DeSantis appoints Winter Haven's Ashley Bell Barnett to state university system board
Ashley Bell Barnett has long been an advocate for education in Polk County. The Winter Haven resident will soon be exerting her influence on a much wider scale.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Barnett to the Board of Governors for the State University System, his office announced Monday afternoon. That board supervises the operations of the 12 public institutions in the system, including the University of Florida and Florida State University, as well as Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland.
Barnett, 38, said she had been in discussions with the governor’s office for some time and received official word Monday afternoon of her appointment, which requires confirmation by the Florida Senate.
“I'm so ecstatic, elated and honored and feel like I'm eager to take on this challenge,” she said.
The Board of Governors has 17 members, 14 of them appointed by the governor to serve terms of seven years. Other current members include Manny Diaz Jr., Florida’s commissioner of education; Jose Oliva, a former state House speaker; and Eric Silagy, president and CEO of Florida Power & Light Co.
The board is next scheduled to meet Jan. 24 at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Barnett has served on the Polk State College Foundation board since 2014 and the Polk State Board of Trustees since 2018. She's no longer on the foundation board but said she plans to continue her role on the Board of Trustees.
“I've been in education for over 18 years, and I've worked in early education, I've worked as a teacher, I’ve worked in secondary (education), I work with state colleges,” Barnett said. “So this is a natural fit. And I just want to serve our students and our taxpayers alike and do what's right for our university system in the state of Florida.”
Barnett, a fifth-generation Floridian, graduated from Fort Meade High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Florida. She also holds certificates in management and philanthropy from UCLA.
“So I am a product of public education,” she said. “I'm a product of state college education and the university system.”
Barnett is the daughter of state Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade. Her husband, Wesley Barnett, is a grandson of Publix Super Markets founder George W. Jenkins and a prominent philanthropist. The couple have two daughters, ages 4 and 8.
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The appointment adds to Barnett’s list of state roles. DeSantis appointed her in 2020 to the Governing Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and reappointed her to another term in August. She also serves on the Polk Arts Alliance Advisory Committee.
Barnett joined the Board of Trustees of Polk State College in 2018 and has since been reappointed twice.
“I love Polk State College,” she said. “I'm a huge advocate for accessibility and affordability to students, and I think the state colleges are a gem of the community. And I'm looking forward to how we can articulate with the university system — we have (Florida) Poly here and the other great institutions — to make sure that we're providing the appropriate workforce curriculum and making sure that our students are provided their crucial educational needs to be able to stay in Florida and continue the talent pipeline. So those are big goals of mine.”
Gary White can be reached at [email protected] or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County's Ashley Bell Barnett appointed to university system board
