Stephanie Nordin officially launched her campaign for Collier County School Board, District 1 on Wednesday evening, January 7, with a campaign kickoff event attended by more than 150 supporters at Stix Sushi & Seafood in Naples.
Nordin is a lifelong Collier County resident, public school graduate, and mother of four who brings extensive, hands-on experience in education, community leadership, and school governance to the race. She is the founder of Autism Collier, a nonprofit organization created to support families navigating education and related services, and the co-founder of Autism Collier Charter School, developed in collaboration with educators, district leadership, and state partners.
Through this work, Nordin has spent years working directly with families, teachers, administrators, and policymakers. She has served on advisory councils and committees that inform school district decision-making, giving her firsthand experience with school governance, budgeting, accountability, and policy development.
“I’m running because I believe our school board needs leaders who are prepared, collaborative, and grounded in real experience,” Nordin said. “Strong schools require more than good intentions; they require thoughtful leadership, responsible decision-making, and a deep understanding of how policies impact students, families, and educators.”
Nordin’s campaign focuses on student success, strong family partnerships, support for educators and staff, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, collaboration, and expanding opportunity and innovation across Collier County schools.
The kickoff event drew broad support from elected officials and community leaders across Collier County, underscoring early momentum behind Nordin’s candidacy. Those in attendance included Collier County School Board Member Tim Moshier; former Collier County School Board Chair Jen Mitchell; Collier County Property Appraiser Vickie Downs; Everglades City Councilman Mike McComas; Collier County Commissioners Burt Saunders and Rick LoCastro; and Marco Island City Council Members Tamara Goehler and Deb Henry, along with numerous educators, parents, advocates, and community leaders from across the county. Nordin has also earned early support from Florida State Representative Meg Weinberger, and additional endorsements from elected officials and community leaders are expected in the coming weeks.