Deputy/Assistant County Administrators

Biography

Verdenia, a certified government financial manager, has been Palm Beach County’s Administrator since 2015. She oversees 7,100 positions and balances a $7.9 billion budget. Palm Beach County is Florida’s third largest county, with 1.5 million residents and growing. Notably Palm Beach is one of five Florida counties and one of 51 counties nationally achieving the AAA bond rating, critical for financial stability.  

Verdenia’s career with Palm Beach County began as a budget analyst in 1987. She demonstrates the ability to collaborate with strategic partners to enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses.

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Patrick Rutter, Deputy County Administrator, joined the county in 2003 as the Planning Division's chief planner.  He was subsequently selected as executive director of the Planning, Zoning, and Building Department in 2016. Mr. Rutter was appointed to County Administration in 2018. He oversees Planning, Zoning and Building, Engineering and Public Works, Environmental Resources Management, Water Resources Management, the Office of Resilience, and the Office of Community Revitalization. He also serves as liaison to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.  Prior to joining the county, Mr. Rutter was the director of Growth Management for the city of Weston and a planner for the city of Pembroke Pines.

Todd J. Bonlarron, Assistant County Administrator, joined the county in 1999 as Executive Director of the Legislative Delegation and more recently served as Director of Legislative Affairs responsible for developing the legislative program for the County Commission and coordinating the County’s lobbying efforts in Tallahassee and Washington DC. Mr. Bonlarron oversees the Cooperative Extension Service, Criminal Justice Commission, Intergovernmental Affairs, Libraries, Palm Tran, Public Safety and Water Utilities. He also serves as the liaison to the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA), and the Supervisor of Elections.

Reginald K. Duren, Assistant County Administrator, oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity, Fire Rescue, Human Resources, Medical Examiner, Purchasing, and Risk Management. He also serves as the Florida Department of Health Palm Beach County liaison. Mr. Duren joined Palm Beach County government in 2019 as the Fire Rescue Administrator, responsible for more than 1,600 employees and a budget in excess of $450 million. Prior to joining Palm Beach County, Mr. Duren served as the Fire Chief and Emergency Manager for the City of Riviera Beach. In addition, Mr. Duren served previously as the Deputy Chief of Administration with the City of Miami Fire Rescue Department, responsible for Budget, IT, Personnel, Procurement, and Communications.

Isamí C. Ayala-Collazo, Assistant County Administrator, Following a national search to identify a suitable candidate, Isamí joined the County in 2019 as Deputy Director for the County’s Facilities Development & Operations (FDO) department. FDO is the department within the County’s organizational structure that provides the services required to keep all other departments and constitutional offices in operation, thereby assisting them to achieve their mission. The department ensures that the County’s buildings systems, fleet, radio, security and other key functions operate correctly. It also manages capital improvement projects for county government and constitutional officers. In December 2020, Isamí was appointed as FDO Director and in December 2023, promoted to Assistant County Administrator. Isamí is a professional engineer, an attorney and, a doctor in public administration. Prior to joining the County in 2019, she served as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Department of General Services in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Tammy Fields, Assistant County Administrator, joined the county in 1989 as an attorney with the County Attorney’s Office. She subsequently was appointed as the first director of the Youth Services Department in 2015. Ms. Fields was appointed to County Administration in 2023. She oversees Community Services, Housing and Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, and Youth Services. She also serves as liaison to the Business Development Board, Career Source, Housing Finance Authority and, the Westgate/Belvedere Homes Community Redevelopment Agency. In addition, she serves on the Early Learning Coalition Board of Directors and the Circuit 15 Community Alliance as representative for the county.