Biography

Commissioner Melissa McKinlay was elected to the Board of Commissioners of Palm Beach County in 2014, and served as Mayor of Palm Beach County in 2017-2018. In 2020, she was elected president of the Florida Association of Counties. Previously, she worked for nearly 20 years as a legislative aide to the County’s Legislative Affairs office, as well as in former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office, the Florida House of Representatives and the state Department of Community Affairs. She is a founding member of the county’s Sexual Assault Response Team. She served as State Chairwoman of the Junior Leagues of Florida, and has volunteered for local organizations including the Homeless Coalition, ChildNet, the county Community Health and Planning Network, and others. She is a graduate of Florida State University.