Sarasota County Government Hires Patchen As Communications Director

Donn Patchen is set to be the new Director of Communications and Civic Engagement for Sarasota County.

County Administrator Randall Reid announced the appointment Friday. Patchen previously was Division Manager for Community Information and Outreach for Miami-Dade County.

"Donn shares Sarasota County's values of public service, open communication and civic engagement," Reid said.

"His experience will help us create a premier communications department that provides extensive public information, along with opportunities for active citizen participation in county government using the latest communications technologies."

It's been more than a year since County Government had a permanent communications director when Susan Scott resigned in July 2011. Crystal Pruitt held the interim position until May, opting for another position on the communications staff when Selby Library Manager Liz Nolan took over.

Patchen brings more than two decades of experience in broadcast media and government communications to Sarasota County.

"My entire communications career has been focused on serving the public and I look forward to leading a team that values public service, operates as efficiently as possible and utilizes technology to help educate and inform the community about the services available in Sarasota County," Patchen said in a statement. 

Patchen is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Telecommunications. He previously was Director of Communications for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee, Assistant Director and Technical Director for WPLG-TV in Miami and Production Specialist for WLRN-TV in Miami.

Patchen's hiring is conditional upon the successful results of a physical examination and processing of paperwork.

"He is active in social media and has experience that will assist us in event coordination, corporate branding , better communicating our message in multiple venues and  enhancing our cable utilization. Mr. Patchen values public service and our Commission Manager form of government," Reid said in an email. "We are developing a excellent staff of which I am quite proud and look forward to him joining our staff Sarasota County in appropriately 30 days."