Speakers

Penny Phelps possesses 37 years of experience in law enforcement and corrections.  During her 20-year career with the Bay City Police Department, Ms. Phelps was a certified bicycle officer, coordinated the Field Training Officer program, developed the community policing program, taught DARE, commanded the SWAT team, supervised a undercover drug team, was a member of the search and recovery scuba dive team and developed the Citizens’ Police Academy.  She achieved the rank of Deputy Chief of Police. 

 

Ms. Phelps traded wool socks for sandals when she began her career with the Monroe County, Florida Sheriff’s Office in 2002.  She was the operations captain for the Bureau of Corrections for seven years.  Two sheriffs later, she now oversees the Bomb squad, Civil deputies, Court deputies, Crime Analysts, Criminal Intelligence, Crisis Negotiators, Dispatch, the Dive team, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team, Major Crimes, Narcotics, Traffic and Training.    

Captain Phelps holds an Associate’s Degree in criminal justice from Delta Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in criminal justice from Saginaw Valley State University.  She holds both a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. in organizational management and leadership from Capella University. 

She is a graduate of the 184^th session of the FBI National Academy

According to the United Way of the Florida Keys, 42 percent of year-round households in Monroe County are struggling to pay for basic needs, including food, housing and health care, with the highest percentage in Stock Island, at 63 percent, followed by Tavernier, 54 percent, and Marathon, 53 percent. Join us as Leah Stockton shares the latest ALICE report with our community.

 

Leah Stockton is the President/CEO for United Way of the Florida Keys. Before joining the United Way in November 2017, for the previous seven years, she worked for the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition, serving as program coordinator and community liaison. Leah was the county's first Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor and facilitated the Monroe County Children's Group.  She has also worked in the hospitality industry in Key West.   

Upon joining United Way, Leah immediately focused on hurricane relief efforts and appreciates the support that has allowed them to assist thousands of Monroe County residents since Irma. In addition to support of nonprofit partners, and the other programs offered through United Way each year, she has continued to work on hurricane recovery serving as Chair of the Funding and Allocations Committee of the Monroe Long-Term Recovery Group.  

Leah Stockton has lived in the Keys for more than a decade. She and her husband live on Stock Island with their daughter. 

The County Administrator, Roman Gastesi, is responsible for the daily operation of Monroe County and its 21 departments. 

The administration team includes two Assistant County Administrators, Christine Hurley and Kevin Wilson. They support the County Administrator in carrying out the functions and activities of the County, to ensure effective and efficient operations.

The County Administrator does not oversee functions handled by Monroe County's five elected Constitutional Officers. The Constitutional Officers are Clerk of Courts, Sheriff’s Office, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, and Supervisor of Elections.