Commissioner Marlene Ross
District IV
City of Boynton Beach
100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.
P.O. Box 310
Boynton Beach, FL 33425-0310
561-742-6010
561-742-6011 (fax)
email: rossm@bbfl.us

Soon after her birth in Santa Clara, Cuba, in 1967, Marlene and her family moved to the United States.  They spent a year in Chicago, Illinois, before returning to South Florida where she was raised in the City of Lake Worth.  In 1989, thanks to the Schmidt Presidential Scholarship and other scholarships, Marlene earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the College of Science at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, Florida.  In 1994, she also earned a Master of Education degree from FAU. 

Since 1989, Marlene has held professional educator positions and other jobs with a variety of non-profit and/or media organizations in Palm Beach County.  Since 1999, she has been the Director of Community Affairs for WXEL TV42 & 90.7FM---the PBS and NPR station that is licensed to the West Palm Beach market.  As the Director of Community Affairs for WXEL, Marlene focuses on education, outreach/engagement, and advocacy.  She oversees PBS KIDS Ready To Learn, the early childhood educational service provided by WXEL in the community since 1995.  She reviews requests for proposals (RFPs) and writes select grant proposals (based on PBS/PBS KIDS/NPR programs or initiatives).  She and her staff collaborate with a diverse group of community partners in order to organize several educational outreach projects and initiatives throughout the year.  Some project partners have included the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition, Hispanic Human Resources Council of Palm Beach County-Child Development Centers, the School District of Palm Beach County and T.E.N./The Education Network (Ch. 99); promotional partners have included the Sun-Sentinel, South Florida Parenting Magazine, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, WRMF 97.9FM, and WWRF Radio Fiesta 1380 AM.  Furthermore, Marlene oversees the WXEL Community Advisory Board as required by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).  Marlene also represents WXEL through her advocacy work with other key public broadcasting organizations on the national level: National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), National Center for Media Engagement, Association for Public Television Stations (APTS), and National Public Radio (NPR) through the Station Advocacy Advisory Group for public radio stations.

A key part of Marlene's platform when she ran for the City Commission in 2007 was the environment.  Following her election, she was instrumental in the City's adoption of a "Green" ordinance and establishment of a Green Task Force.  Marlene acts as the "green" liaison for comprehensive sustainability on the Commission. She favors historic preservation as a vital part of sustainability in any community and believes that working with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified builders in restoration and other construction projects is vital to local governments and the communities they serve.

Marlene is an advocate for many non-profit organizations, including local chapters of the Sierra Club and Audubon Society. She is also active in the Sand Sifters, the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and on the national level the Nature Conservancy.  In addition, she supports the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the U.S., and the National Wildlife Federation.  Locally, Marlene also supports Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Jupiter and the Animal Rescue Force in Boynton Beach.  Plus, she's supportive of other service organizations that help abused, neglected, and abandoned children and teens.  Marlene enjoys life in Boynton Beach, spending time with family and friends and caring for her cats and dogs.