
Debby Baker serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary since 2022. She is an attorney of counsel with the Scott Law Team, practicing in the areas of employment, healthcare, contracts, transactions and corporate law, and is licensed in Florida and Indiana. She is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. Debby earned her law degree from The Ohio State University, and her undergraduate bachelor of science degree in Business Economics and Public Policy, from Indiana University.
She enjoys volunteering at the Center, including with Simon’s Giving Garden. She is also a member of 100 Women Who Care (Jupiter/Tequesta), and participates in community volunteer projects related to hunger, children and families, and mental health and well-being.
Commissioner Marino was elected to the Palm Beach County Commission in 2020 after serving as Palm Beach Gardens City Council starting in 2016 and the City’s Mayor in 2017. Previously, she served 2 years on the Palm Beach Gardens Recreation Advisory Board and the Palm Beach Gardens Clubhouse Ad-Hoc Committee.
Civically, she sits on a multitude of county and statewide boards including the Palm Beach County League of Cities, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and the Transportation Planning Agency of Palm Beach County, where she is currently the Vice-Chair.
Maria was awarded the 2017 Woman of the Year by the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce. She is Chair of the Chamber’s Smart and Connected Regions Task Force and a Past Trustee Member.
Recently, Maria was a 2018 Recognition Award Winner from Mama’s Shelter.
Maria owns a Real Estate firm based in Palm Beach Gardens and served as the Executive Director of the Jupiter Children’s Foundation before being elected Commissioner.
With a strong belief in community service and philanthropy, she lends her talents to many public initiatives targeted at enriching the lives of at-risk youth and fostering relationships in the business world that benefit underserved populations.
In addition to the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center, Maria has served as a Board Member with the Children’s Golf Foundation, The First Tee of the Palm Beaches. Maria is an Ambassador with the Honda Classic, just completed two years as Honorary Chair of the Scripps Research Golf Classic and is a past Board Member with Leadership Palm Beach County. Maria served as the Honorary Chair for the Edna W. Runner Golf Classic and advises a multitude of local charities with their fund-raising efforts. She has been a featured writer with several local publications and is a Member of the Golf Writers Association of America.
Maria is a native of Connecticut and a graduate of the University of Connecticut. After winning the State Women’s Amateur Championship in 1985, Maria came to Florida to improve her golf skills and never left.
As a professional golfer, Maria has been a member and mentor with the Ladies Professional Golf Association since 1994, where she served on the organization’s National Marketing Committee and as Southeast Section Treasurer. She teaches national for the LPGA and in this role, has introduced out of town golfers to the multitude of opportunities in South Florida.
“You can be a huge success in business, but what have you done for your community?” she says. “At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.”