DeSantis appoints two to Leon County Board of Children’s Services

VaselineJune 1, 2024

0 2 minutes read

DeSantis appoints two to Leon County Board of Children’s Services

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday appointed two new members of the Leon County Board of Children’s Services: former judge and head of the state agency Simone Marstiller and Brent Johnson, executive director of the local law firm Radey.

Marstiller, currently of counsel to the state’s Gunster law and lobbying firm, and Johnson filled two vacancies, capping the membership at 10 members. Under state law, the CSC must have five members appointed by the governor.

As previously reported by the Tallahassee Democrat, area voters in 2020 passed a local referendum to create the board and generate funds through an accompanying property tax — up to $8 million a year — to address the problems that affect children in the county, such as food insecurity and learning difficulties.

“I am very happy to have two new board members join us and we look forward to providing them with an orientation to the work we are currently implementing and their contributions to the board,” said Cecka Rose Green, the board’s executive director.

According to a news release from the governor’s office, Johnson has experience working in the public sector as a staff auditor for the Florida Auditor General. An accountant, he is a member of the American and Florida Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.

Previously, he was a senior manager for North Highland, a consulting company, and was deputy executive director of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Johnson graduated from Florida State University with a degree in accounting in 1982.

Marstiller, an attorney, has extensive public service experience over the years, spending time as head of the state Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Marstiller also served as a judge on the 1st District Court of Appeals, based in Tallahassee, from 2010 to 2015. Prior to that, she was acting secretary of the Department of Management Services, a deputy chief of staff of the Govt. then. Jeb Bush and was his Chief State Intelligence Officer. She also served as associate deputy attorney general under then-Attorney General Bill McCollum and executive director of the Florida Election Commission.

She attended Stetson University, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1988 and a law degree in 1996. The St. Petersburg native has lived in Tallahassee since 1999.

“I’ve lived in Tallahassee for a long time and I’ve gotten to do some really cool things in public service, but the thing that’s gotten to mean the most to me has been working with and for at-risk kids in the state of Florida,” he says. Marstiller told the Democrat in a phone interview.

“It’s just a fantastic opportunity for me to do this kind of work directly in my community.”

Alaijah Brown covers children and families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter/X:@AlaijahBrown3

VaselineJune 1, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Vaseline

Related Articles

How should a beginner invest in stocks? Start with this index fund.

Shake Shack: Poised to Thrive Under New Leadership

Fed’s ‘dot plot’ signals it won’t be in a rush for another 50bps cut, but jobs data dominates. By Investing.com

June: amd-study | News and features