Orange County

• Orange Co.:  Clerk of Courts | Property Appraiser | Sheriff | Supervisor of Elections|Tax Collector
• Orange Co. Commission: District 1 | District 3
• Orange Co. School Board: District 7
• Orange Co. Soil and Water: District 1 | District 3 | District 5

If you have candidate information, please submit it to News 13 executive producer Jennifer Cook: jcook@cfnews13.com

Orange Co. Clerk of Courts

Lydia Gardner

Party:

• Republican

Education:

• Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College
• B.A., University of Michigan

Occupation:

• Licensed Florida real estate broker

Personal:

• Two children

Experience:

• Orange County Clerk of Courts, 2000-present
• Orange County School Board, 1986-98
• Florida Association of Court Clerks and Comptroller, 2000-present
• National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks, 2000-present
• Orange County Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Commission, 2004-present
• Florida Clerk of Court Operations Conference (F.S. 28.35), 2003-04
• Florida Supreme Court Committee on Privacy and Court Records, 2003-present
• Criminal Justice/Public Safety Coordinating Council, 2002-present
• Florida School Boards Compensation Commission, 02
• Central Receiving Center Governing Board, 2002-present
• Florida Supreme Court Workgroup on Emergency Preparedness, 2001
• Orange County Jail Oversight Commission, 2001-02
• City of Winter Park Education Task Force, 2001
• Florida Telecommunications Task Force
• Florida Distance Learning Network Board
• Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida
• Florida Education Foundation Board

Issues:

• Continue to deliver excellence through efficiency and effectiveness.

Contact:

• LydiaGardnerForClerk.com

Orange Co. Commission, District 1

Scott Boyd

Education:

• B.S. in Criminology, Florida State University
• A.A., Valencia Community College

Occupation:

• Vice president, McKinnon Corporation, 1994-present
• Florida licensed real estate broker, 1998-present

Personal:

• Married, two sons

Experience:

• Vice president, Orange County Farm Bureau, 2006-present; Director, 2005-present
• Florida Farm Bureau Water and Natural Resources Advisory Board, 2005-present
• Florida Farm Bureau Citrus Advisory Board, 2007-present
• Orange County Building Codes Board of Adjustments/Appeals, 2006-present
• Orlando Aero Club, 2000-present
• Orlando Regional Realtor Association, 2006-present
• Participant, West Orange Roper YMCA Scholarship Campaign
• Team member, West Orange Roper YMCA New Construction Project
• Orange County Agricultural Advisory Board, 2004-present
• West Orange Airport Citizens Advisory Board, 2006-present
• Orange County Sheriff's Department Rural Enforcement Communications Network (RECoN), 7 years

Contact:

• ElectScottBoyd.net

Orange Co. Commission, District 3

Mildred Fernandez

Education:

• Executive Education Program, JFK School of Government, Harvard University, 2006
• B.A. in Business Education, University of Puerto Rico

Occupation:

• Retired IBM executive

Personal:

• Five children

Experience:

• Orange County Commission, 2004-present
• LYNX Governing Board
• Orange County Value Adjustment Board
• Vice chairwoman, Metroplan Orlando's Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board
• Downtown Development Board CRA
• Orlando Business and Professional Women Association
• Citizen's Commission for Children
• Commission on Aging
• Advisory board member, American Cancer Society

Orange Co. Property Appraiser

Bill Donegan

Party:

• Republican

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, University of Southeastern Louisiana

Occupation:

• Orange County Property Appraiser, 2002-present

Personal:

• Married, one daughter

Experience:

• Certified Florida appraiser
• International Association of Assessing Officers
• Florida Association of Property Appraisers Board of Directors
• MetroPlan Orlando
• Advisor, University of Central Florida College of Business
• Winter Park Economic Development Advisory Board
• Goldenrod Station and Museum Board of Trustees
• Florida Auditor General's Constitutional Officer Financial Reporting Task Force
• Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Task Force
• Maitland City councilman, 1986
• Orange County Commissioner, 1988-94
• Florida Ethics Commission, 1998
• U.S. Army First Lieutenant

Issues:

• Define all exempt classification property types to insure that the tax exemption is issued to those who represent good faith uses and is not used by special interest groups to gain tax advantages.
• Continue to enhance agency's Web site to provide access to property information.

