February 9-10, 2017 Speaker Biographies

Welcome to Tallahassee

Chester Spellman Chester Spellman was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Florida in 2012 by Governor Rick Scott. He also serves as the Executive Director of the nonprofit charity, the Volunteer Florida Foundation.

A Jacksonville native, Spellman previously served as Chief Operating Officer for Project SOS. Prior to joining Volunteer Florida, Spellman worked for Governor Rick Scott, most recently serving as Director of Appointments in the Executive Office of the Governor.

Spellman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, and a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

He currently serves in a number of leadership roles, including Chair of the Connect Florida Board of Governors and Chair of the American Association of State Service Commissions.

In 2016, Spellman was honored by the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida with its Young Floridian Award.

Spellman and his wife, Amanda, reside in Tallahassee with their three children, William, Graham and Rosalia.

Connect Day at the Capitol Overview Merdochey Taylor LaFrance Merdochey T. LaFrance is a native of Miami, Florida and the last of five (5) children born to Haitian immigrants. She obtained both a Bachelor's in Political Science and a Master's in Public Administration from Florida International University (FIU) and a 2nd Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University. Merdochey is presently the Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for City Year Miami; a Boston-based education-focused, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to help keep students in school and on track to graduate. More specifically, Merdochey leads the government relations and public

affairs functions of City Year Miami. As a core member of the development team, she cultivates and stewards a portfolio of local and national corporate relationships. In consultation with key site leadership, she will plan and execute a comprehensive, proactive public and government affairs strategy that advances the site’s mission and goals with local, regional, state, and federal elected officials. Merdochey is the site’s principal liaison to elected officials at all levels. Prior to City Year Miami, Merdochey work in community and public affairs for Brightline (developed by All Aboard Florida); the $3B private, express passenger rail system that will connect Central and South Florida. Merdochey lead the community relations efforts in Miami; managed the recalibration of the corporate giving culture of parent company, FECI; curated meaningful dialogue between All Aboard Florida and external stakeholders (non-profits, transit advocates, real estate developers, financiers, etc.); and lead All Aboard Florida’s efforts on impactful participation of M/W/SBE firms in the vertical construction of three (3) south Florida train stations. Her work with Brightline was preceded by a 6-year stint as the Chief of Staff to the late Florida Senator Larcenia J. Bullard. In a six year time span, Merdochey: Created and facilitated Florida’s FIRST Workshop on Community Budget Issues Requests (CBIRs), instructing/training municipal and non-profit administrators on how to request budget allocations from the State of Florida during the annual legislative session; co-organized one of Florida’s first Restoration of Civil Rights Workshops; assisted in the revision of landmark legislation to create the Miami Children’s Initiative (formerly the Magic City Children’s Zone) patterned after the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York; and became the youngest Chief of Staff in the largest Senate District in the State of Florida. Merdochey is undoubtedly committed to public service, evidenced by her present memberships in the Junior League of Miami, Inc.; she is a fifth-year active serves as the Public Relations Co-Chair; the North Central Miami-Dade Municipal Advisory Committee, a group of County Commission-appointed residents of Miami-Dade County who will aide in the incorporation of the area designated as North Central Miami- Dade; and AT&T’s Emerging Leaders Initiative. In June of 2016, Merdochey was appointed to the Connect Florida Board of Governors as the Statewide Outreach Chair; the first woman to serve in that capacity in the organization. Connect Florida was created in 2007 as a signature program of Leadership Florida and has developed into the premier statewide institute for Florida professionals ages 25 - 40. The mission of Connect Florida is to educate, engage and inspire the state's top emerging leaders. In August of 2016, Merdochey was selected as a James Madison Institute (JMI) Leaders Fellow. The JMI Leaders Fellowship is a year-long program designed for to encourage and promote the growth, development, knowledge, and networks of under-40-year-old professionals in the state of Florida. Merdochey was a national workshop facilitator for the American Association of University Women’s National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. She presented the workshop, “Pay It Forward: Comm-YOU-nity Service & You!” in 2010 and “I AM SERVICE: Discovering the Servant Leader in YOU!” in 2011. She has facilitated workshops for the SouthEast Panhellenic Association (SEPA), Barry University’s Office of Greek Life and Student Leadership Conference, Tau Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy, and Girl Scouts Troops 347, 741, 879, and 880. Merdochey’s tremendous investment in service to the South Florida community has been honored by the Women’s History Coalition of Miami-Dade County - she was among 8 recipients of the Women of Impact XXVI Julia Award; Florida Commission on the Status of Women - she is 1 of 12 recipients of the 2013 Florida Achievement Award, YWCA of Greater Miami - she is the 2013 Recipient of the Power of Persimmon Emerging Trail Blazer ‘W’ Award; Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce - she is the 2011 Recipient of the Helping Young Professionals Engage (H.Y.P.E) Difference Maker Award and Florida International University (FIU); she is the

