Palm Beach County selects Kalinthia Dillard as next inspector general

The Palm Beach County inspector general selection committee on the record chose Kalinthia Dillard as the county's next inspector general following interviews with two finalists and a secret ballot that committee members said produced a unanimous result.

Dillard, who the record identifies as the office's general counsel and deputy inspector general, told commissioners she has practiced law for 27 years and has served in both general counsel and deputy IG roles, leading report-writing, recommendations and initiatives to improve the office's operations and statutory authorities. "I've been an attorney for 27 years to develop a reputation for ethics and integrity," Dillard said during her interview.

The selection follows a recruitment process described by Paul Matteo, recruitment selection manager in human resources, who told the committee the field had been narrowed to four finalists at a prior meeting. One withdrew and another deferred for medical reasons, leaving Dillard and Jim Kirdar to be interviewed in person. Matteo said both remaining finalists had passed background checks and verification of credentials.

Kirdar, who described more than 26 years of inspector-general and federal oversight experience, cited work monitoring roughly $5 billion in ARRA funds while at the Department of Justice as a key credential. "I was hand selected for that position," he said, describing large-scale oversight work and the value of cross-agency collaboration in investigations and audits.

Questioning from commissioners focused on three recurring themes: staffing and budget constraints; maintaining public trust and independence; and the role of technology, including artificial intelligence. Both finalists said staffing levels and funding are significant challenges. Dillard emphasized operational efficiencies, transparency and staff training, and urged a governance approach to deploying AI: "We have to be mindful of the need for a governance structure ... and be aware of potential biases," she said. Kirdar said recruiting subject-matter experts and securing budgeted positions were essential to carry out countywide oversight.

Commissioners also pressed candidates on community outreach and collaboration with municipalities and law-enforcement partners. Dillard said she would prioritize face-to-face meetings with municipal leaders and reinstate routine division-to-division briefings to reduce silos, while Kirdar said he would schedule extensive outreach to the county's municipalities and law-enforcement stakeholders.

After interviews, the committee completed a secret ballot and the chair announced that Kalinthia Dillard was the candidate the committee had chosen to lead the inspector general's office. The committee then made a motion and voted on the record to confirm the appointment; the committee announced the vote as unanimous. The committee also selected a delegate from the commission on ethics to negotiate the contract with human resources and the county attorney; Commissioner Cruz volunteered to serve as the negotiator. Staff noted the negotiated contract will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval and will not be effective until the board acts.

The committee adjourned after confirming the selection and delegating the contract negotiation.