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profiles
board member profiles
 District
1 | Martha Barrett
Martha Barrett was elected to the Duval County School Board in a special
election on September 15, 2009. Ms. Barrett had previously served on the Duval
County School Board from 2000 to 2008. She chaired the board from 2003 to
2004. Ms. Barrett is currently Senior Vice President , Corporate Social
Responsibility and Market Manager for Bank of America, Northeast Florida. She
previously served as Press aide during Mayor Jake Godbold’s administration and
served as an Assistant Vice President at Independent Life and also was
associated with the Jim King Companies. She currently serves on the boards of
the Cultural Council of Jacksonville, Museum of Contemporary Art, Jacksonville
Symphony, Communities in Schools and Florida State College Foundation. She
is a Trustee of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of
Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Florida. She received the Tillie Fowler
Community Service Award from the Junior League in 2009. She also received
the Leadership Award from Community Connections, EVE award finalist in
Employment and the World of Girl Scouting Award. Jacksonville Magazine
named her as one of the 50 Most Influential Citizens in 2009. Ms. Barrett
received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Maryville University
in St. Louis, Mo. and her Masters in Education from Xavier University in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Email Martha
Barrett
District 2 | Nancy Broner
Nancy Broner
is the current Vice Chairman of the Duval County School
Board. She was elected to the Duval County
School Board in November 2002, representing District 2.
Ms. Broner served as Chairman of the Board from November
2004 to November 2005. She holds a Bachelor’s degree
from Stetson University and a Master of Arts in Teaching
from Jacksonville University. She served as an English
teacher at Fletcher High School, a professor at
Jacksonville University, and has worked in medical
business management for over twenty years. Ms. Broner
is a Broad Fellow of The Broad Foundation, and is an
educational consultant with the Center for Reform of
School Systems, working with large urban school
districts across the country on governance and
policy-making. She serves on the Florida TaxWatch
Center for Educational Performance and Accountability,
the Community Foundation Forum on Quality Education, and
the Beaches Educational Foundation. She has served on
the Board of Directors of the Jacksonville Regional
Chamber of Commerce, the Alliance for World Class
Education, the Schultz Center for Teaching and
Leadership, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Duval County
Ready Child Coalition, and Jacksonville University
Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee.
Email Nancy Broner
 District 3 | W.C. Gentry
W. C. Gentry has been a member of the School Board since November 2008 and represents District 3. He and his wife, Susan, are graduates of the Duval County public school system. Before entering law school, Mr. Gentry taught and coached high school in Jacksonville. He received his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from the University of Florida College of Law in 1971 and for more than 30 years has handled trials and appeals in complex litigation, including constitutional issues. He was appointed to the State of Florida Council on Education Policy, Research and Improvement (CEPRI) in 2002 (Chair 2004-05). From 2004 to 2007, he served as pro bono counsel to the Senate in successfully defending legal challenges to education appropriations under the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). In 2006, he worked with legislative leaders and staff in addressing co-teaching and class size reduction issues. He serves on the Boards of the Early Learning Coalition of Duval and The Alliance for World Class Education. He is a founding Director and Chair, Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership. He has also served as pro bono counsel to the Duval County School Board and the Florida School Boards Association. In December 2007, he was appointed by the Mayor of Jacksonville to Chair the Education Subcommittee of the "Jacksonville Journey" to deal with crime and community issues.
From 1995-1998, he was principally involved in representing the State of Florida in landmark litigation against the Tobacco Industry. Mr. Gentry has been named one of America’s leading trial lawyers by Town & Country Magazine’s “Guide to the Best Lawyers in America,” Woodward-White’s The Best Lawyers in America 1986-2007 and has been profiled by Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida’s “Top Trial Lawyers”. He has served as an adjunct professor, University of Florida College of Law, and is past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, University of Florida College of Law (2005-07).