2008 Recipient of FIU’s Excellence in Civic Engagement Medallion of Distinction. Merdochey was also awarded the Junior League of Miami's 2013 SuperLeaguer Award. Merdochey currently resides in Miami and is an active member of Jesus People Ministries (JPM) Church International in Miami Gardens. She currently lends her time, talent, and treasures as a contributor to JPM’s VOEC Newsletter Magazine. Merdochey is a vested professional and resident of Miami-Dade County and intends to intensify her involvement in the philanthropic community to better the quality of life of present and future residents in South Florida.

The Leadership Florida Experience

Shevrin Jones Representative Shevrin D. Jones, Florida House District 101, better known as “Shev” was elected to the Florida House of Representative, 2012, and has since been re-elected unopposed. Beyond his duties as an elected official, Representative Jones works at City Year Miami as the Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Partnerships. Additionally, he is the Founder and CEO of LEAD Nation, one of South Florida’s top youth organizations for leadership development training. In its 10 years of youth empowerment, LEAD Nation still maintains a 100% high school graduation rate

among its participants. Through his passion to be a catalyst for education and social change, Representative Jones and the LEAD Nation team instills in every youth that they have a responsibility to serve their communities with honesty, integrity and passion. Jones is also the Founder of the South Florida Youth Summit, the largest gathering of young people in South Florida, bringing in more than 2,000 youth over the course of 3-day weekend summit. Representative Jones, received his early education in the Miami-Dade public school system. Upon graduation from American Senior High School, he attended Florida A&M University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology. Currently, he is attending Florida Atlantic University where he is pursuing his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership – Higher Ed. Prior to becoming a legislator, Representative Jones served as an AP Chemistry teacher in the Broward County School system from 2006-2008, and then went on to teach at Florida Atlantic University High School from 2008-2012. At FAU High, Jones led his school to be #1 in the state for having a 100% pass rate on the Science End of Course (EOC) Exam. Jones believed that teaching was his calling, and whenever he entered a classroom, it was always with the mindset that “Every child CAN learn.” Representative Jones is also very involved locally, state-wide, and nationally. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, Leadership Florida Class 32, Leadership Broward Class 27, the South Florida Youth Summit’s Executive Planning Team, and the Council of State Governments TOLLS fellowship program, to name a few. He has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades including Florida Sherriff’s Association 2016 Legislator of the Year, a feature in Gold Coast Magazine’s “Top 40 under 40”, Legacy Magazine’s South Florida's "50 Most Powerful and Influential Black Leaders" of 2016, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Ft. Lauderdale’s Finest, a Congressional Political Institute Honoree, ICABA’s 100 Most Accomplished Caribbean Americans, Florida Young Democrat of the Year, and Broward Parent Teachers Association’s Legislator of the Year. September of 2015, he was appointed to sit on President Obama’s College Promise Taskforce. November of 2015, he was also elected as the State Director for the National Young Elected Officials Network.

Representative Jones is committed to working with others, reaching across the aisle, to do the work of the people in his district, and for the State of Florida. He has been able to put politics aside and pass meaningful legislation even while being a member of the minority party. Some of Jones’ bi-partisan legislation includes: safety and oversight for Athletic Coaches for Youth Athletic Teams, Police Body Cameras, and advocating and procuring funding for youth mentoring. Representative Jones is the son of Rev. Eric Jones, the current mayor of the City of West Park and Mrs. Bloneva Jones. Jones is passionate about youth, education, equality, diversity and economic development. He desires to leave a legacy that will emulate dedication and commitment for the lives of future generations. Shev loves people, and he is grateful to God for giving him the life of helping others. His number one quote is “I will not die the man that could have been, but never was.”

Jeff Wahlen Jeff Wahlen, Attorney/Shareholder of Ausley McMullen, is the Chair of Leadership

Florida and a graduate of Class XXI. He has served on Leadership Florida’s Board of

Directors since 2006 and served as its volunteer General Counsel from 2006 to

2015.

In addition to his service to Leadership Florida, Wahlen has served in other

leadership roles including terms as Chair of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, the

Greater Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tallahassee Memorial

Healthcare Foundation, Leadership Tallahassee and the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, the creator

and sponsor of college football’s Biletnikoff Award. He also served as National President of his college fraternity,

Pi Kappa Phi, and currently serves as Treasurer of The Ability Experience, the national philanthropy of Pi Kappa

Phi that promotes leadership development through service to and with persons with disabilities. Wahlen and his

wife, Kris, and two children, Benjamin and Daniel, live in Tallahassee.

