Profiles in Service

Melissa McKinlay

Board Member
County Commissioner, Palm Beach County, Fla.

Number of years involved in NACo: I was elected to the County Commission in 2014 and immediately engaged in NACo activities. However, I was employed by Palm Beach County’s Legislative Affairs Office prior to being elected and worked with NACo in that role as well.

Years in public service: Off and on since 1992

Occupation: Full-time commissioner and mom

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University

The hardest thing I’ve ever done is: Become a single parent

Three people (living or dead) I’d invite to dinner: My mom (passed away in 2017), the Roosevelts and Pope Francis.

A dream I have is to: Win the lottery, use the proceeds to form a foundation and give away grants for the rest of my life!

My favorite way to relax is to:Spend a day in PJs binge-watching Netflix

You’d be surprised to learn: I was the team manager for my high school baseball team, did all of the scoring, hitting and pitching charts and went on to be a batgirl for the Florida State Seminoles’ baseball team.

The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done is: It would definitely be a toss-up between driving a combine harvester or putting on full firefighter gear and going into the burn building with 450-degree flames burning in front of me.

I’m most proud of: My three fantastic kids (Brady, 21; Macey, 19 and Annika, 17)

Every morning I read: Sayfie Review (it’s a Florida thing) and my Twitter feed

My favorite meal is: Ice cream

My pet peeve is: Mean women, the kind that always tear down other women.

My motto is: Never forget where you came from, ever.

The last book I read was: Last Train to Paradise (the story of Henry Flagler)

My favorite movie is: Steel Magnolias

My favorite music: Depends on the day!

My favorite U.S. president: Abraham Lincoln for ending the Civil War and slavery.

My county is a NACo member because: Local government is under constant attack across our country from preemptions to unfunded mandates. The relationships, the teamwork and the learning opportunities provided by NACo to counter these attacks are second to none. That and we just think Matt Chase is a cool guy!

Hero 1

Brown County, Ind. shows off its season leaves with a "leaf cam," in hopes of drawing visitors to see them in person.

During Doug Hill's tenure with CCAP, Pennsylvania counties' authority and responsibilities have expanded, particularly in the delivery of human services.

Maui County, Hawaii residents are testing their luck to see if they will be chosen during a lottery as part of the county’s First-Time Home Buyer’s Down Payment Assistance Program.

Greg Puckett saw character drain from his downtown while he was growing up. As an adult, he met an artist who could help bring it, and his county's economic vitality, back.

Adams County, Colo. looked for a way to make its airport distinctive from Denver's. The answer was to aim for the stars by becoming a spaceport.

Giving county officials a first-hand look at the immigration process is the first step toward advocating for meaningful reforms to the system.

Everything we do is creating influence and our legacy.

Nick Crossley Board Member Director of Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency Hamilton County, Ohio Number of years involved in NACo: 13

How often have you been disengaged because you saw others disengaged? How often have you said or thought that you’re not going to give 100 percent of your skills and abilities because you think your boss is an idiot, your team is just not worth it or you’re not getting paid enough or don’t have the right title or it’s just not worth your time?

During Doug Hill's tenure with CCAP, Pennsylvania counties' authority and responsibilities have expanded, particularly in the delivery of human services.

Everything we do is creating influence and our legacy.

Nick Crossley Board Member Director of Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency Hamilton County, Ohio Number of years involved in NACo: 13

Learn how workforce boards can use the flexibility of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to rethink workforce policies and invest resources to create a future-forward workforce system, while hearing best practice examples from both urban and rural counties and regions.

Incivility in the workplace isn’t just disruptive – it’s a productivity and engagement killer that costs organizations millions of dollars annually, drives employee departures and can even cause stress-related illnesses. Why is it so common – and how do you combat it? Join Dr.

Elected officials are faced with difficult topics, conflicting solutions, and multiple stakeholders every day. Do you have the skills to successfully negotiate solutions? This seminar examines the art and science behind finding consensus and explores methods and strategies to address challenging public issues.