Marie Selby Botanical Gardens announced today that Crystal Bailey, Esq. has joined the staff of Selby Gardens in the newly created position of Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel. Bailey comes to Selby Gardens from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, where she served for the past eight years, most recently as general counsel on the Sheriff’s executive staff. Prior to her roles with the Sheriff’s Office, Bailey worked as a prosecutor handling all levels of offenses in Pinellas County. In this new role, Bailey will oversee legal matters, human resources, volunteer engagement, and guest experience for Selby Gardens. She also will provide expert and strategic legal advice to Selby Gardens’ Board and staff leadership. Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Miami University (Ohio) and a Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2009. She is a member of the Florida Bar and Sarasota County Bar Association, Florida Association of Police Attorneys, Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and International Association of Chiefs of Police. Bailey served on the City of Sarasota’s Charter Review Committee in 2022 and is a graduate of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation Leadership Institute.