Welcome to Tallahassee Breakfast Mayor Andrew Gillum Born on July 26, 1979, in Miami, Mayor Gillum was raised in Gainesville as the fifth of seven children born to Frances and Charles Gillum. When he graduated from Gainesville High School in 1998, he was recognized by the Gainesville Sun as one of the city's "Persons of the Year." After high school, Mayor Gillum attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and was very active in the university's Student Government Association, serving as the Senate President, before being elected to SGA President, serving from 2001-02. While in office, he served as the first student member of the FAMU Board of Trustees and was an appointee to FAMU Presidential Search Committee,

the State of Florida Higher Education Funding Advisory Board, and the Leon County Civic Center Authority Board. Following the 2000 Presidential election, Mayor Gillum addressed the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on election violations in the state of Florida. He was also instrumental in organizing the historic March on Tallahassee in protest of Governor Jeb Bush's executive order to abolish affirmative action in state university admissions and state contracting. As a result of his advocacy efforts, the Center for Policy Alternatives (Washington, DC) recognized him as the country's top student leader in 2001. Mayor Gillum's impact spread statewide when he accepted the position of Florida Field Organizer with People for the American Way Foundation (PFAWF). In 2002, he organized and led the largest get-out-the-vote campaign in Florida's history, titled "Arrive With 5". In 2003, the Florida Democratic Party recruited Gillum to serve as its Interim Political Director, but his passion for organizing get-out-the-vote campaigns led him back to PFAWF as the statewide Director of the "Arrive With 5" program. Following the 2004 election, Mayor Gillum took on another leadership role at PFAWF as National Deputy Director of Young People For, a national campus-based program for emerging progressive leaders. He then created the Young Elected Officials Network in 2006 to add to the leadership pipeline and support young elected leaders like himself from around the country. Mayor Gillum now serves as the Director of Youth Leadership Programs for PFAWF which oversees three program areas: Young People For, the Front Line Leaders Academy, and the Young Elected Officials Network. Mayor Gillum is a member of the Board of Directors for The Schott Foundation for Public Education, the New World Foundation, and the Opportunity to Learn Action Fund. He completed Harvard Kennedy School's 2009-summer session of their Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program and is a graduate of the Rockwood Yearlong Fellowship for Executive Leaders "Leading from the Inside Out" program. He is a member of Alpha Zeta Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Incorporated (Boule'), the FAMU National Alumni Association, and Bethel AME Church. Mayor Gillum has received numerous awards and recognitions for his passion and service over the years and has been named an emerging leader by the Congressional Black Caucus, Jet Magazine, Ebony Magazine, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), The Drum Major Institute, IMPACT, and the Washington Post. He has also been regularly featured on several local and national news mediums including MSNBC, CNN, the Huffington Post, and the Tallahassee Democrat on various civic and social justice issues. Gillum resides in Tallahassee, Florida with his wife, R. Jai, and their twin children Caroline and Jackson.

Joe Negron

Joe Negron is a Republican member of the Florida State Senate, representing District 25 which encompasses Martin County, St. Lucie County, and part of northern Palm Beach County. He was first elected to the chamber in 2009. Negron currently serves as state Senate president. Before winning election to the Florida Senate, Negron served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the Martin County-based 82nd district from 2000 to 2006.Senator Negron was a member of the Attorney General Bill McCollum Transition Team in 2007.

Negron earned his B.A. from Stetson University in 1983, his J.D. from Emory University Law School in 1986 and his M.P.A. from Harvard University. His

professional experience includes working as an attorney specializing in business litigation and land use law.

Jose Felix Diaz

Jose Felix Diaz is a land use and government law attorney with the law firm of

Akerman LLP. He is also a member of the Florida House of Representatives. A

graduate of the University of Miami and Columbia Law School, Rep. Diaz was

selected from a pool of over 1 million applicants to appear on the 5th season of

NBC's "the Apprentice."

In 2010, Rep. Diaz ran for the Florida Legislature and won a hard-fought battle to

serve the 115th District which encompasses much of unincorporated Miami-Dade

County. He has served as Chairman of the Energy & Utilities, as well as the

Regulatory Affairs, Committee(s). Rep. Diaz's time in the Legislature has been

focused on effecting changes in child welfare laws, growth management reforms,

and renewable energy policies.

