Keyna Cory is President of Public Affairs Consultants, Inc. With over 20 years of legislative experience, she has worked with a variety of clients to help them achieve their legislative goals. She has considerable expertise in solid waste, environmental, transportation, telecommunications, agriculture, water and general business issues.
Keyna is also known in the Capitol as a consensus and coalition builder. Some of her coalition includes:
- Substitute Communication Services Tax Repeal – passed legislation in 2006 to repeal onerous substitute communication services tax
- Floridians for Copper & Metal Crime Prevention Coalition – passed legislation in 2008 and again in 2012 to strengthen penalties for metal theft
- Save Our Waterfronts Coalition – passed a constitution ballot initiative in 2008 by over 70% to change the ways working waterfront property taxes were assessed
- Florida Coalition for Responsible Preservation of Public Lands – pass legislation to place higher standards on what land should be purchased by the state and how it is maintained
- Florida Water Alliance – brought businesses, local governments and environmentalist together to worked toward state funding for alternative water supply projects
- Numeric Nutrient Criteria Task Force – coordinated the efforts of a diverse group of businesses, regulated industries, local governments and governmental entities to fight unscientific and unreasonable water standards proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency
For over 20 years Keyna has successfully represented the National Waste and Recycling Association – Florida Chapter. Some of her accomplishments include:
- Passed legislation protecting solid waste companies from unfair competition from local governments, known as the “Fair Competition Act” and is considered the best legislation of its kind in the nation.
- Passed legislation that extends the renewal period for landfill permits
- Defeated numerous attempts in increasing the fines for overweight vehicles
- Amended Florida Lien Law Statute to protect rights of a Client
- Defeated legislation that would restrict where a solid waste management facility could be permitted
- Defeated legislation that would have created a landfill disposal fee
In 2005, Keyna was named Chief Lobbyist of Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) and served in that position and Senior Lobbyist until 2012. AIF is one of the largest business associations in the state. It was her duty to coordinate a team of 17 lobbyists for AIF and lead them in hard fought issues including tort reform, taxation, and state regulatory issues.
- Created AIF Environmental Sustainability Council
- Coordinated efforts to pass legislation to increase Florida’s recycling rates
- Passed legislation to streamline the environmental permitting process
- Worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to create statewide Environmental Resource Permitting system
- Passed legislation to create a contamination notification system that is protective of the environment but not erroneous to individuals and/or businesses
Keyna is a member of the Florida Society of Association Executives. She was the Associate Member of the Year in 2001 and is currently the Past Chair of the Florida Society of Association Executives Foundation. Her experience in governmental affairs representation for associations is extremely unique as she’s one of Florida’s only consultants who design and implements legislative programs for many associations, both small and large.
In 2003, Keyna was named to the Environmental Industries Association’s Women Council Board of Directors. She is a founding member of the organization and also served as Communications/Public Relations Chair.
In 2004, Keyna was elected by her peers to the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyist (FAPL) Board of Directors after successfully chairing the first FAPL Annual Meeting and Conference. She is one of 15 members elected to the Board from an organization with over 300 members. In 2005, she received the first “Service Award” from the Association at its Annual Conference.
Keyna’s large interest in football gave her the distinct opportunity to become more involved with the formation of the Sunshine Football Classic by serving on the Founding Committee and Team Selection Committee. (The Classic became known as the Blockbuster Bowl, then the Carquest Bowl, and finally the Micronpc.com Bowl). She was also the first woman to serve as Chairman of a college football bowl game, the Carquest Bowl in 1995. Keyna has represented the five bowl games in Florida (Discover Orange Bowl, Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, Capital One Bowl, Outback Bowl, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, and Russell Athletics Bowl) and her knowledge of the system and creative strategizing enabled her to obtain public funding for their games. Locally Keyna remained active by serving as the President of the Tallahassee Quarterback Club in 2003.
She is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity and has served as President of Tallahassee Alumnae Club. Keyna served a three year term as Membership District Director for their National Organization.
She attended the University of Florida and as a freshman, participated in a graduate program on students lobbying the Legislature. She has always had a deep interest in politics and government and met her husband and business partner, Jack Cory, while working on a legislative campaign.
Past Presentations
27th Annual Water Reuse SymposiumAWRA
Florida Chamber Environmental Short Course
Manufacturers Association of Florida
Waste Expo
Recycle Florida Today
Keep Florida Beautiful