Elected to the Palm Beach County Commission on November 3, 2020, Maria Marino currently serves as Vice Mayor. She previously served on the Palm Beach Gardens City Council from 2016 – 2020, and was the City’s Mayor in 2017 and 2018.
Maria is the Chairman of the Solid Waste Authority, the Pal Mar Water Control District and Bioscience Land Protection Advisory Board, is Vice Chair of the Palm Beach County Transportation Planning Agency and Secretary/Treasurer of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. She is a board member of the Loxahatchee River Management Coordinating Council, the 16-County Coalition for Lake Okeechobee, and the Florida Association of Counties (FAC). Maria is a Policy Leader on the FAC Community and Urban Affairs Policy Committee, and is Vice Chair of the FAC Finance and Tax Committee. She serves on the National Association of Counties Environment, Energy and Land Use steering committee. She is the immediate past Chair of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (Tri-Rail).
She is also a 2019 Women of Excellence Award Honoree by the National Foundation of Women Legislators. Additionally, she received the 2020-21 and 2022-23 Presidential Advocacy Award from the Florida Association of Counties.
Maria is the 2023 Leadership Excellence Award winner of Leadership Palm Beach County (LPBC) and a graduate of the Class of 2010. She has served on its Board of Directors, chaired several committees, and continues to participate as a panelist and moderator for several LPBC events throughout the year.
The 2017 “Woman of the Year” by the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce, Maria is also a mentor and panelist with the Chamber’s Women in Business Mentorship Boot camp, sits on several subcommittees and is a Past Trustee Member.
Maria was the Broker/Owner of Marino Realty Group and served as the Executive Director of the Jupiter Children’s Foundation for over 20 years.
With a strong belief in community service and philanthropy, she has supported many initiatives targeted at enriching the lives of at-risk youth and building business relationships that benefit those in need. In this capacity, Maria has been involved with over 30 local nonprofits, is a member of the University of Connecticut’s Women and Philanthropy organization, and is a member of Impact of the Palm Beaches.
Additionally, Maria serves as a Board Member with the Children’s Golf Foundation and The First Tee of the Palm Beaches, is a past board member and President of the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center and continues to serve as an Ambassador with the Honda Classic.
She also co-chaired Palm Beach County Cares, a disaster relief organization and served as a Board Member with the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches.
Maria has been the guest speaker at state and national conferences, and most recently served as the Keynote Speaker for the Miami Women Leaders Conference.
She also serves as the emcee for the Annual Melanoma Foundation Charity Luncheon.
A native of Connecticut and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, Maria won the State Women’s Amateur Golf Championship in 1985. She came to Florida to improve her golf skills and never left the Sunshine State. As a nearly 30-year member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, Maria has been a mentor with the LPGA, served on the organization’s National Marketing Committee, and was Southeast Section Treasurer. She was the Director of Instruction for the Joanne Carner Golf Academy and mentored many other LPGA members in that capacity. She is also a 20-year member of the Golf Writers Association of America, with works published locally and nationally.
Maria is also a 2019 Honoree of the Norwalk, Connecticut Old Timers Athletic Association that recognizes hometown heroes who have distinguished themselves in sports and beyond.