Sandy Smith, President of Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden, today announced three new members of the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors:
+ Nancy Byrne has worked in both private sector firms, primarily in acquisitions, mergers and operations, and in municipal government at the Assistant Director and Director levels, reporting to the City Manager. Following an early retirement in 2015, her interests gravitated to the ‘greener’ side of her career. Graduating as a Master Gardener in December of 2016, she became more involved with Mounts Botanical Garden, first volunteering in the Nursery Guild, then expanding to Docent, Vintage Shop and Garden Shop, along with numerous special events and the Children’s Educational programs. Named Volunteer of the Year in 2017, she also hosted a participating garden in the 2018 Connoisseurs Garden Tour and currently serves on the Finance Committee. Byrne also serves as the Board Secretary for the Tropical Orchid Society, appointed to the Board in October of 2018. In addition to those activities, she participates with the FAU Green Schools Program as a Green School Judge (2018 & 2019), along with developing a school garden and wildlife habitat for Coral Sunset Elementary School (2019), and conducting after-school vegetable garden classes with the City of Boynton Beach (2017).
+ Scott Evans has been working for both the City of Riviera Beach and the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency for 18 years. Skilled at cultivating strategic relationships and achieving mutual goals with executive leadership, elected officials, and community leaders, he managed diverse multi-disciplinary teams towards operational excellence and completion of complex construction projects valued at over 30 million dollars. As CRA Director, Evans is responsible for on-going coordination with adjacent government agencies, and oversight of all projects and programs within the eleven million dollar annual budget. Recently the CRA has embarked upon creating community gardens throughout the City’s neighborhoods. Two gardens have recently been completed and two new gardens are under development, including a new community garden on Singer Island. His previous positions with Riviera Beach include Senior Planner, Principal Planner, and Planning & Development Director of the Redevelopment Agency. He is currently an Executive Trustee of the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce.
+ Dorothy Jacks, CFA, AAS was elected as Palm Beach County’s Property Appraiser in 2016 after a distinguished 28-year career in the office. As a Certified Florida Appraiser and Assessment Administration Specialist, she has the highest professional designation in Florida and one of the highest international designations for someone who holds the office of Property Appraiser. Among her most notable accomplishments is the creation of the award-winning Property Appraiser’s Public Access (PAPA) website, the go-to tool for business, industry and government to access property data. It’s free and it’s available 24/7, as is PAPA Mobile, the browser-based tool for mobile devices. In addition to her strong technical experience, Jacks brings to the office a reputation as a proven industry and community leader. She is a board member of the Economic Forum of Palm Beach County and the Women’s Foundation of Palm Beach County, and an active alumnus and former board member of Leadership Palm Beach County. She has served as president of Executive Women of the Palm Beaches and president of the Friends of the Mandel Public Library.
“All three of these extraordinary, talented, insightful community service professionals will be invaluable assets for Mounts Botanical Garden, as we continue to grow and attract new visitors,” says Smith.
