Biography
I am a lifelong Broward County resident, Army Reserve leader, registered nurse, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), nurse educator, public servant, and the mother of four children attending Broward County Public Schools. I graduated from Coconut Creek High School and was raised by my Haitian immigrant mother couldn't read or always help me navigate education, but her determination and belief in education inspired my lifelong commitment to service and ensuring every child has an advocate.
Education
University of Miami- Master of Science in Nursing; Florida Atlantic University- Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Palm Beach State College- Associate of Science in Nursing/Associate in Arts
Occupation
23 years in the U.S. Army Reserved as a combat Medic/Nurse; Nurse Educator teaching at the University, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), and Registered Nurse
Civic Experience
Chair of Broward School’s District Advisory Council, Former Chair of North Area Advisory Council, Vice President of Margate Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Member of Calendar Committee, Discipline Committee, Attendance Committee, Gifted Advisory, Parent and Community Involvement Task Force, Executive Parent Advisory Council (Federal Programs), Policy 4000 Work Group (Academics),
Endorsements
Senator Rosland Osgood, School Board Member Jeff Holness, School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi, City Commissioner Jackie Railey, Mayor Antonio Arserio, Vice Mayor Caggiano, Commissioner Arlene Schwartz, School Board Member Rebecca Thompson
Campaign Phone
9544617469
Student Achievement- Raise academic performance and close achievement gaps. Support high-quality instruction, early intervention, career and technical education, and opportunities that prepare every student for college, careers, or military service.
Safe and Supportive Schools- Foster safe, welcoming, and well-maintained schools where every student can learn. Enhance access to mental health services, early behavior intervention, and support for students with disabilities. Recruit, retain, and support outstanding teachers and staff.
Accountability and Transparency- Ensure responsible use of every tax dollar to maximize outcomes. Increase pay and benefits for teachers and staff. Strengthening partnerships with families and the community.
There are many amazing programs and resources in Broward schools- We just need to tell the public about it. We have to budget for marketing.
As the former chair of North Area Advisory Council, I realized that any parents were leaving Broward Schools when going into middle school so I created the concept of the Middle School Expo to bring all middle schools in the region together along with other departments so parents could learn about the programs, meet administration, get support from other departments and ultimately choose BCPS. This program was so successful that Broward schools now does an All Schools Schowcase.
Education is the great equalizer and creates opportunities for students. It is imperative that every school and student receive the same standard of excellence. We have to focus on the basics to ensure students are mastering the standards and not just being passed along. We need experienced and effective educators who are paid well and fully supported so that they can teach. We need to moderate the use of so much technology in the classroom especially in the early years to focus on foundations. We need high quality curriculum and materials. We need more project-based learning that test application of knowledge.
As a member of my School Advisory Council and Chair of School Advisory Forum I led solutions-based discussions to improve outcomes.
I do support the referendum, because without it, it would only hurt our teachers and staff working closely with students in schools. The money should be used as voters intended it and as a school board member, I will ensure any decision we make in using the funds abide by ballot language. As Chair of District Advisory Council I presented a plan to the district to create a public dashboard that shows total amount of funds, where it has been allocated and how much has been spent to increase transparency and public trust. We must also find a way to increase compensation without relying on the referendum.
We have to decide our teachers are worth it and just do the right thing.
We must increase base pay with yearly raises, make insurance more affordable, increase supplements for additional duties, and incentivize education, certifications, and endorsements.
We can also ease the administrative burdens as task we place on teacher to allow them to focus on teaching.
Biography
I am a 20+ year BCPS Speech-Language Pathologist working in District 7; devoted wife, mother of 3 young sons all enrolled in BCPS, animal lover with 3 rescue dogs, and passionate advocate for persons with disabilities.
Education
1999 Stetson University BA French, 2001 University of Florida MA French Linguistics, 2004 University of Florida MA Communication Science and Disorders
Occupation
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist with Broward County Public Schools (2006-present)
Civic Experience
DISTRICT AND SCHOOL-BASED ROLES • Speech-Language Pathologist, Broward County Public Schools, 2006 to present • Lead Zone Speech-Language Pathologist: Deerfield Beach, Northeast, and Coconut Creek Innovation Zones • Designated BTU Steward, Deerfield Beach High School • Former Broward Teachers Union Executive Board Member • Served on the Sick Leave Bank, Broward County Public Schools • Initiated the Speech-Language Pathology Task Force to advocate for higher wages • School Advisory Council (SAC)
Endorsements
Broward Teachers Union, Broward Fraternal Order of Police, Nora Rupert, Jim Waldman, Mikkie Belvedere, Broward County Democratic Party Jewish Caucus, Joanne Simone, Daniel Shanetzky
Campaign Phone
7543074417
My top three priorities are protecting student support services, finding smart and responsible solutions
to our enrollment crisis, and ensuring our educators are paid fairly and treated with the respect they have earned. I will fight to protect counselors, social workers, and mental health staff from budget cuts, because these are the people who catch our students before they fall. Second, Broward County has lost roughly
50,000 students over the past ten years, creating an $80 million budget shortfall this year alone. We need honest, community-informed solutions, not just reactive cuts. Third, our teachers
are the backbone of this district, and Florida ranks dead last in the nation in average teacher pay for the third year in a row.
We need to be honest about why families are leaving and address those reasons directly rather than reacting to the budget consequences after this fact. Families leave when they do not feel valued, when communication breaks down, or when they believe another option will treat their child better. The district needs to invest in strong neighborhood schools, maintain robust academic and extracurricular programming, and make sure every school, regardless of zip code, has the resources to compete. We
also need transparent, two-way communication with families before we lose them, not after. Declining enrollment is not solved by cutting our way to balance. It is solved by giving families real reasons to stay and allowing their voices to be heard.
As a speech-language pathologist with 20+ years working with students with disabilities, language differences, and learning challenges, this is my passion. Every student deserves the accommodations, services, and individualized support they are legally and morally entitled to, and that requires fully staffing our ESE programs, protecting related services like therapies from budget cuts, and ensuring equitable resource distribution
across every school, not just the higher-income neighborhoods. I will also continue to champion Career and Technical Education pathways so that every student, regardless of whether their future includes a four-year university, a trade, or specialized support services, has a real and respected path forward.
I support the referendum without hesitation. If it is not renewed, the district loses funding that directly supports teacher pay, school safety, and mental health services. Walking away from this funding now, in the middle of an $80M budget shortfall caused by declining enrollment, would be devastating for our students
and our educators. The board has already voted unanimously to use 90% of the estimated $282.6 million this referendum would generate toward compensation for teachers and school-based staff, with the remaining 10% split between mental health and safety and security services. That allocation
reflects exactly the right priorities. At a time when Florida ranks last in the nation for teacher pay, this is critical to all we serve.
Broward County’s average teacher salary sits in a
similar range to other large urban districts like Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, generally between
fifty thousand and the high sixty thousands depending on experience and credentials, but that range still
falls well short of what a family needs to live in South Florida. We need voters to pass the referendum; we must advocate aggressively at the state level for increased per-student funding; collaborate with the Broward Teachers Union and other bargaining groups during every salary negotiation. I know what good faith bargaining looks like, and I know what it looks like
when it is missing. Our employees built this district and deserve a board that fights for them like we do for the students.
