Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spent Friday overhauling leadership across the state’s educational and financial landscapes, issuing a massive slate of appointments and reappointments to several college boards and the Florida Development Finance Corporation.
The move, announced May 1, 2026, impacts institutions stretching from the Panhandle down to the Florida Keys, bringing a mix of veteran educators, corporate executives, and legal professionals into key oversight roles.
Tallahassee State College saw the most activity, with three familiar faces returning to the District Board of Trustees. Returning to their posts are Sara Bayliss, a college admissions advisor; Eugene Lamb Jr., a retired 30-year Leon County teacher and current board chair; and Karen Moore, CEO of The Moore Agency.
In South Florida, the Governor tapped Roberto Alonso, a Miami-Dade County School Board member, and attorney Marcell Felipe to continue their work on the Miami-Dade College Board.
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Meanwhile, Broward College will see the return of Greenberg Traurig shareholder Zachariah “Reggie” Zachariah Jr. and global advisor Mario Zanotti-Cavazzoni.
The appointments also introduced new leadership to several regions. Steven Hughes, Director of Operations for CMC Steel Florida, was named to the Florida State College at Jacksonville board, while Susan Raffanello of Coffey Burlington, P.L., joined the College of the Florida Keys board.
Further north, Gordon “Flash” Sprague, a retired senior VP and former chair of the UWF Foundation, was appointed to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
Other notable reappointments include:
- St. Petersburg College: Richard Franz III (Sorren, Inc.) and Danielle Marolf (Wellmont Academy).
- Palm Beach State College: Stacy Plean (LoKation Real Estate).
- Pasco-Hernando State College: Consultant Jeffrey Harrington, attorney Nicole Newlon, and business owner Kirk Wilson.
- Hillsborough College: Gregory Celestan (Celestar Corporation) and Brian Lametto (New York Life).
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Beyond higher education, DeSantis addressed the state’s economic arm by appointing Daniel Craig, President of Michael Baker International, and reappointing John “Michael” Quijano and Taylor Smith to the Florida Development Finance Corporation.
While the Governor has made his selections clear, the process isn’t over yet. Under Florida law, every one of these appointments must now go before the Florida Senate for final confirmation before the terms become official.
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