Seminole State welcomes new members to Board of Trustees

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed two new members to the District Board of Trustees at Seminole State College of Florida. Bob Cortes and Susan Fernandez will serve four-year terms, which began in August.

Cortes, senior administrator for government affairs for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, served two terms in the Florida House of Representatives, from 2014 to 2018, and was appointed vice chair of the Education Committee. Prior to serving as a state representative, Cortes was elected to the Longwood City Commission and became the first mayor of Puerto Rican descent in Seminole County. 

Cortes attended EDP College of Puerto Rico, San Juan, majoring in computer programming with a minor in business administration.

Fernandez serves on the executive team of the president and CEO and directs communications and government relations strategy for Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas in Lake Mary. She is a communications and public relations professional with over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors combined. 

Previously, she was a director in the United States Senate and worked on state and federal policy and constituent issues for over four years. Prior to her work in the Senate, she worked for a public relations firm in multiple roles for local, state and national clients. During her time there, she also worked as finance director on a political campaign.

Fernandez graduated from Rollins College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and more recently attended Harvard Business School for an Executive Education program.

Cortes’ and Fernandez’s appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. They replace Alex Setzer, who served from 2011 to 2019, including three years as Board chairman; and Daniel O’Keefe, who served from 2018 to 2019.

The Board of Trustees, made up of members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Florida Senate, meets monthly to oversee the operations of the College.