Email W. C. Gentry
District 4 | Brenda A. Priestly Jackson
Brenda A. Priestly Jackson is the current Chairman of the Duval County School Board. She was initially elected to the school
board in 2002 and reelected in 2006. She served as chairman of the school board for November 2005-November 2006. A native of
Jacksonville and a graduate of Jean Ribault Senior High School, Mrs. Priestly Jackson continued her education at Grambling State
University where she served as Student Government Association president and earned an undergraduate degree in English. After
teaching both in Duval County Public Schools and a correctional facility in New Jersey, Mrs. Priestly Jackson earned her Juris
Doctorate from the University of Florida College of Law. Mrs. Priestly Jackson recently transitioned from a career as an attorney and
is currently dedicating her time to writing. A passionate advocate for reading, particularly literature that is culturally relevant,
inspires imagination and encourages reluctant readers, Mrs. Priestly Jackson recently released her first novel, The Counsel: MK’s
First Commission, a culturally relevant fantasy novel targeted towards young adults and middle year readers. Mrs. Priestly Jackson is
a member of Historic Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church, Council of Urban Board of Education-Racial Isolation Task Force, The National Black Child Development Conference,
Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., Florida School Boards Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and The Links, Inc. Mrs.
Priestly Jackson is married to DeAndre’ Jackson, an urban school teacher, and they have four children, one a graduate of Duval
County Public Schools and three who attend Duval County Public Schools.
Email Brenda A. Priestly Jackson
District 5 | Betty Burney
Betty Seabrook Burney represents District 5 and joined the Duval County School Board in November 2004. She is a Raines High School
graduate, holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Northern
Illinois University. She is formerly the Executive Director of The Project Reach Foundation, Inc. and served as owner/director of
Kidsville Learning Center, Inc. for 14 years. Currently, Ms. Burney is an education consultant for TPG, Inc., and Seabrook and
Associates. She is a member of the NAACP Education Committee, Wayman Chapel AME Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She serves on
the Boards of Directors for The Project Reach Foundation, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Florida and the Community Connections Board
of Directors (A.L. Lewis Foundation). Additionally, she serves as chairperson for the Willie Gary Classic College Fair. Ms. Burney is
the author of the book "If These Chains Could Talk" and is a frequent volunteer at the Duval County jail where she serves
as a motivational mentor for incarcerated youth. Ms. Burney is married to Calvin Burney and is the mother of two sons who are products
of Duval County Public Schools.
Email Betty Burney
District 6 | Vicki Drake
Vicki Drake represents District 6 and has been a member of the School Board since November 2002. Mrs. Drake began her involvement in
education with the PTA at San Mateo Elementary School. She currently serves as a Bylaws Chair on the Duval County Council of PTAs and
Legislative Chair for Stanton College Preparatory School. She has served on several School Advisory Councils and has been the Chair
of the Area Three Advisory Council as well as Chair of the District Advisory Council. She wrote the training curriculum and handbook
for School Advisory Councils in Duval County.
Email Vicki Drake
District 7 | Tommy Hazouri
Tommy Hazouri represents District 7 and joined the School Board in
November, 2004. Mr. Hazouri served for 12 years as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1974-1986, and as Mayor of
the City of Jacksonville from 1987 until 1991. While in the Florida Legislature, Mr. Hazouri was Chairman of the Duval Legislative
Delegation, chaired the House Committee on Education, K-12, and House Committee on Retirement, Personnel, and Collective Bargaining.
He also was a member of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations', the Subcommittee on Education Funding; and, Subcommittee on
Personnel. He was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Florida Ethics Commission, and Chaired the Sheriff's Mental Health and
Crisis Episodes Task Force. Mr. Hazouri earned a Bachelor's degree in history and government from Jacksonville University. He is
president of Hazouri & Associates, a private consulting firm. He and his wife, Carol, a 41-year public school elementary teacher,
live in Mandarin. Their son Tommy, Jr., is an elementary school teacher and coach.
Email Tommy Hazouri
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