The College of the Florida Keys is governed by a seven member Board of Trustees. The purpose of the board is to provide policy direction for the College, and we do that in part through formal action at regularly scheduled meetings. Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m.

BOT Meeting Schedule

2023

  • August 2023 - No Meeting
  • Tuesday, September 26, 2023 - Key West
  • Tuesday, October 31, 2023 - Upper Keys Center
  • Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - Middle Keys Center
  • December 2023 - No Meeting
     

2024

Daniel Leben

Leben is President of Smart Script Pharmacy and a Partner of Leben Family LLP. He is the Membership Ambassador for the Young Presidents Organization. Leben earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marquette University.

Kevin Madok, Chair

Kevin Madok, CPA is the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Monroe County, Florida. He was the Senior Director of Strategic Planning for Monroe County, responsible for the County’s strategic plan as well as capital planning and financing. Prior to serving in that position, Mr. Madok was Assistant Finance Director for the Monroe County Clerk of the Court for eight years. He began his career as a CPA with the firm KPMG Peat Marwick in the Los Angeles office and subsequently spent the majority of his career in the investment field.

Mr. Madok moved to Miami in 1995 and to the City of Layton in 1999. Mr. Madok served on the Layton City Council from 2002 to 2006. He is active in the community, having served as Chairman of the Monroe County Fire & Ambulance District One Board of Governors, Treasurer and Chair of the Florida Keys Chapter of the FICPA, Board Member and Treasurer of the Key West Montessori Charter School, Board Member and Treasurer of the Southernmost Republic Club, member of the Rotary Club of Key West, and is a graduate of Leadership Monroe Class XXI.

Mr. Madok earned his BBA in Accounting from the University of San Diego and an MBA in Finance from the University of Southern California.

Michelle Maxwell

Maxwell is an Attorney and Inspector for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. She is a board member of the Sunrise Rotary of Key West, CareerSource, South Florida, and the Sigsbee Charter School Board. Maxwell earned her bachelor’s degree from Shepherd University.

Mike Puto

Known as “Mr. Marathon,” Mike Puto has spent his life dedicated to the Middle Keys community. Puto is an alumnus of Marathon High School, Florida Keys Community College, and St. Leo University. He was a high school teacher and worked in his family’s auto parts business before beginning his career in public service. In 1986, he was elected to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. During his tenure, he served as Vice Mayor and Mayor. He twice held the position of Marathon’s City Manager from 2004 to 2008 and 2014 to 2016.

Puto was a member of Leadership Monroe County- Class Two and has held numerous leadership positions in community organizations including: the Pigeon Key Foundation Board (Vice President), the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter (President), the Marathon Alumni Athletic Club (President), the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative (Secretary), the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce (Ambassador), Take Stock in Children (mentor), and the Marathon Yacht Club Education Foundation. He is also a member of the Marathon Elks Club, the Marathon Moose Club, the Marathon Lions Club, and the Marathon Rotary Club.

Alexandria Suarez

Alexandria Suarez, Esq. is a lawyer and former Assistant State Attorney for Monroe County. Her professional career began as a tenured public middle school teacher. She was appointed School Director and Parent Liason in a school-wide socratic curriculum which earned an A+ rating by the Florida Board of Education. She moved to the healthcare sector engaging with healthcare providers in various therapeutic areas, including psychiatry. As a 2nd year law student, she was an Assistant Learning Instructor for first year law students. After earning her Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, she practiced in both the private and public sector -most recently as an Assistant State Attorney in the upper and middle keys.

She continues to serve her community as an annual guest speaker on behalf of the Commission on Ethics & Public Trust and as Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Keys Republican Executive Committee. Trustee Suarez was the recipient of the 2019 Lawyer of Distinction award; 2016 Avvo Client Choice Award in healthcare law; member of Phi Alpha Phi Honor Society and former e-Board member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund; and a member of the Federalist Society.

Sheldon Suga, Vice Chair

Sheldon Suga is the VP and Managing Director of Hawks Cay Resort located in the Florida Keys. He is a seasoned hospitality executive with over 40 years of industry experience. He started his career as a room clerk in Niagara Falls Canada for summer employment which led him to pursue a degree in Hospitality Management at Ryerson University in Toronto. Upon graduation, Sheldon was accepted into ITT Sheraton’s General Management Training program. During his time with ITT Sheraton, he attained the ITT Ring of Quality Worldwide Team Award and served as general manager at properties in West Hartford, New York City, Halifax, La Jolla, and Los Angeles. He also worked in Tokyo and was country manager for ITT Sheraton. He has also worked for Wyndham hotels and resorts as an area director in Atlanta and Puerto Rico. He worked in Orlando at the Gaylord Palms as the VP Hotel Manager and was the opening SVP and general manager of the Gaylord National Resort.

Sheldon currently serves as Immediate Past Chair on the FRLA State Executive Committee, a member of the District III Advisory Committee of the Monroe County TDC and a board member of Visit Florida. Additionally, he is on the Board of Trustees for The College of the Florida Keys. He has also served on the board of Tourism Halifax, Maryland Hotel and Motel Association and on the Maryland Tourism Development Council.

Sheldon and his wife Laura really enjoy living down in the Florida Keys for the past 12 years. He is an avid fly fisherman and also enjoys running.

Richard Weinstein

Richard began his career in the hospitality industry in various roles for nine years with Eastern and Continental Airlines. He then spent four years as a full-time tourism consultant for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, then joining Carnival’s Crystal Palace, an 800-room casino and golf resort as Director of National Sales. Following this position, Richard remained with Carnival Corporation for 15 years and grew into his role as Vice President of Corporate Sales, working under the company’s flagship cruise brand, Carnival.

Richard arrived at Ocean Reef Club in 2008 as the Vice President of Membership and Marketing with his role expanding through the years to additionally include the management at various times for the Retail Operations, opening of the new Salon and Spa, Member and guest Sales related to the Inn, redevelopment of the Yachtsman Building and ultimately assisting in his role as Sr. Vice President in the primary leadership for the club in the absence of a Club President for two years. Departing from full time work with the Club in 2021 he is now President and COO for the Ocean Reef Community Foundation.