Fluent in Floridian

Miami Herald Capital Bureau Chief Mary Ellen Klas is a celebrated journalist within the sunshine state. She notes that her interest in journalism was sparked at a young age. "I got into journalism because, as a little kid, I was really interested in writing. […] Florida as a state was growing fast and every newcomer who was engaged didn't think twice about subscribing to a newspaper. So it was a really exciting time to be a journalist."

Martha Barnett is one of the Sunshine State's most influential lawyers. A graduate of both Tulane University and the University of Florida, Barnett was a member of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission in 1997 through 1998 and previously served as President of the American Bar Association from 2000 to 2001. Currently, Barnett is a retired senior partner at the Holland & Knight Law firm.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry L. Demings is dedicated to serving and protecting his Florida community. A former Chief of the Orlando Police Department and Director of Public Safety for Orange County, Demings's interest in law enforcement was sparked from his childhood experiences watching television shows such as Hawaii Five-0 and Mannix. After joining the Orlando Police Department in 1981, Demings moved up the leadership ranks to become the department's first African-American chief in 1998.In 2008, Demings became the department's first African-American sheriff.

New York Times Bestselling author and Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman is a celebrated journalist and storyteller in the sunshine state. A Florida native and graduate of Troy State University in Alabama, Pittman has won several awards, including the Waldo Proffitt Award for Distinguished Environmental Journalism in Florida four times, the top investigative reporting award from the Society of Environmental Journalists two times, as well as three first-place awards from the Florida Magazine Association. Pittman notes that his parents influenced his career aspirations. He states, "I always joked that my mom taught me to appreciate a good book and my dad taught me to appreciate a good story."

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon is a prominent fighter for American rights and freedoms. Simon began his work for the ACLU as the Executive Director of the organization's Michigan affiliate. In 1997, he was appointed as the organization's Executive Director of Florida and became responsible for the organization's legal, public education, legislative lobbying, membership and fund-raising programs. Simon has a Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in legal and political philosophy and social ethics and served as a philosophy professor at the University of Minnesota and the DePauw University in Indiana prior to working for the ACLU.

A prominent attorney and outspoken politician, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has a strong history of fighting for the progression of our Sunshine State through the legal system. A graduate of the University of Florida, as well as the Stetson Law School, Bondi has successfully worked her way up the leadership ladder. As the state's attorney general, Bondi has fought to eradicate several notable public issues, including drug abuse and human trafficking. Additionally, Bondi has appeared on several cable news programs and worked for Fox News as a legal analyst. Bondi is the first woman Attorney General of the State of Florida.