I am a 28 year educator, that has been in the classroom, principal, guidance counselor, district administrator, union representative and educational consultant. I have worked in the public, private and parochial sectors and have seen it all. I am ready to use this vast knowledge to help solve many issues plaguing Pasco
As a School Board member, I will be a strong, proactive advocate for Pasco’s fair share through these specific actions:
At the state level: Work closely with our local legislative delegation and the Florida School Boards Association to push for increased per-student funding in the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). I will testify at legislative sessions, meet regularly with lawmakers, and highlight Pasco’s unique challenges—rapid growth, diverse student needs, and infrastructure demands—while showcasing our efficient use of existing dollars and strong outcomes.
Local advocacy and transparency: Aggressively support smart millage renewals or adjustments only when clearly tied to classroom priorities (teachers, safety, academics). I will ensure the public has clear, transparent budget dashboard so taxpayers understand exactly where money goes and why additional resources are needed.
Partnerships and innovation: Pursue additional grants, corporate sponsorships for career pathways, and public-private partnerships for facilities. I will also champion policies that grow our tax base responsibly through pro-growth strategies that attract families and jobs while protecting schools
My Funding Priorities:
Classrooms and Teachers — Top priority. This includes competitive compensation, classroom supplies, instructional materials, and support staff who directly help students. Excellent teachers are the single biggest factor in student success.
Student Safety and Core Academics — Funding for school safety (security, mental health supports), reading/math interventions, and proven programs that drive proficiency and our high graduation rates.
Infrastructure and Capacity — Strategic investments in new schools, classroom additions, and maintenance to reduce overcrowding and portable reliance. I support smart planning through Pasco Pathways and controlled choice to distribute students effectively.
Targeted Student Supports — Programs for students with special needs, English learners, and career/technical pathways that prepare kids for real careers.
Competitive Compensation Combined with Reduced Workload
Stronger Support Systems and Classroom Autonomy
Teacher Villages through Pasco County to assist with subsidized housing.
Student Safety
Physical and Campus Safety: I will support continued investment in school resource officers (SROs), secure entrances, surveillance technology, and regular safety audits. I favor hardening schools where needed while avoiding over-militarization.
Discipline and Culture: Stronger, consistently enforced policies that give teachers authority to maintain orderly classrooms. I will back a review of the Student Code of Conduct to ensure progressive discipline protects the rights of well-behaved students and teachers.
Threat Assessment: Fully fund and improve behavioral threat assessment teams with clear protocols and training.
Mental Health
School-Based Supports: Expand partnerships with community mental health providers to increase counselors and social workers on campuses, especially in elementary and middle schools where early intervention is critical.
Prevention Programs: Support evidence-based social-emotional learning (SEL) programs that focus on resilience, not ideology. I will push for better coordination between schools, families, and external providers.
Awareness and Training: Increased staff training on recognizing signs of distress
Regular Community Forums: Host quarterly town hall meetings in different parts of the county (not just during election season), with live streaming and easy public comment opportunities. These would focus on upcoming major decisions like budgets, redistricting, or curriculum changes.
Improved Public Access to Information: Push for a more user-friendly district website and dashboard where families can easily find budgets, meeting agendas, curriculum materials, school performance data, and library book lists in advance of decisions. No more burying important information.
Advance Notice and Feedback Loops: Require that major policy proposals be posted publicly at least 30 days before a vote, with a dedicated comment portal for written input. I will commit to reading and summarizing community feedback at board meetings
Parent Advisory Committees: Support the creation or strengthening of parent advisory groups for key areas such as special needs, safety, curriculum, and school choice. These groups would provide ongoing input rather than one-off public comments.
Budget Transparency: Advocate for clear, plain-language budget summaries and zero-based budgeting reviews so taxpayers can s
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Education
Ed.D. in Organizational Innovation and Leadership, Marymount University (Candidate), Arlington, VA; Master's in Computer Resources & Information Management, Webster University, St. Louis, MO; B.S. in Management (Psychology/Sociology), Maryland
Professional Experience
U.S. Air Force; 35 years of leadership/organizational innovation. VP Business Operations at Citi Group, senior executive roles at Accenture and the Pentagon; doctoral education researcher, published author, and AI SME.
Public Service
Based in Pasco County, he serves through Rotary, a Veterans Advisory Council, 1922 Gulf High School preservation, the Pasco Coastal Improvement Council, and the SPCA West Pasco Board of Directors.
