CareerSource Polk CEO Stacy Campbell-Domineck was fired after 20 years in the role, following a request from two state oversight officials appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Polk County Commission voted 3–2 on Oct. 6, 2026, to terminate her with cause, then dismissed the organization’s entire board.
The decision followed hours of arguments from Campbell-Domineck and her attorney. It came after state officials alleged mismanagement and raised objections to what they described as a “woke” fundraiser. A third-party investigation found some allegations legitimate and others unsubstantiated, but did not recommend personnel changes.
Polk CEO Fired After State Officials Raise Allegations
In August, CareerSource Florida CEO Adrienne Johnston and FloridaCommerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly asked commissioners to fire Campbell-Domineck. Kelly had served as DeSantis’s deputy chief of staff before the governor appointed him to his state role.
Their letter alleged that CareerSource Polk violated a performance improvement plan under Campbell-Domineck, ended contracts with commercial driver’s license providers without notice and barred children from its facility. It also criticized a fundraiser, saying attendee accounts described an event with awards based on diversity, equity and inclusion principles.
The letter warned that DeSantis could remove commissioners if they did not consider firing Campbell-Domineck. CareerSource Florida grades county programs statewide. Polk’s program had received an “exceeding expectations” rating until Johnston became the state organization’s CEO in 2023, according to the source report.
At the Oct. 6 meeting, commissioners also reviewed the program’s 2024 and 2025 evaluations. Those reviews portrayed CareerSource Polk as among the state’s lowest-performing programs. The source report said Campbell-Domineck earned $225,217.05 in salary and $10,000 in bonuses as president and CEO.
Investigation Called for Oversight, Not Personnel Changes
The county-funded third-party investigation did not resolve every disputed allegation. It said some claims in Johnston and Kelly’s letter were legitimate, while others were not substantiated. The report did not say whether commissioners should dismiss Campbell-Domineck.
Investigators said evidence showed a need for “immediate corrective action and enhanced oversight.” They also said they could not fully attribute the problems to one person or recommend personnel changes. That distinction left the final employment decision to commissioners.
Commissioner Bill Braswell opposed firing Campbell-Domineck. He said at the meeting he believed state officials were discreetly pressuring the commission and that Florida had lost confidence in the local program. He nevertheless supported an overhaul of the organization.
Braswell said he expected change to happen whether commissioners initiated it or not. The commission ultimately removed both the CEO and the board, while Braswell voted against Campbell-Domineck’s termination.
CareerSource Polk connects job seekers with employers in the county. The 30-year-old program is funded largely by federal tax dollars and donations. The commission’s action therefore leaves its leadership and board structure changed as the organization faces the state’s performance concerns.
The source report said Campbell-Domineck’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Separately, CEO coverage has examined leadership lessons from Donna Ladd, an award for CEO Jennifer Stewart and CEOs centering safety culture.
The commission’s vote is the immediate outcome; the investigation’s call for stronger oversight remains the clearest stated next step. The source report does not identify a timetable or specific corrective measures.