Beth Payne has worked at the Northeast Florida Regional Council since 2008, with roles in growth management and emergency preparedness. In 2019, she became the CEO and is honored to lead the Council, with direction from the NEFRC Board of Directors, in their work across the seven counties of Northeast Florida. Programs include Emergency Preparedness, Community Development, Economic Development and Resiliency, which are implemented with a team of 16 talented staff members.

Beth grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and received her undergraduate degree in Geography from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and her master’s degree in urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She has been living in Northeast Florida for almost 20 years, enjoying the opportunity to raise her three children in Jacksonville.