SRQ Magazine | 35 Under 35 Honorees | Chloe Conboy

CHLOE CONBOY

DEPUTY DISTRICT DIRECTOR, 16TH DISTRICT US CONGRESS OF FLORIDA

35 Under 35 Honoree - December 2022

How and when did you know you wanted to be a leader in your field?

Unlike most families, politics was always a topic of discussion at the dinner table with my father. He started working for an elected official when he was 26, so I guess a career in politics & government is in my blood. I caught the political bug while working at ABC7 WWSB in Sarasota when I worked with TV Anchor Alan Cohn (who is now running for Congress) and assisted him in covering the 2016 elections—that’s where I met Congressman Buchanan and his team. The most meaningful part of my job is helping constituents resolve their problems when dealing with the federal government bureaucracy. Not many people get to say they have their “dream job” but working for a member of Congress like Vern and serving the residents in my hometown is definitely mine.

Share something you did this past year to balance your work and personal life.

This year after the primary election in August I traveled to Norway, Sweden & Denmark. I definitely struggle with being able to “un-plug” so by traveling overseas and not having service definitely forces me to stay off my phone and be present. I’ve travelled to over 30 countries and I’m already thinking about which country I want to go to next.

Share with us a current topic or trend that you are concerned about at the local level?

The opioid crisis is something that definitely weighs on my heart and is still very prevalent in our community. This crisis destroys families and puts an enormous burden on our medical and law enforcement personnel. Manatee County was once the epicenter of the opioid epidemic, and we don’t want to have that title again. That’s why it’s so important we continue to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic to keep our local neighborhoods healthy and safe.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I spend most of my time outside of work taking classes at Pure Barre, spending time with family & friends, drinking way too much iced coffee, religiously listening to any Taylor Swift song, (I’m a huge Swiftie) and constantly checking out new books at the Manatee County Public Library.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Sleeping in until noon on the weekends. I always wish I was a morning person, but I’m 100% a night owl.

What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

Disclaimer: This was completely out of character for me and it was a very long time ago. When driving to the mall with a friend, we decided to make a stop at the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport and go skydiving.