On Jan. 3, newly elected Port of Palm Beach Group 5 Commissioner Dr. Deandre Poole took the oath of office in a private ceremony alongside his wife Stephanie Poole.
Poole is a native of West Palm Beach and a graduate of Suncoast High School. He serves as a university instructor, coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University.
“I ran for the port because I believe with the right leadership, the port can continue to be an economic engine in Palm Beach County, and be put in a solid position to find additional opportunities for revenue growth and the creation of even more sustainable local jobs for the community,” Poole said.
Re-elected Commissioner Blair Ciklin, the longest serving commissioner on the board, was sworn-in by the Port of Palm Beach District Clerk Beatrice Greffin. Both Ciklin and Poole were elected during the Nov. 8 general election and will serve four-year terms.
Newly appointed Group 2 Commissioner Varisa Lall Dass was officially sworn-in Thursday, Jan. 5. The board appointed Dass to the Group 2 seat to fill a vacancy. She will serve the remainder of the Group 2 term, which expires in January 2025. She is the first Trinidadian American woman to serve as a Port of Palm Beach commissioner.
“I am so grateful for this new opportunity to serve in this capacity. I look forward to continuing the great work we do here at the Port,” Lall Dass said.
Lall Dass currently works as a practice group partner at Kelley Kronenberg and previously worked as an assistant state attorney, assistant public defender and general assignment news reporter.
