DeSantis names new head of state environmental regulatory agency

Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday named a career staffer — the daughter of his former elections crimes chief — as Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
 
Since 2018, Alexis Lambert has served as chief of staff for the state’s Division of Bond Finance. Before that, she worked at the state Department of Health as a chief of staff and communications director.
 
Lambert is the daughter of Pete Antonacci, a longtime Tallahassee fixer who died suddenly in 2022 after serving as general counsel under Rick Scott. She replaces Shawn Hamilton, who joined the department in 2007 and was named to the top job three years ago.

She replaces Shawn Hamilton, who joined the department in 2007 and became deputy secretary over parks before DeSantis named him to the top job three years ago.