Jose serves on the board of the Children's Trust, CHARLEE Homes for Children, and he Chairs the Public Service

Commission's Nominating Council. Rep. Diaz also serves on the board of the Republican State Leadership

Committee's Future Majority Project, which recruits and supports minority candidates for state legislative

positions. He is married to Therese, and together they are raising two boys, Dominick and Christian.

Constitution Revision Commission Panel

G.C. Murray, Jr.

G.C. Murray, Jr. Esq. was born in The Conch Republic of Key West, FL and was raised in Miami, FL. He attended Florida International University, where he graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Humanities from the Honors College. He earned his Juris Doctor from The Florida State University College of Law where he was a Mason Ladd Scholar, Calvin Patterson Civil Rights Scholar, and a distinguished Pro Bono Award recipient. He was selected as Fellow of the inaugural Florida Bar Leadership Academy. In 2014, he founded the Innovative Community Engagement Foundation, a 501(c) (3) which focuses on mentorship, service, and professional development. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Tallahassee Bar Association and the FSU Law

Alumni Association and was installed as the youngest President of the Tallahassee Barristers Association. In 2016, he became the first African-American lawyer to be elected as the Second Circuit Governor for the Florida Bar Young Lawyer Division. Recently, G.C. was named a ‘Top 40 Lawyer on the Rise’ in the U.S. by the American Bar Association.

Talbot (“Sandy”) D’Alemberte

Talbot D’Alemberte, President Emeritus of The Florida State University, served as

President from January 1994 to January 2003.

From 1984 to 1989 D’Alemberte served as dean of the FSU College of Law. Earlier

he represented Dade County in the Florida House of Representatives from 1966 to

1972 where he chaired several legislative committees including the Judiciary

Committee that drafted and passed a major judicial reform constitutional

amendment in 1972. During his legislative service, he was recognized as the

Outstanding First Term member (1967) and, in his last term, named Most Outstanding Member of the House

(1972).

After leaving the Florida Legislature, he chaired the Florida Constitution Revision Commission in 1977-1978 and

the Florida Commission on Ethics in 1974-75.

During his years of practice, D’Alemberte concentrated on media and public law work and his cases included the

proceedings that led to the first rule allowing camera access to courtrooms, representation of Post-Newsweek

Stations during the historic FCC license challenges during the Nixon years, service as Chief Counsel in

impeachment proceedings against three justices of the Florida Supreme Court, the first litigation involving the

Copyright Act of 1976, a number of libel trials and appeals, the representation of the Florida House of

Representatives in several constitutional cases, Chief Counsel for a United States Senate Banking Subcommittee

investigating HUD and pro bono counsel in four death penalty cases.

D’Alemberte was very much involved in the early days of the modern dispute resolution movement, chairing the

first ABA committee on the subject and he has served as a mediator, most notably in the water dispute between

Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. An award of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution is named for D’Alemberte

and another early leader of the dispute resolution movement.

He has been active in the organized bar, serving as President of the American Bar Association (1991-92),

President of the American Judicature Society (1982-84) and Chair of the ABA Section of Legal Education and

Admission to the Bar (1982-83). He chaired several ABA committees including chair of the first dispute

resolution committee and the first election reform committee.

He was particularly active in the ABA effort to establish a program to give assistance to those in emerging

democracies following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Working with others, he created the ABA program

called “CEELI” (the Central European and Eurasian Law Institute) that provided help in the development of

constitutions, laws and institutional improvements in the Central and Eastern European region. This program

has been expanded to involve all other regions of the world in a comprehensive Rule of Law program that is one

of the ABA’s most important programs, and the largest pro bono project ever undertaken by the ABA.

Awards D’Alemberte has received include the ABA Medal in 2003, the 2001 Wickersham Award given by the

Friends of the Law Library of Congress, the 1996 American Judicature Society’s Justice Award for his efforts to

improve the administration of justice in the United States, the 1996 National Council of Jewish Women’s Hannah

G. Soloman Award, the 1993 Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers “Perry Nichols” Award, the 1993 Florida Academy

of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual Criminal Justice Award, the 1990 Jurisprudence Award from the Anti-

Defamation League of South Florida, the 1987 Florida Bar Foundation medal of Honor, the 1986 National Sigma

Delta Chi First Amendment Award, a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences “Emmy” in 1985 for his

work in open government, particularly in the opening of court proceedings to electronic journalists, the 1984

Florida Civil Liberties Union “Nelson Poynter” Award, and the ABA Section of Legal Education Robert J. Kutak

Award and the ABA World Order Under Law Award.

