Verdenia C. Baker
Occupation: Administrator
Hometown: Ft. Pierce, Florida
Board Advisor
County Administrator, Palm Beach County
EmpowHER Area of Interest: Personal Empowerment (Leadership)
Mrs. Baker is the first female and the first African American to hold the position of County Administrator here in Palm Beach County. Having more than twenty eight years of experience in organizational leadership, as County Administrator, Verdenia, a Certified Financial Manager, is responsible for administration of the policies of the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. She manages the daily operation of county government, which includes more than 6,000 employees and a budget of $4 billion. Palm Beach County is one of the few counties in the nation with AAA bond ratings and has a population of more than 1.3 million persons.
Past and Present Membership: Golden Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.- WPB Chapter. She has affiliation with several professional and community organizations including serving as the Immediate Past President of the Executive Board of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), Former President of American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Treasure Coast Chapter; Member of the Board of Directors of Black Chamber of Commerce; Member of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches, Former Member of the Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Hospital; Member of the Florida Association of Counties for County Administrators, Mentor for the Women of Tomorrow Mentor Program and Former Member of the Board of Directors of the Business Loan Fund of the Palm Beaches; She has received numerous local and national professional and civic awards.
Philosophy/Mission Statement: “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It’s about one life influencing another.”
-John C. Maxwell