This March (and into early April), Tiger Bay is bringing you three major voices shaping the education conversation — locally, statewide, and in higher education
Secure your seat now for:
Monday, 3/16
Leon County School Board Member Alva Smith
Fresh off continued debate over school consolidation and budget pressures in Leon County.
In the News: WTXL 27 — Leon County School Board debates school consolidation amid budget concerns
Tuesday, 3/31
Florida Department of Education Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas
At the center of evolving statewide curriculum and policy discussions.
In the News: FOX 13 Tampa Bay — Florida education leaders vote to expand high school communism curriculum
Friday, 4/3
FAMU President Marva Johnson
Recently attending the White House Black History Month celebration and leading one of Florida’s most prominent universities.
In the News: WCTV — FAMU President Marva Johnson attends White House celebration
Each of these leaders is making headlines in their own right — and each will bring a distinct perspective on where education is headed at the local, state, and national levels.
Tiger Bay will do what we do best: provide a candid forum, thoughtful questions, and an opportunity for members to engage directly.
Seats will fill quickly — we encourage you to RSVP today for one or all three programs.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Monday, March 16, 2026
Capital Tiger Bay Club Hosts
Leon County School Board Member
Alva Smith
Join the Capital Tiger Bay Club on Monday, March 16, as we welcome Leon County School Board
Member Alva Smith for a timely conversation on education issues impacting our community at the local
level.
A former classroom educator and longtime local education leader, Ms. Smith will share insights drawn
from years of experience serving students, families, and educators in Leon County. She will discuss how
education policy decisions made in Tallahassee translate into real-world impacts in classrooms and
communities across our region.
This program offers an opportunity to engage with education policy through a local lens and helps frame
the broader education conversations that will continue throughout the 2026 legislative cycle.
We hope you’ll join us for this thoughtful and informative program!
About our speaker
A former educator, Alva Smith is currently the longest standing member of the Leon County School Board. First
elected in 2014 while teaching math and coaching cross country at Deerlake Middle School, Alva was subsequently re-elected in 2018 and 2022 and is up for re-election in 2026. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida School Boards Association where she also chairs the Legislative Committee. Previously, Alva served as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend and as Executive Director at the FSU College of Law. She has served in various community service positions including on the Childrens Services Council Planning Committee, Board of Directors for the Council on Culture & the Arts, and with the United Way of the Big Bend. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the FSU College of Business where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Alva is a graduate of Leadership Tallahassee and Leadership Florida (Cornerstone Class 41) and was selected as 25 Women You Need to Know by the Tallahassee Democrat in 2025. Alva and her husband George have six children, all graduates of Leon County public schools.
We ask members to PLEASE RSVP as soon as you can and NO LATER THAN Thursday, March 12th which allows
us to plan for seating and service at the event.
Guest fee for this program is $35. Please RSVP at your earliest convenience so we may provide an accurate
headcount for food and beverage.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday, March 16th
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Florida Department of Education
Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas
Join the Capital Tiger Bay Club as we welcome Florida Commissioner of Education Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas for an inside look at the future of Florida’s schools. From expanding educational and career opportunities to strengthening parental rights and transparency, Commissioner Kamoutsas will discuss the priorities shaping Florida’s education landscape.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from Florida’s 29th Commissioner of Education on the policies driving the state’s next generation.
About the Speaker
Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas, the 29th Commissioner of Education for the state of Florida, leads the state’s efforts to expand education and career opportunities, strengthen parental rights and ensure transparency in schools across the state. Following Governor Ron DeSantis’ recommendation of Stasi Kamoutsas to serve as Florida’s next Commissioner of Education, the State Board of Education unanimously selected him on June 4, 2025. Commissioner Kamoutsas is dedicated to preparing Florida’s students for their futures.
A native of Miami Gardens, Commissioner Kamoutsas began his career as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, where he prosecuted some of the community’s most violent criminals. He later represented lawn enforcement officers as Counsel to the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. In 2019, he joined the Florida Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel, quickly rising to serve as General Counsel and then Chief of Staff. He went on to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Ron DeSantis, overseeing policy in the Governor’s priority areas of education, law enforcement and emergency management.
Over the last six years, Commissioner Kamoutsas has played a key role in shaping Florida’s education policy. He has been deeply involved in the state’s efforts to protect parental rights, expand school choice, eliminate DEI and CRT, and preserve education freedom. He was also instrumental in opposing COVID mask mandates and advancing the Governor’s successful push to reopen schools for in-person learning in 2020. His steadfast leadership has signaled a continued commitment to ensuring Florida remains the nation’s leader in bold, student-centered education reform.
Commissioner Kamoutsas earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University and his Juris Doctor from Regent University School of Law. He is a devoted husband and the proud father of four daughters, drawing daily inspiration from his family as he works to safeguard the future of Florida’s children.
Capital Tiger Bay Club Hosts
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University President Marva Johnson
Friday, April 3, 2026
About our Speaker
Marva Johnson, J.D., MBA, is the thirteenth president of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and a tenured Professor in the University’s College of Law. President Johnson assumed the presidency on August 1, 2015, as a distinguished leader in business, legislative affairs, and public education policy.
In 2014, she was appointed to the Florida State Board of Education and elected chair in 2015. During her tenure, she championed policies aimed at improving educational outcomes for all students, playing a vital role in implementing performance-based funding measures to encourage state colleges to improve student success metrics, including graduation rates. Johnson also worked to enhance accountability across the state’s colleges, with a focus on closing achievement gaps and ensuring that all students had access to high-quality, low-cost education options.
President Johnson holds the distinction of serving as a member of Florida’s 2018 Constitution Revision Commission and chair of the Education Committee. Her leadership in education reform has consistently focused on creating pathways to education excellence for students of all backgrounds.
Before assuming the presidency, Johnson served as Group Vice President of State Government Affairs for Charter Communications. In this role, she focused on expanding broadband access, particularly in underserved communities, and oversaw state government affairs, regulatory and local franchising matters, state legislative issues, and strategic partnerships. She also led government and community initiatives across nine southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. President Johnson is deeply committed to community service. She has served on the boards of several organizations focused on providing educational opportunities to youth, including the Florida Virtual School and Pace Center for Girls. Additionally, she serves as a mentor and provides leadership development through several local, state, and national organizations. She has received many accolades and was recently recognized by Florida Trend magazine as one of the Top 500 Most Influential People in Florida.
President Johnson earned her Juris Doctor from the Georgia State University College of Law. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Georgetown University. She is a wife, mother, and a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Become a Capital Tiger Bay Club Member
Click Here: Capital Tiger Bay Membership Application