In 2007, D’Alemberte received the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Award from the Supreme Court of Florida and was

recognized by the ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities with the Robert Drinan Award. In 2011,

the foundation of Rotary International presented him with its Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award and, in

2012, he received the Richard Ervin Award from the Tallahassee Bar Association. The Innocence Project of

Florida also instituted an award named for D’Alemberte and first awarded to the law firm, Holland & Knight.

In 1976, in connection with the Bicentennial, he was recognized as one of the 76 outstanding Floridians and, in

2010, he was recognized by the Florida Secretary of State as a “Great Floridian.” He has been recognized with

lifetime achievement awards by Leadership Tallahassee (2009) and Leadership Florida (2011).

Born June 1, 1933, in Tallahassee, D’Alemberte was educated in public schools in Tallahassee and

Chattahoochee, Florida. In 1955, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in political science from the

University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and also attended summer school at FSU and the University of

Virginia. After service as a naval officer aboard a destroyer for three years, D’Alemberte studied on a Rotary

Foundation fellowship at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

In 1962, he received his J.D. with honors from the University of Florida where he was named to the Order of the

Coif, served as president of the student bar association, was twice captain of the moot court team, served as

articles editor of the University of Florida Bar Review and received the J. Hillis Miller Award as the outstanding

law graduate. He has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Florida Blue Key.

D’Alemberte has had long family connections with Florida State University. His grandfather attended the

Seminary West of the Suwannee and his mother attended the Florida State College for Women, both

predecessor institutions to the Florida State University. He attended Boy’s State and summer music camp as a

high school student and returned to attend summer school in 1954.

He is the father of two grown children, Gabrielle D’Alemberte, a graduate of the University of Denver Law

School, now a lawyer in Miami and Joshua Talbot D’Alemberte, a graduate of the University of the South, a

public-school teacher in Miami.

D’Alemberte is married to Patsy Palmer, former children’s policy coordinator for Governor Lawton Chiles. She

has worked as a journalist, legislative aide, and as a White House staff member. She holds a bachelor’s degree

from the University of Missouri in journalism, a master’s degree from Harvard, a master’s degree in conflict

resolution from Antioch University and a J.D. degree from the FSU College of Law (May 2007). She now

practices with her husband in D’Alemberte & Palmer.

Daniel Nordby

Daniel Nordby is a partner in the Tallahassee law office of Shutts & Bowen LLP. His

practice focuses on high-profile, high-stakes matters of law and public policy,

particularly in the areas of election law, constitutional law, and Florida

administrative law. Daniel has represented clients on a variety of matters involving

amendments and proposed amendments to Florida’s Constitution, including

redistricting, judicial appointments, religious freedom, education, solar energy,

gambling, and the use of marijuana.

Daniel also has extensive experience in the public sector, having served as General

Counsel to the Florida House of Representatives, General Counsel to Florida’s Secretary of State, and—since

2012—as a gubernatorial appointee on the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. Since

joining Shutts & Bowen in 2014, he has represented business and governmental clients on a wide range of

regulatory matters including competitive procurements and bid protests; rulemaking and rule challenge

proceedings; appellate proceedings; and original actions before the Florida Supreme Court.

Daniel maintains an active election law practice. He currently serves as outside General Counsel to the

Republican Party of Florida and provides campaign finance counsel to candidates and other organizations

engaging in political advocacy. Daniel also represents candidates and officeholders in proceedings before the

Florida Elections Commission and the Florida Commission on Ethics. His election-related litigation has resulted in

more than two dozen reported decisions from trial and appellate courts.

Daniel is also involved with several non-profit and community groups. He was selected to the Inaugural Class of

Leaders Fellows by the James Madison Institute and currently serves on the Institute’s Tallahassee Board of

Advisors. Daniel is on the Steering Committee of the Tallahassee Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society for

Law and Public Policy Studies and is a Past President of the Chapter. He is a graduate of Leadership Florida’s

Connect Florida Statewide Leadership Institute (Class VI (#lastclass)), a member of the American Enterprise

Institute’s Leadership Network, a Barrister Member of the First District Appellate American Inn of Court, and a

member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Tallahassee.

Daniel is a “triple-Gator” with three degrees from the University of Florida: a J.D., a B.S. in Microbiology and Cell

Science, and a B.A. in Classical Studies. He has been recognized as a Florida Super Lawyers “Rising Star” and has

been named to the roster of Florida Legal Elite by Florida Trend magazine. Daniel speaks regularly to legal,

political, and business groups on the topics of governmental ethics, campaign finance, election law, and various

aspects of the Florida Administrative Procedure Act.

Carol S. Weissert, Ph.D.

