At its Oct. 7 meeting, the St. Johns County Commission is scheduled to consider confirming Christine Valliere as the county’s new economic development director.
Valliere has been serving in the role since Sept. 29. If confirmed, she would succeed Sara Maxfield, who held the position for about a year before leaving for undisclosed reasons.
Valliere is an attorney with more than 30 years of experience in land use, utility and local government law. In her new role, she will be expected to help shape the county’s long-term economic development strategy by creating tools to attract new businesses that bring high-quality jobs, according to county documents.
Valliere joined the city of Jacksonville in July 2024 as assistant general counsel, advising city utility JEA on real estate, development review, regulatory enforcement and interlocal agreements. Before that, she spent five years as a senior assistant county attorney in St. Johns County, providing legal guidance on zoning, land use planning, transportation and real estate acquisition.
Previously, Valliere worked as an assistant county attorney in Brevard County, where she provided counsel on local government issues and led litigation in real estate, zoning and eminent domain while overseeing public real estate acquisitions exceeding $100 million.
Valliere earned her law degree from Case Western Reserve University and her bachelor’s from the University of Florida. Valliere is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Florida Bar Association and the Florida Association of County Attorneys.
“I am thrilled to welcome Christine Valliere back to St. Johns County,” District 2 Commissioner Sara Arnold said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position.”
The county declined to comment on Maxfield’s departure, per its policy regarding former employees.