Erika Donalds
Erika Donalds (born 1980) is a conservative education activist from Florida.
Background
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.[1]
Political activism
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.[2][3]
Donalds was a member of the Collier County School Board from 2014 to 2018. She led a group of pro-charter activists in establishing the short-lived Florida Coalition of School Board Members, in opposition to the long-standing Florida School Boards Association.
Donalds was named by Florida House 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.[4]
Donalds is a member of advisory boards for Classical Learning Test, Moms for Liberty, and the Independent Women’s Forum Education Freedom Center.[5]
In December 2022, Donalds hosted a fundraiser for the Classical Education Network featuring Donald Trump.[6]
Education Business
In 2017, Donalds founded Optima Ed, a company that provides management support for six Hillsdale College-affiliated "classical" charter schools in Florida. Optima is funded by a 10% cut of state funding to its schools, bringing in millions of dollars annually.[7]
Personal life
Donalds married Byron Donalds on March 15, 2003. They have three children: Damon, Darin and Mason. They live in Naples, Florida.
See also
References
- ^ "Commissioner Erika Donalds". 2017-2018 Constitutional Review Commission. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Jacob, Ogles (January 22, 2019). "Erika Donalds brings years of commitment to school choice issue". Florida Politics. Retrieved 3 February 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 3 February 2023.
- ^ Ogles, Jacob (March 26, 2022). "Gov. DeSantis names Erika Donalds to FGCU Board of Trustees". Florida Politics. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Leadership". Optima Ed. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Trump Fundraiser". Optima Ed. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Gordon, Mark (October 22, 2020). "Florida charter school leader targets expansion". Business Observer. Retrieved 3 February 2023.