Patricia West
I am a lifelong Broward County resident and feel honored to be able to call Broward County my home. My mother and I moved to Fort Lauderdale to join my father in 1956.
I attended public school here in Fort Lauderdale. I attended, Walker Elementary, North Fork Elementary, Dillard Elementary, Everglades Middle and graduated from Dillard Comprehensive High School in 1970.I am a graduate of Florida State University. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government with a minor in Sociology in 1974. I have been trained as a certified Diversity Trainer and a County Court Mediator.
I was a member of Leadership Broward Class XVII. I was honored as a Broward County Ringleader in 2023. I completed graduate courses of study in Public Administration and Human Resource Development and Adult Education. I also completed course of study for Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). After graduating from Florida State, I returned to Fort Lauderdale in 1974 and began my employment Career as a Youth Counselor with the Neighborhood Youth Corp Summer Youth Employment Program.
I also worked for the Catholic Services Bureau when they opened the first Senior Day Care Center at the St. George Catholic Church. I was a Broward County employee for over 19 years. Prior to my employment with Broward County, I worked for Broward County Public Schools for 13 years. During the past 19 years as a Broward County employee, I held several challenging positions. I retired on September 4, 2018.
My last appointed position was as the Deputy Director of the Human Services Department overseeing a budget more than $70 million; Division Director, Family Success Administration, Interim Director, Office of Equal Opportunity; Assistant Director, Family Success Administration Division, Executive Director, Broward County Charter Review Commission and the Broward County Management and Efficiency Study Committee. I also served as the Assistant Director of the Civil Rights Division and as Legislative Coordinator and Senior Legislative Coordinator in the Office of Public and Governmental Relations.
During my tenure as a lobbyist for Broward County I served as the President of the Florida Association for Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR).It is important to give back to the community, and over the past several years I served in Leadership roles a on the Boards of Hands-on Broward, formerly Volunteer Broward, Old Dillard Foundation and the Piney Grove Boys Academy.
I served as the President of the Old Dillard Foundation Board for eight years. I was recognized as the President Emeritus of the Piney Grove Academy. I served as the Chaplain and Treasurer of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. I am a member of the Central Broward Kiwanis Club and I currently serve as Assistant Secretary.
I am married to Richard Allen West for the past 48 years and have one son Richard Allen West II, married to Jeannine Maffucci, in December 2022. We have one granddaughter, Maya Catherine West, 18 months.