Campaign Phone
7032209398
My life has been defined by service, leadership, and the development of people. As a retired U.S. Air Force Major, Pentagon 9/11 veteran, and founder of The Kirk Group, LLC, I have led complex organizations at the highest levels, including oversight of a $4.5B national defense IT infrastructure program and advisory work with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. As the architect of the Generation Intelligence framework, I have spent years researching how IQ, emotional intelligence, and AI literacy together define readiness for the future. Our students deserve a board member who understands that future, not abstractly, but technically and practically. Personally, I am already embedded in this community, through Rotary, a Veterans Advisory Council, SPCA West Pasco, and preservation of the 1922 Gulf High School. I am not parachuting in. I am already doing the work. Pasco County's students deserve strategic leadership and genuine commitment. I bring both.
Adequate funding for public education is not a talking point; it is a strategic priority. As a former senior executive who has defended multi-billion-dollar budgets at the Pentagon and advised on federal reform, I know how to make a funding case that decision-makers cannot ignore. For teacher pay, I will advocate at the district, state, and legislative levels for compensation that reflects the professional demands of the classroom. Teachers in Pasco County should not have to choose between their calling and their financial stability. For the Engineering, Maritime, and Energy Center, Capstone Projects are where student potential becomes workforce-ready talent. I will champion public-private partnerships, federal CTE grants, and industry sponsorships to ensure these programs are fully resourced. Pasco County sits at the intersection of defense, maritime commerce, and clean energy growth. Our students should be trained for the jobs already arriving.
I will not wait for funding to come to us. I will go get it.
My framework is clear: safety first, teacher compensation second, student outcomes third. Every child must walk into a school that is physically secure and emotionally safe before anything else can matter. From there, we cannot retain the teachers our students deserve without paying them what they have earned.
For infrastructure, I will push for district-wide deferred maintenance audits to identify what is critical, what is cosmetic, and what can be phased. Too often, urgent repairs compete with new initiatives because no one has done the honest accounting.
On eliminations, I will look hard at administrative redundancy, underperforming vendor contracts, and programs that consume resources without measurable student outcomes. Every line item must justify its impact on students. What I will never cut: safety personnel, teachers, counselors, or career programs like the Engineering, Maritime, and Energy Center. Fiscal discipline and student advocacy are not opposites. Done right, they are the same thing.
Teacher and staff shortages are a symptom of a deeper problem: a leadership and culture failure. Public schools must be empowering, trust-based environments where teachers, parents, and students collaborate at the center, and every other function exists solely to support them. After safety, my three priorities: First, competitive compensation tied to retention and classroom performance. Second, professional autonomy. Teachers must be trusted to teach. I will advocate for reduced administrative burden and restored classroom authority. Third, cultural accountability. Leadership that demoralizes or ignores teachers must be held responsible. I will push for anonymous staff climate surveys with published results and board-level follow-through. I will also work to remove officials with conflicts of interest and lobbyist influence from decisions that belong to families and educators. Public education is a public trust, not a marketplace.
Student safety, mental health, and special needs are the foundation upon which everything else is built. A child who does not feel safe cannot learn. A child whose mental health is ignored cannot thrive. A child whose special needs are unsupported cannot reach their potential. On safety, I will support hardened perimeter security, trained personnel on every campus, and clear threat-assessment protocols as permanent infrastructure investments, not as reactive measures. On mental health, I will advocate for fully staffed counselor ratios, early intervention programs, and trauma-informed training for all classroom staff. Teachers cannot manage mental health crises without professional support alongside them.
On special needs, I will push for full funding and rigorous IEP oversight, holding the district accountable for delivering every service to which eligible students are legally entitled. Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. Across all three, I will insist on transparency, published data, board-level reporting, and genuine community input. Families deserve to know their children are seen, protected, and supported every day.
Transparency and community input are not courtesy gestures. They are governance obligations. Too many school board decisions are made behind closed doors, presented as final, and handed to families as fait accompli. That ends with my election.
I will push for plain-language publication of all board agendas, budgets, and performance data, accessible to every family regardless of education level or technical sophistication. Information that is buried is information that is hidden.
I will advocate for structured community input sessions held in neighborhoods across District 3, not just in a single boardroom at an inconvenient hour. Families who work two jobs deserve a voice, too. I will support anonymous feedback mechanisms for teachers, staff, and students, with results reported publicly and addressed on the record, and I will hold myself to the same standard. My votes, my reasoning, and my commitments will be public, consistent, and traceable. Constituents will always know where I stand and why. Transparency is not a policy. It is a culture. And culture starts at the top.
Education
M.S. & B.S. in Communications, Florida State University
Professional Experience
St. Thomas Aquinas Early Childhood Center- VPK Teaching Assistant, BRPH Architects/Engineers- Communications Manager, Yahoo! Small Business- Marketing Manager, Tanjarine- Marketing Manager, Executive Office of FL Governor- Communications Manager
Public Service
2023 5G Cell Tower on Starkey Ranch Property- Organized & successfully worked alongside Starkey Ranch parents to advocate for relocating a proposed cell tower away from Starkey Ranch K-8 school.
