Two Daytona Beach Professionals — And Their Paths To Career Success


Attorney Kelly Parsons Kwiatek was born and raised in Daytona Beach. Soil and Water Scientist Shailesh Patel was born and raised in Ndola, Zambia (south/central Africa). Their professions are as different as their upbringing on opposite sides of the world, and yet both their paths led them to successful careers in Daytona Beach.
Parsons Kwiatek is currently senior vice president and chief legal officer for Halifax Health. Meanwhile, Patel is founder and president of Dredging & Marine Consultants (DMC), an environmental and engineering firm specializing in marine and coastal-related projects throughout Florida.
Leadership and Community
Despite their varied backgrounds, both Kelly and Shailesh share a common perspective on leadership and the importance of community involvement.
In the work environment, “leadership to me is not about being in charge, but instead, taking care of the people in my charge,” Kelly says. As part of the executive team at Halifax Health, Kelly recognizes that “while we all have different roles (in an organization), each person’s value is the same.” Her goal is to “be prepared, work hard, be authentic and be an example to others.”

Kelly’s leadership extends beyond her professional role. She is the past chair of the board for the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce and is currently on the Board of Trustees for Daytona State College and on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.
Shailesh echoes similar sentiments. “Leadership to me is what others see in you through the example you set.” As a business owner, Shailesh believes, “I don’t want the company to be about me. It must be what our DMC team does to solve challenges and best serve our clients and communities.”
Like Kelly, Shailesh is also deeply involved in the community. He serves on Team Volusia Economic Development Corporation and is a past chair of VCARD (Volusia County Association for Responsible Development), amongst other roles.
Career Paths
Shailesh’s journey began in Zambia, where his father was a successful businessman, excelling in diverse ventures, including coffee production. It was Shailesh’s shared interest in agriculture that prompted his move to the United States to pursue advanced college degrees in soil and water science. And after working for a Lakeland-based engineering firm, in 2002, Shailesh launched his own business–Dredging & Marine Consultants–in the Daytona Beach area. Throughout his career, Shailesh has completed close to 500 projects in coastal areas: stormwater improvements, waterfront parks, seawalls, boat ramps and shoreline restoration.
Shailesh credits his parents for instilling in him a strong work ethic and professional interests. “My parents worked hard in all their endeavors but always selflessly,” he reflects. His father remains Shailesh’s primary source of guidance, inspiring him to start DMC 22 years ago.
Kelly’s parents were role models for her as well. Her father especially had a direct influence on Kelly’s career direction. Now retired, William A. Parsons was a respected attorney in Daytona Beach and also served 17 years as a judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court. “I honestly don’t know if I could have made it through the first years of being a lawyer without my dad,” Kelly says.
Ironically, Kelly’s passion as a youth was much different. “I grew up singing, dancing, acting and playing the piano,” she says. “It was my childhood dream to study musical theater in college and go on to make it my profession. She graduated with a Fine Arts degree. But during college, “I slowly realized musical theater wasn’t exactly what I wanted for my life’s dream.” So she applied to law school, and her career progressed from there, starting with Cobb Cole and now at Halifax Health, where she leads the legal services, compliance and risk management teams as well as government affairs.
Words of Wisdom
Kelly encourages young professionals to join VYPG (Volusia Young Professionals Group) to make friends and connections. “I promise you that if you work hard and do the right thing — and stop worrying — it will all work out,” she advises. “I’d also remind you that you’re only in competition with yourself, and the goal is to be YOUR best!”
With so much of today’s reliance on technology and computer-generated conversation, Shailesh stresses the importance for professionals to have verbal and personal interaction with their associates and clients. “People want to know who you are,” he says. “If you build relationships through personal communication, you will succeed much better.”