Carol is LeRoy Collins Eminent Scholar and Professor of Political Science at Florida

State University. She also serves as director of the LeRoy Collins Institute, a

statewide policy organization located at FSU that studies and promotes creative

solutions to key private and public issues facing Florida and the nation. In spring

2016 she was the Fulbright-Flinders University Distinguished Chair in American

Political Science in Australia.

She has published over four dozen articles in political science, public administration,

and public policy journals and is the author or co-author of four books including

Governing Health: The Politics of Health Policy.

Prior to coming to Tallahassee in August 2003, she was a professor of political science and director of the

Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University. Her research interests are

federalism, state politics, and health policy. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Daniel J.

Elazar Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations given by the

American Political Science Association and is a fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Public

Administration.

Carol served as editor of Publius: The Journal of Federalism, an international journal on federalism and

intergovernmental relations for ten years. Her doctorate in political science is from the University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a frequent commentator and public speaker on elections, state politics, federalism

and health policy.

Media and Politics Panel Jon Peck

Jon Peck’s position as Vice President of Public Relations at Sachs Media is his most

recent role in a distinguished four-decade career in communications. After

graduating from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, he worked for eight

years as a Florida newspaper and wire service reporter. He then spent 26 years in

state government, including serving as press secretary to Governor Bob Martinez

and holding top-level communications positions for three Attorneys General and five

executive agency heads. He joined Sachs Media Group in 2012, handling some of the

firm’s most challenging messaging responsibilities and guiding less senior colleagues

as they develop their professional expertise.

Mary Ellen Klas

Mary Ellen Klas is capital bureau chief for the Miami Herald and co-bureau chief of

the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau. She is a graduate of the

Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and a graduate of the

University of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn. Before she became bureau chief for the

Herald in 2004, Mary Ellen was Tallahassee bureau chief for Florida Trend magazine

and served as a senior writer for the Palm Beach Post. She was bureau chief for the

Palm Beach Post from 1990-94, after which she worked part time for 10 years while

her daughters were young. She is married to John Kennedy, senior writer for the Palm Beach Post's Tallahassee

bureau. They have two daughters.

Matt Dixon

Matt Dixon came to POLITICO Florida in March 2014 after five years covering the

Sunshine State’s government and political scene.

He served as Florida Times-Union’s bureau chief for four years. During his tenure,

he was first to break the news of former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll’s resignation,

reported the Florida Department of Transportation covering-up reports or bid

rigging and collusion, and uncovered a quiet last-minute budget item that saved the

tobacco industry hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars. He also helped build Scripps

Newspaper’s first ever Florida bureau.

Over his career, Dixon has been recognized for both his political and investigative work, most recently winning a

2015 Green Eyeshade Award for investigative reporting. He has also been awarded the Gene Miller Award for

Investigative Reporting and the Florida Press Club’s top government reporting award.

Dixon is a Wisconsin native and graduate of Marquette University. He has lived in Florida since 2008, where he

came immediately after graduation to work for the Villages Daily Sun. He also covered city and state

government for the Panama City News Herald before joining the Times-Union.

Allison Nielsen

A Florida native, Allison has been writing about state politics since 2013, focusing

heavily on education issues, Second Amendment rights and lobbyists. Known for

her "take no prisoners" attitude, Allison is well-known for her use of social media to

bring news to Floridians in the modern age.

Florida 2030

Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson serves as president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida’s most influential business advocacy organization. The Florida Chamber is commonly known as the “Voice of Business” in Florida and fights to secure Florida’s future through legislative advocacy, grassroots action, political leadership and research-based solutions to help Florida’s competitiveness.

In the last decade, Wilson has raised tens of millions of dollars to champion free enterprise and improve Florida’s business climate. Wilson has led, or been at the center of, successful efforts to lower workers’ comp rates, fix a

broken unemployment compensation system, advance education reform, secure investments in transportation and port infrastructure, and improve Florida’s regulatory, tax and legal climate.

While plaintiff trial lawyers, government unions and environmental extremists tried to make Florida less competitive for job creation, Wilson created the Florida Business Agenda and the Florida Chamber Grassroots Network to unite the business community on important policy and political issues. Wilson helped lead numerous statewide campaigns and initiatives ranging from constitutional amendment reform to legal reform. On the election front, under Wilson’s watch during the 2014 elections, 89 of 95 Florida Chamber-backed candidates were elected. The Florida Chamber invested an unprecedented $7,000,000 in voter education programs from more than 1,100 contributors and defeated the harmful marijuana legalization amendment.

Originally from Illinois, Wilson has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. Before joining the Florida Chamber in 1998, Wilson, a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE), served with both the Chicagoland Chamber and with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Wilson serves on the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida, Leadership Florida, the Florida Chamber, the Florida Chamber Foundation, and the Council of State Chambers. Wilson is also a member of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals and the U.S. Chamber’s Committee of 100.

