforts to mitigate impacts, with tidal control valves installed to improve the efficiency of the stormwater system, swales re-engineered and rebuilt, seawalls raised and stormwater reserves constructed. Further, Sorensen took an active role in protecting Fort Lauderdale’s tree canopy, empowered working groups and drove efforts to redraft the city tree/landscape ordinance. He also supported a City ordinance to ban single use plastic straws as well as an ordinance banning the use and distribution of polystyrene on City property and in City facilities. .

Awards

 * Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
 * 2019 Broward Community Leader of the Year Award by the Miami Association of Realtors
 * 2020 Marine Industries Advocate by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida

Personal life
Sorensen is married to Anna Sorensen, the former Director of Development at the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sorensen and his wife have two children.