Country Club Living - Palm Beach North - July 2026

4 C O U N T R Y C L U B L I V I N G - PA L M B E A C H N O R T H | J U LY 2 0 2 6 Community The Brain Coast - By Noel Martinez, Chair, Florida Association of Chamber Professionals; President & CEO, Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce - - Photos provided by Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce - HOW COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, AND DISCOVERY ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. F or most of us, we don't spend much time thinking about our brains until something goes wrong. It might be a loved one receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis. A friend struggling with depression. A child facing developmental challenges. Or a family navigating the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury. In those moments, the brain becomes deeply personal. It is the source of our memories, our relationships, our creativity, and our ability to experience the world around us. It shapes who we are. Yet despite decades of scientific advancement, the human brain remains one of the greatest frontiers of discovery. What many people may not realize is that some of the world's most important efforts to better understand the brain are happening right here in Palm Beach County. Recently, the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce had the opportunity to host a conversation with several leaders at the forefront of neuroscience research and education. Joining us were Dr. Joe Schumacher, Chief Scientific Officer of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience; Courtney Miller, Ph.D., Professor at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology; and Dr. Ken Dawson-Scully, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Florida Atlantic University. Guiding the discussion was Patrick McNamara, President and CEO of Palm Health Foundation, whose leadership has helped advance the vision of what is increasingly becoming known as the Brain Coast. The name is fitting. Just as Florida's Space Coast became synonymous with exploration and innovation, the Brain Coast represents a growing concentration of scientific talent, groundbreaking research, and collaborative partnerships dedicated to understanding the most complex organ in the human body. Conversations like this are an important part of what the Chamber strives to do. We bring together leaders from different sectors to explore the opportunities, challenges, and ideas shaping the future of our region. When researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, business leaders, and community advocates come together, new possibilities emerge. As I listened to the panelists describe their work, I found myself thinking less about laboratories and research facilities and more about the people whose lives stand to be changed by these discoveries. The Brain Coast is not simply a story about institutions. It is about the researcher working to unlock new insights into Alzheimer's disease. It is about the student who discovers a passion for neuroscience and pursues a career in STEM. It is about the family hoping for new treatments for neurological disorders. And it is about creating opportunities that allow talented individuals to build their futures right here in Palm Beach County. The institutions leading this effort are advancing discoveries with the potential to impact millions of lives. At the same time, they are educating future generations, attracting world-class talent, strengthening workforce pipelines, and creating the high-wage careers that drive a thriving regional economy.