Erika Donalds
Erika Donalds | |
|---|---|
 Donalds in 2021 | |
| Born | Erika Lees 1980 (age 44–45) |
| Education | Florida State University Florida Atlantic University |
| Occupation | School choice activist |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Erika Donalds[1] (née Lees; born 1980) is an American school choice activist from Florida. Her husband, Byron Donalds, is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Background
[edit]Donalds holds a bachelor's degree (Florida State University, 2002) and a master's degree (Florida Atlantic University, 2006) in accounting. She worked for New York investment management firm Dalton, Greiner, Hartman, Maher & Co., LLC (DGHM) from 2002 until 2018.[2]
Political activism
[edit]In 2013, following a dispute with administrators of her second child's public school in Naples, Donalds placed her child in a private school. She became involved in local efforts (via the group Parents ROCK) to deploy state education funds to establish a charter school, the Mason Classical Academy.[3][4]
Donalds was named by Florida House of Representatives Speaker Richard Corcoran to the 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development and the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees.[5]
Donalds is a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation[6] and serves as a member of advisory boards for Classical Learning Test, Moms for Liberty, and the Independent Women's Forum Education Freedom Center.[7]
Education business
[edit]In 2017, Donalds founded OptimaEd, a company that provides management support for several classical charter schools in Florida.[8]
Personal life
[edit]She married Byron Donalds on March 15, 2003. They have three children. They live in Naples, Florida.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Cleary, Tom (January 5, 2023). "Erika Lees Donalds, Byron Donalds' Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ "Commissioner Erika Donalds". 2017-2018 Constitutional Review Commission. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ Jacob, Ogles (January 22, 2019). "Erika Donalds brings years of commitment to school choice issue". Florida Politics. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ Bennett Williams, Amy (August 10, 2020). "Candidate Byron Donalds and his accuser each calls the other a liar; ethics commission won't weigh in until at least next month". Fort Myers News-Press. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ Ogles, Jacob (March 26, 2022). "Gov. DeSantis names Erika Donalds to FGCU Board of Trustees". Florida Politics. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ "Erika Donalds". Archived from the original on February 24, 2024.
- ^ "Leadership". Optima Ed. August 31, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ Gordon, Mark (October 22, 2020). "Florida charter school leader targets expansion". Business Observer. Retrieved February 3, 2023.