Wilson resides in Tallahassee with his wife, daughter and two sons.

I’m a Real-Life Lobbyist

Andrew Fay

Andrew Fay joined the Office of the Attorney General in 2011 after serving as a

member of Attorney General Bondi’s transition team. He is a graduate of the Florida

State College of Law where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida State

Business Law Review. Mr. Fay’s areas of focus include data privacy, unfair and

deceptive trade practices, and all legal matters related to Florida’s Legislature. In

2014, he was a lead author and advocate for the passage of Florida’s Information

Protection Act(FIPA). As Special Counsel, he has worked on Florida’s Power Plant

Siting Act, Florida’s False Claims Act, and all legal matters relating to the Attorney General’s role as a member of

the Florida Cabinet including the Department of Revenue, the Office of Financial Regulation, the Office of

Insurance Regulation, and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Mr. Fay has been previously recognized by his peers as one of Florida Trends Legal Elite Government and Non-profit lawyers. He was also recently honored as the Florida Government Bar Association's "2016 Government Lawyer of the Year" for his work assisting the victims and families of the Pulse nightclub attack.

Gus Corbella

Agustin G. Corbella is Senior Director of the Government Law & Policy Practice of the

firm's Tallahassee office. He joined the firm with a formidable background in state and

federal government, as well as state and national campaigns. Prior to joining the firm,

Gus served as Chief of Staff to the Florida Senate President, staff director for the

Majority Offices of both the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, and worked

for a Member of the United States Congress. His role as chief advisor to government's

most prominent leaders has provided Gus with a broad knowledge of the process and

issues before the Florida Legislature and state and federal government.

Gus specializes his practice in the areas of legislative and executive branch lobbying

and public policy advocacy, transportation and infrastructure, health care, telecommunications, gaming,

insurance, appropriations, and entertainment. He is an active member of numerous national and state political,

professional and charitable organizations.

Ashley Kalifeh

Ashley Kalifeh, Esq., is a consultant at Capital City Consulting, bringing experience

lobbying in the private sector, as well as overseeing insurance and financial services

issues before the Florida Legislature and Cabinet.

Ashley began her career practicing law at a large Tallahassee law firm. She was

then recruited to serve as the Legislative Affairs Director for Florida’s Chief

Financial Officer. During her tenure at the Department of Financial Services, she

was promoted to Deputy Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for the offices

of Legislative Affairs, Cabinet Affairs, Policy & Research, and Strategic Planning.

While at the Department of Financial Services, Ashley led a team responsible for

the successful passage of reforms to the laws governing insurance agents, agencies, and adjusters; insurer

insolvency proceedings; state contracting; fire prevention and safety; unclaimed property distribution; and

several workers’ compensation system reforms. Ashley also helped lead the Department’s efforts in combating

insurance fraud in the workers’ compensation, property, and personal injury protection insurance marketplaces,

and was instrumental in the passage of those legislative reforms.

Outside of her legislative responsibilities, Ashley managed the Cabinet Affairs team, advising the Chief Financial

Officer on matters of the policy before the Florida Cabinet, Financial Services Commission, and the Boards of

Trustees for the State Board of Administration and Internal Improvement Trust Fund. These matters included an

investment of Florida Retirement System funds, the acquisition and sale of public lands, and state purchasing

procedures. Finally, overseeing the Policy and Strategic Planning offices, Ashley created and managed various

special projects, such as the creation of an online economic dashboard, a quarterly economic and financial

publication, business research surveys and reports, and departmental performance measurement monitoring.

Before joining the Department, Ashley represented several properties, casualty, and medical malpractice

insurers. In addition to legislative lobbying, she concentrated on insurance defense and administrative law and

co-authored several amicus briefs on behalf of business and health care clients.

Ashley is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Florida State University’s College of Law. The Florida Trend has

recognized Kalifeh twice as one of Florida’s top government attorneys.

Eliakim Nortelus

Eliakim "Eli" Nortelus has over a decade of experience in government consulting including professional and political experience in state and local government in Florida. Eli's lobbying experience in both the legislative and executive branches includes insurance, financial services, casino gaming, lotteries, education, cabinet affairs, appropriations, procurement, state licensing, and general business issues in Florida. Eli's regulatory experience with both state and local governments allows him to help businesses navigate Florida's complex regulatory process and issues with state agencies.

Eli is also active in the political process and assists clients and public officials in providing strategic information on campaigning, political races, and public relations issues.

