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WHO WE ARE

The Florida Education Foundation supports the Florida Department of Education student achievement for all Florida students through:

& SUPPORTING

RECOGNIZING

Recognizing and supporting the development of teachers, learners and leaders.

Sharing stories that demonstrate success across Florida’s education system.

SHARING

STORIES

INVESTING

RAISING &

Raising and investing financial resources to strengthen student achievement in Florida.

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OUR
HISTORY

The Florida Legislature created the Florida Education Foundation as a direct support organization to the Florida Department of Education in 1984. The Foundation was created to manage external resources for the benefit of pre-kindergarten to 12th grade education. The Foundation’s endowment was established with a generous gift from Mary Murdock in 2012.

 

In 2015, the Foundation, under oversight of its Board of Directors, underwent a strategic planning process to determine areas where a private sector foundation can influence change and improve education outcomes. That process identified three major areas of work that currently define the Foundation’s efforts:
 

SYSTEMS FOR STANDARDS AND ACCOUNTABILITY

STRENGTHENING

ACHIEVEMENT GAPS

CLOSING

OUTCOMES IN EARLY GRADE READING

IMPROVING

Leadership

LEADERSHIP

Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack

Florida Department of Education

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Board of Directors

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Board Chair

Steve Crisafulli

Partner, Owner - SBM Partners

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Vice Chair

Kristin Crawford- Whitaker

Executive Vice President - Foundation Risk Partners

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Treasurer

Cory Dowd

Partner - Capital City Consulting

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Secretary

Heather Turnbull

Managing Partner - Rubin, Turnbull & Associates

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Audit Committee Chair

Ronald Brise

Vice President & Senior Advisor - Gunster

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Member

Michael Cantens

Strategic Advisor - Flagler Strategies

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Member

John Grant

Former Florida State Senator - Florida State Senate

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Member 

Brandi Gunder

Partner - Continental Attorneys at Law

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Fundraising Chair

Darrick McGhee

Chief Operating Officer - Johnson & Blanton, LLC

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Member

Ashley Spicola

Managing Partner - Continental Strategy

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Civics Committee Chair

Tara Tedrow

Shareholder - Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor, & Reed, P.A.

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Ex-Officio Member

Amity Schuyler

President & CEO - Consortium of Florida Education Foundations

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Ex-Officio Member

Kyndall Brown

2027 Florida Teacher of the Year

MEET THE FEF TEAM

LINDSEY ZANDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Florida Education Foundation

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Ashley Arnold

Deputy Director

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Karen Dennis

Programs Specialist

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Erica Anderson

Program Manager, FCDI

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Kendall Lindsay

Program Manager, FCDI

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