Geraldine Campos Lopez recently joined Manatee County as the director of the county's new Redevelopment and Economic Opportunity Department. The department will oversee redevelopment efforts, particularly in the county’s southwest district. It will also include the Housing and Community Development and Economic Development divisions, formerly a part of the Neighborhood Services Department. Lopez was most recently a private sector consultant. She has more than 20 years of experience spanning the redevelopment, economic development, community development and urban real estate development markets in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.