Jeffrey Sharkey Dr. Jeffrey Sharkey is Managing Partner of the firm with over 25 years of

lobbying experience in addition to 6 years of employment at senior positions in

the Executive and Legislative branches of Florida Government. His lobbying

expertise includes advanced technologies, education, intermodal

transportation, economic development, insurance, entertainment, local

government infrastructure funding, growth management, public finance, and ad

valorem taxation.

Dr. Sharkey is widely known for his extensive knowledge of the legislative process the finance and tax and

appropriations processes. With over two decades of government relations, public affairs and business consulting

under his belt, he has built a network of trusted relationships throughout the highest levels of state government.

His entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving, high ethical standards and a strong commitment to

professionalism, coupled with his creative approach to problem-solving and dedication to keeping his client’s

interests at the forefront of the firm’s activities, have made him one of the most highly regarded lobbyist in

Florida. He and the professionals in his firm believe that accomplishing client’s goals is the result of detailed

research, strategic planning, clear communication, hard work and unrelenting determination to succeed.

In addition, Dr. Sharkey has been actively involved in statewide issue campaigns for over twenty years, providing

him rare insight into the politics and an ability to shape successful community development projects. He has

been successful in creating, mobilizing and evaluating public policy issues and trends to position his clients to

prepare and take advantage of new challenges and opportunities occurring in the arenas of state and local

governments. He is ultimately familiar with the dynamics that are created when local, state and national politics

intersect with the desire to shape public policy in the local, Legislative or Executive branches of government.

Dr. Sharkey has held a variety of positions in state government prior to launching his public policy advocacy

career. He has been Director of International Education for the State of Florida, Special Advisor to the Governor

for International Affairs, and Director of the Florida Hemispheric Policy Studies Center. He began his professional

career as a teacher and school administrator and has worked in England, Thailand, Latin America and in other

parts of the world as a consultant for various international agencies.

In addition, Dr. Sharkey is an entrepreneur and owns several successful businesses. He is native of Minnesota, he

holds a B.S. degree in English, an M.Ed. in Educational Research from the University of MN, an M.S. in Sociology

and Economics and a Ph.D. from Florida State University in Educational Policy Foundations and International

Development.

Private Tour and Mock Session in the Florida House Chamber

Nick Duran

Nick Duran is a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 112. He was first elected to the chamber in 2016. Nick is a father of two, a husband, and a leader in the non-profit community. Following a family medical emergency in 2013 -which would have devastated his family if not for his access to health insurance- Nick became the State Director for Enroll America in Florida, managing a team of over 40 staff members to ensure that

every Floridian had the protections that his family enjoyed. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, a group dedicated to strengthening our community’s access to affordable, quality healthcare. Previously, Nick worked as an organizer and advocate for the Children’s Movement of Florida, advocating for increased funding toward high-quality learning opportunities for all of Florida’s children. Nick has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, and a law degree from New York Law School.

Next Steps with Connect! Alex Price Alex is the new Director of Community & Government Affairs for Comcast, covering their Florida Region from Palm Beach County through the Treasure Coast. Prior to this recent appointment, he led Community Relations for ADT Corporation, the security leader headquartered in Boca Raton. While at ADT Alex helped build the corporate affairs function and launched ADT Always Cares, their nationwide community service program promoting volunteerism for their 22,000 employees.

Before the ADT spin-off, Alex managed media relations for ADT’s 2 billion Commercial business unit. Prior to relocating with his wife Jessie from NYC, Alex began his career at some of NYC’s top ad agencies, including BBDO, one of the world’s most prestigious ad firms. Alex then transitioned to a role in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, and for three years served as Manager of

Communications for the NYC Department of Education focused on promoting education reform.

While in New York, Alex launched a nonprofit organization nycTIES, to engage young professionals in critical local causes and promote life-long volunteerism and board service. It’s now one of the City’s strongest service organizations. He served as President for its first 4 years and now advises the organization as a director on its board.

Since moving back to Florida, he has expanded his commitment to the community, serving on the executive board of Emerge Broward and creating Team Hope, a faith-based community of volunteers supporting Hope South Florida’s efforts to fight homelessness. He currently serves on the board of directors of Connect Florida, a program of Leadership Florida® that operates as the premier organization for educating, engaging and inspiring the next generation of Florida’s leaders. He was also appointed by the Mayor and City Council of Boca Raton to serve a three-year term on the City’s Elder Affairs Advisory Board.

Hailing from Pensacola, Alex earned a BFA from Florida State University and a Masters in Strategic Communication from Columbia, graduating with high honors distinction in 2008.

Alex and his wife Jessie enjoy living in east Boca Raton, raising daughters Olivia and Julia.