MODERATOR: Beth Kassab

Beth Kassab is a Central Florida native and long-time journalist who has devoted her career to local news. She arrived at the Winter Park Voice in 2023 with a strong passion for telling the stories of the people and organizations who help define this region.

Beth spent 20 years at the Orlando Sentinel where she covered politics, education, courts, business and local government and also wrote a popular column. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, WMFE, WUCF and Fox35.

Beth graduated from the University of Florida, where she was editor-in-chief of the Independent Florida Alligator and served as chairwoman of UF’s Department of Journalism Advisory Board from 2018-2020.

In 2018, she was a finalist for the Scripps Howard First Amendment Award and has been recognized for her body of work by the Florida Society of News Editors.



Beth volunteers as a peer mentor for patients and caregivers at the American Brain Tumor Association.

Dr. Tashanda Brown-Cannon

Chief Academic Officer at OCPS

Dr. Tashanda Brown-Cannon has dedicated over 25 years to serving the students of Orange County Public Schools with excellence. A native Floridian, Dr. Brown-Cannon matriculated through Duval County Public Schools before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in Elementary Education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. Driven by a lifelong passion for learning, she received a Master of Education in Educational Leadership (M.Ed) from the University of Central Florida and completed her Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) at National Louis University.

An innovative instructional leader, Dr. Brown-Cannon’s many years of service have greatly benefited students inside and outside the classroom. Recognized for her efforts, Dr. Brown-Cannon became a turnaround principal for Tangelo Park Elementary School, where she implemented innovative strategies to increase teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Under her leadership, the school earned five consecutive “A” ratings from the Florida Department of Education from 2007 through 2012. In 2009, Dr. Brown-Cannon was honored as the State of Florida’s 2009 Literacy Leader of the Year and drew national attention for her accomplishments with a featured article in Lifestyles magazine. Under her

leadership, Tangelo Park Elementary School was recognized as a “Distinguished School” at the National Title I Conference.

Continuing to ascend in her career, Dr. Brown-Cannon assumed the role of executive area director in 2013 and associate superintendent in 2019, where her dedication to fostering a culture of educational excellence and transforming high-needs schools was felt throughout OCPS. Dr. Brown-Cannon’s tireless efforts to increase the leadership capacity of principals and mentor colleagues paved the foundation for student success.

In recognition of her exemplary contributions and unwavering commitment to educational excellence, Dr. Brown-Cannon achieved a significant milestone in 2023 when she was promoted to the esteemed position of chief academic officer. In this role, she leads the charge of shaping the educational future of OCPS, ensuring every student receives a high-quality education.

With a proven track record of coaching principals, increasing student outcomes, and developing a pipeline of turnaround leaders, Dr. Brown-Cannon continues to be a driving force in education. Her career is a testament to her passion for making a difference in the lives of students and educators alike. She remains a beacon of inspiration within the OCPS community.

Dr. Norín Dollard

Senior Policy Analyst with Florida Policy Institute

Dollard has more than 30 years of health services research and evaluation experience in Florida and New York in behavioral health needs of children and families across child-serving systems. She has been responsible for or directed all aspects of the research process including design, implementation, analysis, interpretation and dissemination, typically using a mixed methods approach to data collection and analysis. Dollard has directed both federally funded and state funded evaluation and research

projects.

As director of the KIDS COUNT data center, sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, she leverages her experience with large administrative data sets to inform child and family policy with data.

She holds a doctorate in education from the University of South Florida and a master’s of public administration from the University at Albany-State University of New York.

Annie Martin

Investigative journalist for the Orlando Sentinel

A Washington state native, Annie graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

She previously worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal and the Battle Creek Enquirer in Michigan. Annie is an avid runner and reader. She loves exploring all of Florida’s natural wonders.

Stephanie Vanos

OCPS School Board Member

Stephanie Vanos is a mom to three girls in Orange County Public Schools and a volunteer public education advocate. She was elected as the school board member for District 6 in 2024. A graduate of K-12 public schools, Stephanie graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University and earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated with honors.

Stephanie began her involvement with public education advocacy when her oldest daughter started kindergarten. She actively volunteered at her daughters’ schools and served on multiple school advisory councils. She graduated with the 2017 class of the OCPS Leadership Orange program. Stephanie is a member of the Education Committee of the League of Women Voters of Orange County, serving as the co-chair for two years.

In 2021, she joined a statewide public education caucus and ultimately became the vice president. In that role, she advocated for pro-public education bills and issues in the Florida Legislature and helped to build grassroots, pro-public education coalition across the state. Stephanie has also advocated at the national level with the Network for Public Education and was invited to discuss a series of papers under development by the National Academy of Education.

Stephanie has been active in the community since she moved to Orlando in 2003, serving on the Board of Directors for the Pace Center for Girls Orange and Girls on the Run Central Florida, where she also served as the board chair. She is currently a Trustee for the Track Shack Youth Foundation and also served on the OCPS Reapportionment Advisory Committee in 2021.