The City of Haines City is pleased to announce that Auburn Taylor has been promoted to Assistant City Manager.

Taylor assumes her new role with nearly 20 years of experience working in municipal government, including 16 in Haines City and 10 as a director. As the city’s Human Resources and Organizational Development Director over the last five years, she was tasked with overseeing recruitment and retention, benefits, risk management, compliance, employee relations, wellness, training and development, performance management.

“It’s always exciting to take on new challenges and I’m thrilled to be able to continue to serve the residents of Haines City,” Taylor said. “We’ve seen incredible growth and progress over the past several years and I look forward to seeing that trend continue.”

Prior to her stint as director over Human Resources, Taylor served as Parks and Recreation Director for five years where she oversaw city parks, recreation, special events, facility maintenance and aquatics. A certified Parks and Recreational Professional, Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University in Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.

A recipient of the city’s Executive of the Year Award, Taylor holds certifications in Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion from the University of South Florida and in Employment Law from the Institute for Applied Management and Law. Taylor will sit for a national accreditation in Human Resources in the spring. She’s also a member of the Society of Human Resources Management, International Public Management Association for Human Resources, Florida Recreation and Park Association and the National Recreation and Park Association.

A wife to Ryan Taylor and mother of four children, she serves on several local committees and advisory boards. That includes Polk County Career Academies and Ridge Technical College. 

“Having someone with Auburn’s knowledge of the city, long list of credentials and experience working as a director over two different major departments here made her a perfect fit,” said Edward Walker Dean, City Manager. “She’s been incredibly committed to this community and we’re excited to see her excel in her new role.”