Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made significant changes to the leadership of higher education institutions by appointing 16 new trustees to the boards of five major state colleges. These appointments, which include both new and reappointed members, are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Local Appointments Across Florida

The appointments span Daytona State College, Santa Fe College, St. Johns River State College, Chipola College, and the College of the Florida Keys. Governor DeSantis has chosen individuals with strong ties to their local communities, drawing from the business, legal, and educational sectors.

At Daytona State College, Robert Coleman, a vice president at Coleman Goodemote Construction Company, joins the board alongside reappointed members Randy Howard, Kelly Kwiatek, and Garry Lubi. In Gainesville, Santa Fe College welcomes C. Austen Roberts as a new trustee, with George “Blake” Fletcher, Jeffrey Oody, and Robert Woody retaining their positions.

St. Johns River State College sees the largest number of changes, with new trustees Alexandria Hill and Kevin Payne joining the board, while Richard Komando, Willard “Jud” Sapp Jr., and Tammy “Chereese” Stewart continue their service. Chipola College’s board now includes insurance agent Jeffrey Snell and reappointed Travis “Dell” Corbin.

In the southernmost part of the state, Andrew Dulcey has been appointed to the College of the Florida Keys, bringing his experience as a Key West attorney to the role.

Community Ties and Confirmation Process

Many of the appointed trustees have existing civic ties to their respective college regions, such as involvement in local chambers of commerce and educational foundations. The timeline for the Florida Senate’s confirmation process has not yet been announced.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.