Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, has been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. The appointment was announced on October 30, 2026, alongside the reappointment of Patrick Rooney.
A Regional Safety-Net System
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is the region’s publicly supported safety-net health system, serving residents through a trauma network, school health program, pharmacy services, a skilled nursing facility, and a countywide coverage program for uninsured low-income adults. The District’s board sets policy for an organization that touches nearly every corner of the county, making its governance consequential for residents, employers, and the broader health ecosystem.
Smallridge joins the board at a moment when workforce health care access, hospital capacity, and specialty care availability are front-of-mind issues for one of Florida’s fastest-expanding regions.
Three Decades of Economic Leadership
Smallridge has led the Business Development Board for more than three decades, guiding Palm Beach County’s official public-private economic development organization through cycles of expansion and transformation. Under her leadership, the BDB has attracted and retained companies representing thousands of high-wage jobs and billions in capital investment across industries including financial services, life sciences, technology, aerospace, and corporate headquarters.
She received the Governor’s Ambassador Medal from then-Governor Rick Scott in 2013 for her contributions to Florida’s economic growth. Smallridge also serves on the boards of the International Economic Development Council, the South Florida Fair, the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, and The Education Foundation of Palm Beach County.
Where Economic Development and Health Care Meet
Companies evaluating Palm Beach County for expansion or relocation consistently cite the strength of the regional health care system as a decisive factor. Workforce wellness, medical talent pipelines, and hospital infrastructure shape corporate site selection decisions and influence talent attraction across every sector that the BDB supports.
Smallridge’s appointment places that economic development perspective directly at the Health Care District’s governance table. Her tenure at the BDB has given her a working knowledge of how employers, workforce agencies, universities, and health providers interact, and that insight carries into decisions about how the District plans for a growing county.
About the Business Development Board
The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County is the Palm Beaches’ official public-private economic development organization, representing 39 municipalities and more than 400 member organizations.
