Sen. Mack Bernard, Mayor Maria Marino and Rep. Meg Weinberger to keynote Palm Beach State’s 2025 spring commencement May 7

Palm Beach State College will welcome Florida Sen. Mack Bernard, Mayor of Palm Beach County Maria G. Marino and Florida Rep. Meg Weinberger as the keynote speakers during the College’s 2025 spring commencement ceremonies at 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.

Bernard will speak at the 9 a.m. ceremony, Marino at 12:30 p.m. and Weinberger at 4 p.m.

During the ceremony, which will be livestreamed on PBSC’s website, PBSC will award degrees and certificates to 2,370 graduates including more than 1,400 graduates of the Associate in Arts degree program and nearly 1,000 graduates of the Associate in Science, Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science degree programs and the certificate programs, including nearly 100 dual enrollment students, the largest cohort in the College’s history.

Currently in his first term in the Florida Senate, Bernard has also served as the Deputy Vice Mayor for the city of Delray Beach, State Representative for the Florida Elections Commission and Mayor and County Commissioner of Palm Beach County.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Bernard moved to Delray Beach in 1986 and quickly learned English.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Florida State University in just two years while working full time. He went on to receive his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida in 2003. Bernard resides in Palm Beach County with his wife, Shawn and their three daughters.

Elected to the Palm Beach County Commission in 2020, Marino is the Mayor of Palm Beach County. She previously served on the Palm Beach Gardens City Council from 2016 to 2020, including two terms as Mayor. An influential community advocate, Marino serves on numerous boards and supports more than 30 local nonprofits. A former real estate broker and executive director of the Jupiter Children’s Foundation, she is also a long-time Ladies Professional Golf Association member and published golf writer.  Marino graduated from the University of Connecticut.

She has received several leadership awards including the 2019 Women of Excellence Award by the National Foundation of Women Legislators and the Presidential Advocacy Award from the Florida Association of Counties. She was also honored with the 2023 Leadership Excellence Award by Leadership Palm Beach County and was inducted in 2024 into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame for her work on and off the golf course. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

Detroit native Weinberger is in her first term in the Florida House of Representatives. An alumna of Palm Beach State College and Phillips Business College, she is the president of Rescue Life, a nonprofit animal rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary. Over the last two decades, she has also been affiliated with Kid Sanctuary, Place of Hope, Els Center for Excellence & Adult Day Program, Friendship Circle, and F.L.I.T.E. Center, Furry Friends, Restoration Bridge, Big Dog Ranch, and Stetson University. She lives with her husband Eric, daughters Zoie and Riley and menagerie of animals.