Kathy Baylis President, Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County

Kathy Baylis is the President of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, the public/private economic development partnership that creates and fosters economic opportunities by working with their community and regional partners.

Baylis became the President of the EDC in October 2004 having previously served as the Vice President President of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. She has served the Sarasota County community in a variety of volunteer roles including Chairman of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and President of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce. She is currently the chair of the City of Sarasota CRA Advisory Board, a member of the Suncoast Workforce Board and the SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence) Board of Directors. Baylis also serves as a Commissioner of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority. 

She has her bachelor's of art degree from Hillsdale College in Michigan, a master's degree in education from Indiana University and a master's in business administration from Nova Southeastern University.  She is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and recently earned the designation of Certified Economic Development (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council.