Campaign Phone
727-457-8334
What makes me the best candidate for this position is the combination of my professional experience, my experience advocating for our students, and my perspective as the parent of three young daughters currently attending Pasco County Schools.
Professionally, I spent my career in communications and marketing, working in state government, the private sector, and with an architecture and engineering firm that specialized in educational facilities. Those experiences taught me how to evaluate complex issues, analyze data, communicate transparently, and make thoughtful decisions that balance competing priorities.
Personally, I am deeply invested in the future of our schools. As a current parent, I understand the challenges and opportunities families face, because I share them. My children will be students in this district for years to come, so every decision I make directly impacts my own family as well as thousands of others. That perspective drives my commitment to long term success rather than short-term gains.
I have also already demonstrated my commitment to our community by attending board meetings, listening to parents, and advocating for responsible decisions for our students.
It is imperative that school board members build strong relationships at the state level to advocate for increased funding for public education. As nonpartisan elected officials, we have a responsibility to work across party lines in Tallahassee to ensure our schools receive the resources they need, both now and in the future.
My experience working in the Executive Office of the Governor gives me a unique advantage in this effort. I developed relationships with individuals who remain actively involved in Florida's legislative process, and I understand how to effectively communicate with policymakers and advocate for our district's priorities.
I have also spoken publicly in support of the current referendum. While I believe we can do more to prioritize teacher compensation over the long term, this measure is essential to maintaining the funding that supports our teachers and staff today while we continue working toward more sustainable, long-term solutions.
Funding will continue to be one of the district's greatest challenges unless we address the factors driving families away from our public schools. Pasco County Schools is projected to be down approximately 2,000 students this year, representing an estimated $18 million reduction in funding. Every student who leaves our district takes valuable resources with them, making student retention just as important as budget management.
Still, we must be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. I would conduct a careful review of the district's budget to identify line items that do not directly contribute to student achievement, classroom instruction, school safety, or teacher support. Every dollar should be evaluated through the lens of what best serves students. If reductions are necessary, they should begin with areas that have the least impact on the classroom while protecting the people and programs that have the greatest impact on student success.
Aside from higher pay, which I would advocate for from day one, trust, respect, and support go a long way in retaining quality talent for any profession- especially education. We need to first address decisions made that historically haven’t given our teachers and staff adequate time to prepare and do their jobs to their best abilities, like a late-summer change in curriculum or new initiatives that pile on their desks throughout the instructional year. We also need to ensure follow-through by school administration on a district-wide policy to address classroom behavior management. By taking a top-down approach, publicly holding to these standards, and remaining accountable to our educators, we can ensure the high-quality teachers we have feel their safety, well-being and classroom productivity remain top priorities for the district.
I also believe word of mouth goes a long way in recruiting and retaining teachers. If we simply do better on a daily basis with the aforementioned issues, our results would speak for themselves.
Safety must always be our highest priority. I believe the role of a school board member is to identify and rely on highly trained security experts to evaluate our schools and recommend strategies that fit our district's needs and resources. We must lean on experts- not our own assumptions- while remaining transparent with families and the community about school safety.
I would support regular security audits at every campus, improve communication with families during emergencies, and expand community education on school safety protocols and the warning signs of concerning behavior. Better-informed parents, students, and staff are an important part of being proactive and preventing school violence while maintaining secure learning environments.
I also support proactive mental health services, ensuring students and families have access to counselors and appropriate resources while also ensuring teachers receive training to recognize early warning signs as well.
I support strengthening our ESE programs to ensure students with special needs receive the individualized support they need. Families and educators should be valued as partners in developing our children's education plans.
Transparency and communication have been key priorities for me as both an active parent and a candidate for school board. I believe we must honor the families and communities we serve, and the best way to do that is by listening with the intent to learn and making decisions with the sole purpose of doing what is best for students.
As a school board member, I plan to hold regular office hours at local public libraries where families can ask questions, share concerns, and receive real-time feedback outside of the biweekly board meetings. These conversations will help inform my decision-making and ensure the community's voice is represented on the dais.
I also believe transparency requires more than simply casting a vote. When I make a public vote, I will clearly explain the reasoning behind my decision, so families understand the facts, considerations, and values that guided it. I have been an open book throughout this campaign, and I intend to bring that same level of accessibility, accountability, and transparency to my service on the Pasco County School Board.
Education
I earned my GED after becoming a young mom, later completed 52 college credits on the Dean’s List, and am a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. I am enrolled at PHSC to continue my education toward a bachelor’s and law degree.
Professional Experience
My career began in early childhood education where I owned/operated an accredited childcare facility. Today, I am a Realtor/Broker Associate, Founder/CEO of RAW Space Co, & CSO of Icemann Development, a sports-centric real estate development company.