Contact:

• BillDonegan.com

Orange Co. School Board, District 7

Christine Moore Curtis

Education:

• B.S. in Music Education, University of Michigan, 1983

Occupation:

• President, Discovery Consulting, Inc., 1996-2008

Personal:

• Married, two children

Experience:

• Adjunct instructor, Valencia and Lake Sumter Community Colleges, 1986-91
• Flute/saxaphone teacher, 1977-present
• Orange County Charter Review Commission, 2007-present
• Orange County Citizen's Review Panel, 1999
• Board member, Children's First Central Florida, 2001-06
• Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce, 2007-present

Issues:

• Prioritize funding for the classroom.
• Raise graduation rates.
• Improve curriculum standards.
• Keep our schools safe.

Contact:

• ChristineForOrange.com
• cmdisgroup@aol.com

Orange Co. Sheriff

Jerry Demings

Party:

• Democrat

Education:

• M.B.A., Florida Metropolitan University/Orlando College
• B.S. in Finance, Florida State University

Occupation:

• Former Orange County director of public safety

Personal:

• Married, three sons

Experience:

• Orange County director of public safety, 2002-07
• Chief of Orlando Police Department, 1998-2002
• Orlando Police Department, 1981-98
• FBI National Academy graduate
• FBI National Executive Institute graduate
• Central Florida YMCA Metropolitan Board of Directors
• Chairman, YMCA Black Achievers Board of Directors
• Former chairman, City of Orlando Civil Service Board
• Former board member, Metropolitan Orlando Urban League
• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• International Association of Fire Chiefs
• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives

Issues:

• Target violent offenders with aggressive enforcement, with focus on juvenile offenders, street gangs and repeat offenders.
• Partner with the School District to create a new elementary and middle school crime intervention curriculum.
• Refocus department on community-oriented policing by redeploying additional deputies to uniform patrol duties.

Contact:

• JerryDemings.com

Orange Co. Soil and Water, District 1

Michelle Anne Hamada

No bio information provided

Orange Co. Soil and Water, District 3

Andy Anderson

Contact:

• soilandwaterteam.com

Orange Co. Soil and Water, District 5

Carl Howard

Education:

• Ph.D. Candidate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• M.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• B.A., Conception Seminary College, Conception, Mo.

Occupation:

• Teacher, Orange County Public Schools

Personal:

• Single

Experience:

• Governance Board, Florida Education Association
• Board of Directors, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association
• Secretary, Orange Service Unit Council
• Secretary, Orange County CTA Fund for Children and Public Education
• CTA representative, OCPS-CTA Joint Safety Committee
• Science lead teacher
• Elected delegate to national and state conventions: AFT, NEA, AFL-CIO, FEA

Issues:

• Increase public visibility of the Soil and Water Conservation District Board actions.
• Collaborate more productively with other agencies and offices.
• Strengthen relationship between schools and the Soil and Water Conservation District education programs.
• Encourage input from members of the public in all Soil and Water Conservation District Board decisions.
• Increase leadership opportunities for associate supervisors and others.

Contact:

• soilandwaterteam.com
• MrCarlHoward@hotmail.com

Orange Co. Supervisor of Elections

Bill Cowles

Party:

• Democrat

Education:

• Bachelor's in Public Administration, Florida Technological University (UCF)

Occupation:

• Orange County Supervisor of Elections, 1996-present

Personal:

• Married, two sons

Experience:

• Federal Elections Assistance Commission Standards Board
• Former president, Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections
• Second vice president, International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers
• President, IACREOT
• Boy Scouts of America, Central Florida Council

Orange Co. Tax Collector

Earl K. Wood

Party:

• Democrat

Occupation:

• Orange County tax collector, 1964-present