Leadership Florida Selects its 2023-2024 Education Class

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jennie Kroeger

jkroeger@leadershipflorida.org

(850) 556-2123

June 22, 2023

LEADERSHIP FLORIDA SELECTS ITS 2023-2024 EDUCATION CLASS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Leadership Florida has selected the participants for its 2023-2024 Education Class programs. Over the course of the eight-month program, education leaders from across the state—including superintendents, school board members, educators, Florida Department of Education professionals, education foundation representatives, and other public officials—will intensively focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with vaulting Florida's K-12 public schools to national prominence.

“Our mission at Leadership Florida is to bring together committed leaders from all over the state to recharge their leadership skills and expand their network,” said Wendy Spencer, president and CEO of Leadership Florida. “Through this powerful community, our class participants are able to find the knowledge and inspiration to take on some of Florida’s biggest challenges.”

The following individuals have been selected for Education Class 8:

• Dave Alfonso, St. Lucie Public Schools, Port Saint Lucie
• NiñaFe Awong, Florida Department of Education, Tallahassee
• Alaina Barron, Education Foundation of Okeechobee, Okeechobee
• Heather Binns, School Board of Broward County, Miami
• Brandon Bowden, Florida State University, Tallahassee
• Carol Kay Brown, Sarasota County Schools, Ruskin
• Anna Corman, Hillsborough Education Foundation, Tampa
• Holly Edenfield, Florida Department of Education, Tallahassee
• Julius Edwards, Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, West Palm Beach
• Lisa Ennis, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando
• Chad Frazier, Marion County Public Schools, Ocala
• Kate Fulginiti, Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville
• Angela Fulton, Broward County Schools, Lauderhill
• Debra Giacolone, Sarasota County Schools, Sarasota
• Molly Grant, Association of Early Learning Coalitions, Tallahassee
• Bianca Harris, Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota
• Adrianne Hill, Orange County Public Schools, Winter Garden
• Monica Horsley, Plantation Key School, Tavernier
• Kirk Hutchinson, Sarasota County Schools, Sarasota
• Dante Jennings, Jacksonville Public Education Fund, Jacksonville
• Kari Johnson, Sarasota County School District, Sarasota
• Leroy Kelson, The School District of Palm Beach County, Riviera Beach
• Allison Kirby, ALS Education, Orlando
• Kurt Larson, Escambia County Public Schools, Pensacola
• Tiffany Lehman, Empowerment Farm, Naples
• Melissa Lime, Freedom Crossing Academy K-8, Saint Augustine
• Alec Macaulay, IDEA Public Schools, Vero Beach
• Melissa Matz, Lakeside Junior High School, Orange Park
• Kim McDougal, GrayRobinson, Tallahassee
• Laura Meehan, Gaither High School, Tampa
• Cari Miller, Florida Department of Education, Tallahassee
• Noemi Perez, The Immokalee Foundation, Naples
• Amoy Reid, Broward College, Pembroke Pines
• Teresa Rizzo, Flagler County Education Foundation, Flagler Beach
• Christina Romelus, Path to College, West Palm Beach
• Ramona Saridakis Bean, Bean Homeschool and Scholé Academy Online, Palm Beach Gardens
• Ian Siljestrom, Equality Florida, Gainesville
• Janina Simmonds, The School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach
• Shawn Smith, Children's Home Society of Florida, Middleburg
• Precious Symonette, Miami Dade County Public Schools, Fort Lauderdale
• Shandale Terrell, Polk County Public Schools, Lakeland
• Danielle Thomas, Florida School Boards Association, Tallahassee
• Elizabeth Toledo, Mater Grove Academy, Miami
• Ron Winston, Miami Dade College, Miami

About Leadership Florida

For the past 41 years, Leadership Florida has engaged more than 3,500 leaders through a competitive application process who represent all sectors of Florida’s economy and reflect the diverse demographics of the state. Through experiential classes, these leaders renew their leadership skills and build their networks with the goal of addressing key issues facing the state of Florida. For more information, visit www.leadershipflorida.org. Leadership Florida is a federally registered trademark.

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