Chief Deputy​/Deputy County Administrators

Biography

Joseph Abruzzo is the County Administrator of Palm Beach County, where he oversees more than 7,100 positions and manages a $9 billion budget serving 1.6 million residents. He is dedicated to transparency in government, creating a positive workplace culture, and improving efficiency so residents experience the highest quality of service.

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Todd J. Bonlarron, Chief Deputy County Administrator. Todd began his career with Palm Beach County in 1999 as the Legislative Delegation Executive Director. He developed and coordinated with the county delegation on local bills, community appropriation requests and county legislative priorities before each Florida Legislative Session.

On June 3, 2025, Todd J. Bonlarron was appointed as the Interim County Administrator by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners and served through August 17, 2025.

Todd oversees the Deputy Administrators and Cooperative Extension, Palm Tran, and Water Utilities Departments.

Tom Nadler, Deputy County Administrator, is an accomplished professional with a dual career in executive business leadership and public service. He brings over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, having retired from a senior position at T-Mobile.

In addition to his corporate achievements, Mr. Nadler has a distinguished 25-year tenure in law enforcement. Prior to accepting his current role, he served as Chief of Investigations and Law Enforcement Operations for the Palm Beach Clerk of Courts, a position held in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. His expertise in governance was further recognized in 2013 when Governor Rick Scott appointed him to the State of Florida E911 Board. He served on the board for seven years, contributing his knowledge to enhance emergency response services statewide.

Mr. Nadler currently oversees Public Safety, Fire Rescue, the Criminal Justice Commission, Intergovernmental Affairs & Community Engagement, the Medical Examiner’s Office, Court Programs, and Special Projects.

Tammy Fields, Deputy County Administrator, joined the county in 1989 as an attorney with the County Attorney’s Office. She was subsequently appointed as the first director of the Youth Services Department in 2015. Ms. Fields was appointed to County Administration in 2023. She oversees Community Services, Housing and Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, and Youth Services. She also serves as liaison to the Business Development Board, Career Source, Housing Finance Authority, and the Westgate/Belvedere Homes Community Redevelopment Agency. She is a graduate of Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in Policy Studies and Public Relations, and Stetson University College of Law.​  Ms. Fields is a member of The Florida Bar.

Patrick Rutter, Deputy County Administrator, joined the county in 2003 as the Planning Division's chief planner.  He was subsequently selected as executive director of the Planning, Zoning, and Building Department in 2016. Mr. Rutter was appointed to County Administration in 2018. He oversees Airports, Engineering and Public Works,​ Planning, Zoning and Building,  Environmental Resources Management, Facilities Development and Operations. He also serves as liaison to the Solid Waste Authority, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, and the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency.  Prior to joining the county, Mr. Rutter was the director of Growth Management for the city of Weston and a planner for the city of Pembroke Pines.

Tracy Ellison, Deputy County Administrator. With over 20 years of experience in the Human Resources field, Tracy has built a dynamic career spanning the Healthcare, Hospitality, Public/Government Sector, and Technology fields. Tracy’s comprehensive HR expertise includes leading all facets of the HR function, which includes Benefits Administration, HRIS , Employee Relations, Risk Management, Compensation Strategy, Organizational Development, Strategic Planning, Training and Development, Performance Management, Payroll, and Talent Acquisition. Prior to joining Palm Beach County, she was the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Palm Beach County.

During her tenure at Hilton Software, a leading developer of Mobile Aeronautical applications for the Department of Defense (DoD), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Tracy played a pivotal role in aligning HR strategy with the company’s mission-critical software development initiatives. She previously served as Director of Human Resources, working closely with cross-functional teams including IT professionals, Software Engineers, Quality Assurance Engineers, and Project/Program Managers to foster a culture of innovation, agility, and technical excellence. Her ability to bridge the gap between human capital and high-tech operations helped drive organizational growth and talent retention in a fast-paced, government-contracted environment.

Her leadership has consistently elevated workforce engagement and operational efficiency across multiple industries.

Tracy has a Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and holds certifications from the Public Sector Human Resources Association (PSHRA) and Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). She is also serving as President-Elect for the SHRM National Palm Beach County chapter (PBC SHRM) and has been a member and contributor of the Forbes HR Council since 2019.

Tracy oversees Human Resources, Equal Opportunity, Information Systems Services, Risk Management, Purchasing, Ombudsman, and Strategic Planning. She will also oversee agency county relationships with CareerSource, Palm Beach County, and the Florida Department of Health.​​​​​​​​