Public Service
I advocated for children and families with 4C in Seminole County. I serve on Bridging Freedom’s board, an anti trafficking nonprofit, and in Realtor leadership and public policy. I graduated from Pasco Citizens and Pasco Schools Citizens Academies.
Campaign Phone
813-802-8415
My life and work have prepared me to serve on the Pasco County School Board from multiple perspectives, as a mother, grandmother, former educator, homeschool parent, business owner, Realtor/Broker Associate, taxpayer, and advocate for children and families.
I became a young mom, earned my GED, built businesses, and raised my children through both homeschool and public school. In the early 2000s, I struggled through the IEP system while trying to get my oldest son the support he needed. That experience shaped my belief that parents must have a voice, students must be seen as individuals, and school choice matters because one model does not serve every child well.
I understand early learning, child development, and family support through my work in early childhood education, advocacy with 4C in Seminole County, and owning and operating a licensed, accredited childcare center.
Professionally, I bring budgeting, leadership, real estate, development, workforce, and public policy experience. I am running to bring common sense, accountability, and practical solutions to Pasco schools.
Adequate funding starts with honest budgeting, clear priorities, and strong advocacy. I will support funding that protects classrooms, improves transportation, strengthens safety, expands career and technical education, and helps recruit and retain excellent teachers, bus drivers, and support staff. I will push for transparency so families and taxpayers can see where dollars are going and whether programs are producing results. Before asking taxpayers for more, the district must reduce waste, protect classroom spending, and align dollars with student outcomes. Pasco is growing quickly, and funding conversations must reflect the pressure that growth places on schools, transportation, facilities, staffing, and safety. I will advocate with state and local leaders for fair funding formulas, responsible capital planning, and solutions that meet Pasco’s real needs. I also support appropriate private partnerships and non taxpayer revenue for transportation, workforce programs, and career pathways. Public education deserves strong funding, accountability, creativity, stewardship, and practical leadership.
Adequate funding starts with honest budgeting, clear priorities, and strong advocacy. I will support funding that protects classrooms, improves transportation, strengthens safety, expands career and technical education, and helps recruit and retain teachers, bus drivers, and support staff.
I will push for transparency so families and taxpayers can see where dollars are going and whether programs are producing results. Before asking taxpayers for more, the district must reduce waste, protect classroom spending, and align dollars with student outcomes.
A major part of my platform is building stronger community partnerships. Pasco has employers, nonprofits, trades, and civic partners who can help support schools, mentor students, expand internships, sponsor programs, and create real pathways from classroom learning to meaningful careers.
Where appropriate, we should pursue private partnerships and non taxpayer revenue to support transportation, workforce training, certifications, and CTE programs. Strong schools require adequate funding, accountability, and creative leadership.
Recruiting and retaining high quality teachers and staff starts with respect, pay, support, and a workplace where people feel heard.
First, we must prioritize competitive compensation and address salary compression with a clear, multi year plan. That means identifying recurring dollars, protecting classroom spending, and making sure experienced teachers and support staff are not left behind.
Second, we need to reduce unnecessary burdens. Teachers should be able to focus on instruction, classroom relationships, and student progress, not endless paperwork or programs that do not produce results. I would support regular feedback from teachers and staff before major curriculum, technology, or procedural changes.
Third, we should strengthen the pipeline through partnerships with PHSC, USF, trade programs, and community employers. We also need strong mentoring for new teachers, better classroom management support, and a board culture that listens.
Student safety must include physical safety, emotional health, and support for students with special needs. I support strong partnerships with law enforcement, clear emergency plans, secure campuses, and consistent discipline policies so students and staff can learn in an orderly environment.
Mental health support should be practical, early, and family centered. When a concern is identified, parents should be notified first, clearly and respectfully. Schools can offer resources, counseling referrals, and community support, but they should never overstep the role of parents. Families must remain the primary decision makers for their children.
I also believe we must reduce factors that increase anxiety and distraction, including excessive screen use, social media pressure, and unstable classroom environments.
For special needs students, parents must be respected as essential partners. My own experience struggling through the IEP system for my oldest son shaped my belief that families need clear communication, timely evaluations, appropriate services, and accountability when plans are not followed.
Transparency starts before a vote is taken. I will support clear agendas, plain language explanations of major proposals, accessible budget information, and enough time for parents, teachers, staff, and taxpayers to understand what is being considered before decisions are made.
Community input should be meaningful, not just procedural. For major decisions that affect students and families, such as transportation, school boundaries, curriculum, technology, safety, and spending priorities, I believe the board should seek input early, listen respectfully, and explain how public feedback was considered.
Pasco Schools should also be commended for improving outward communication with families and the community. I would build on that progress by encouraging consistent, timely, and easy to understand updates before major changes are implemented.
As a board member, I would ask direct questions, review data carefully, protect the public’s right to be heard, and push for decisions that are understandable, accountable, and focused on students.
