Mayor Teresa Jacobs was sworn into office in Orange County on January 4, 2011. She is known as a champion of ethics reform, and is a strong advocate of public participation in the governmental process. Prior to being elected Mayor, Jacobs served two terms as an Orange County Commissioner from 2000 to 2008. During her eight years in office, she was elected to numerous state and regional boards, which she still serves on as Orange County Mayor.
Her first priority as Mayor was to improve the culture of Orange County Government by establishing a set of core values: professionalism, integrity, strong work ethic, innovation, fairness and accountability. Mayor Jacobs is committed to giving citizens better access to open and responsive government services and building a fiscally conservative operation in which taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
Under Mayor Jacobs’ leadership, Orange County has experienced unprecedented progress and smart growth through her deliberate domestic and international economic development strategy, which has yielded numerous opportunities and accomplishments for the Central Florida region. She remains focused on job creation and maintaining Orange County as the world’s best destination to live, learn, work, play and do business.
Mayor Jacobs graduated Cum Laude from Florida State University with a degree in economics and had a successful nine-year career in banking prior to entering politics. Mayor Jacobs and her husband Bruce have been married for 31 years and are the proud parents of four young adults.
