Meet Kathryn

Kathryn Starkey is a 35-year resident and active community member of the Tampa Bay Area. Before becoming a public servant, Kathryn served her community through numerous charitable works and her appointments to various state and local boards by Governor’s Bush, Crist and Scott. She has served on the boards of All Children’s Hospital, The American Red Cross, and the Pasco Education Foundation. After serving two terms on the Pasco County School Board, Kathryn is now in her second term as a Pasco County Commissioner, running for her third term.

Kathryn is a member of Global Tampa Bay and works closely with the Pasco Economic Development Council (PEDC), where she serves as Chair of the PEDC International Committee. She is the co-founder and Chair of AmSkills (American Manufacturing Skills Initiative), a unique regional workforce apprenticeship training program. She was also recently appointed by the White House to the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee (IGPAC), serving a four-year term through April, 2022. The IGPAC is a trade advisory committee that provides general policy advice and guidance to the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

She has been a member of The National Association of Counties since 2016, currently serving as Vice Chair of the NACo International Economic Development Task Force Committee. She was recently appointed to be Chair of the NACo Workforce Development Subcommittee. Kathryn sits on the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Board of Directors, representing District 20. She is currently Chair of the FAC Federal Policy Committee. She won the NACo Leadership Award in 2016 and 2017 and the FAC Presidential Advocate Award in 2019 and 2020.  

Other awards Kathryn has received include 2008-2009 Florida School Board Member of the Year Award, the 2016 Distinguished Manufacturing Service Award from the Upper Tampa Bay Manufacturing Association. She also serves on Tampa Bay Water, Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa Bay Transportation Management Area Leadership, and Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee.