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  Department Info & Services  

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Office of the General Counsel Staff

Educational Programs Unit – Phone: 850-245-0442

The Educational Programs unit is charged with the responsibility of providing general legal assistance to all program units of the Department, from pre-kindergarten to community college, in order to ensure that agency action complies with the state’s Education Code, the Florida Constitution, and the many federal laws and grants. The unit assists with implementing the state’s educational initiatives such as differentiated accountability, drop-out prevention, and various choice options, including virtual programs, charter schools and private schools that accept students with McKay scholarships. Educational Programs provides assistance in developing and reviewing policies, rules, and technical assistance papers, conducts hearings and appeals, handles litigation, and responds to complaints filed with the federal Office of Civil Rights.

Judy A. Bone
Deputy General Counsel


Miki M. Presley
Assistant General Counsel


Richard Shine
Assistant General Counsel


Lois S. Tepper
Asst. General Counsel


Diana Harper
Administrative Assistant III

Business Operations Unit – Phone: 850-245-0442

The Business Operations unit handles all contract reviews and provides significant assistance in contract preparation and negotiation, and preparation of competitive procurements and grant solicitations. Business Operations also handles a wide variety of litigation, including personnel appeals and arbitrations, bid protests, McKay scholarship denials, rule challenges, risk management cases, and challenges over district funding issues. The unit coordinates the preparation of legislative bill analyses and legal review of proposed legislation, handles public records legal issues and advises on other open government questions, and provides training in the area of agency rulemaking. Questions relating to bond finance, education funding, growth management, labor relations, garnishments, general services, technology, and other finance and operations issues are also referred to this unit.

Steven S. Ferst
Assistant General Counsel


Edie McKay
Assistant General Counsel


Brent McNeal
Assistant General Counsel


Bonnie Wilmot
Attorney - Race to the Top


Rosalinda Rapacke
Administrative Assistant II

Professional Practices Services Unit – Phone: 850-245-0443

This section represents the Commissioner of Education in educator licensing proceedings through which teaching or administration certificates may be denied or sanctioned. This section provides advice to investigators, recommends probable cause determinations to the Commissioner, drafts administrative complaints, negotiates settlements, handles informal hearings before the Education Practices Commission and formal hearings at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), and defends cases on appeal.

Margaret O’Sullivan Parker
Deputy General Counsel


Paul Rendleman
Senior Attorney


Christina Harrell
Paralegal Specialist


Brian Pagozalski
Paralegal Specialist

Vocational Rehabilitation/Blind Services Unit

This unit provides legal services to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Division of Blind Services. These divisions provide vocational rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities that impede their employability. This unit also represents the Department in such matters as appeals by employees of these divisions in cases involving discharges, unemployment compensation appeals, appeals of administrative final orders, and claims of discriminatory treatment. This unit also provides staff counseling in matters of contracts, vendor certification, legal process, legislative proposals, and policy. The Rehabilitation Services unit manages the Divisions’ subrogation rights to reimbursement of vocational rehabilitation services expenditures from third-party payments.

Charles J. Pellegrini
Asst. General Counsel


Corbin F. Hanson
Senior Attorney


Melinda Cupp
Paralegal Specialist


Cameron Zauche
Staff Assistant