The University of West Florida is bracing for significant changes in leadership following a wave of new appointments to its Board of Trustees.
Over the past month, the Florida Board of Governors replaced three trustees — Suzanne Lewis, Jill Singer, and Stephanie White — with Tallahassee insiders. Then, this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis named five more to the board. The majority have no significant ties to Northwest Florida, and at least three have been affiliated with right-leaning think tanks. This includes Scott Yenor, a political science professor affiliated with the Claremont Institute, and Adam Kissel, a Heritage Foundation fellow.
In a statement to National Review, DeSantis said the appointments were intended to, “break the status quo and … refocus the university on the core mission of education.”
Yenor, in particular, has drawn national attention for his critiques of feminism and higher education. Speaking at the National Conservatism Conference three years ago, Yenor called for a "sexual counterrevolution" and described career-oriented women as, quote, “medicated, meddlesome, and quarrelsome.”
"We need to de-emphasize our colleges and universities," he told the audience. "... Almost everything in these indoctrination camps complicates the male-female dance." He concluded the talk by suggesting that "the effort to erase the old standard of public men and private woman has been a mistake."
His remarks have raised concerns among some alumni and faculty at UWF. Chasidy Fisher-Hobbs, president of the university’s faculty union, said she hopes to build a productive working relationship with the new trustees but finds comments like Yenor’s troubling.
"It is certainly disheartening to read some of the public comments that have been made and public positions that have been made by some of our new appointees," she said Tuesday. "It is absolutely not the right direction for this university should that be the agenda. But we are doing so well at our mission that I’m just holding out hope that that will be enough to... hold strong to what we’re supposed to be doing."
Fisher-Hobbs pointed to UWF’s strong performance metrics, including high job placement rates for graduates, as evidence of the university’s success.
The appointments still require confirmation by the Florida Senate. If confirmed, the eight new trustees will hold a majority on UWF’s 13-member board, potentially setting the stage for significant changes. The Board of Trustees is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on January 23, offering the first glimpse of how these new dynamics might play out.
These appointments have been viewed by some as part of a broader push by DeSantis and his Republican colleagues to reshape Florida’s higher education system. Recent legislation has banned diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, restricted certain curriculum topics, and emphasized a return to so-called “classical” education models. Supporters say these changes restore academic focus, but critics argue they risk turning state universities into ideological battlegrounds.
The eight newly appointed trustees include the following:
- Gates Garcia
Gates Garcia is the President and CEO of Pinehill Capital Partners. He serves on the Board of Visitors for The Catholic University of America Busch School of Business and was recognized as the 2024 Richard and Jacqueline Lincoln Fellow by The Claremont Institute. Garcia holds a bachelor’s degree in media studies from The Catholic University of America and an MBA from the University of Florida. - Adam Kissel
Adam Kissel is a Visiting Fellow on Higher Education Reform at The Heritage Foundation and a Senior Fellow at the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. Kissel chairs the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board and is a member of the Civics, History, & America’s Future Advisory Council for America250. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Harvard University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. - Scott Yenor, Ph.D.
Scott Yenor is a political science professor at Boise State University and the Chairman of The Ambrose School Board. He is a Washington Fellow at The Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life, with research focusing on feminism and social justice in universities. Yenor earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a doctorate in political science from Loyola University. - Chris Young
Chris Young is a founder and Senior Partner at Perry & Young Law Firm, as well as COO of Adcock Bros, Inc. and owner of Adcock Transport. He is involved in community organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the ARC of the Bay. Young earned an associate degree from Chipola College and a Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University. - Paul Bailey
Paul Bailey is an attorney at Welton Law Firm and serves as an adjunct professor at Pensacola Christian College. He is a registered instructor with the National Rifle Association and has a legal background that includes clerking for the Florida Third District Court of Appeal. Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree from Pensacola Christian College and a Juris Doctor from Regent University. - Ashley Ross
Ashley Ross is the head of Ross Consulting, specializing in fundraising, campaign consulting, and public affairs. She has nearly two decades of political experience, including advising Senate Presidents and legislative leaders. Recently, she was reappointed to the Construction Industry Licensing Board by DeSantis. - Rebecca Matthews
Rebecca Matthews is Vice President of Automated Health Systems and serves on the Florida Education Foundation Board of Directors. She previously led Florida Healthy Kids Corporation and served as Chief of Staff for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Matthews is an expert in health policy and public administration. - Rachel Moya, Ph.D.
Dr. Rachel Moya is the Chief Revenue Officer of The Amos Group, with a background in education and policy. She served six years on the Beaufort County Board of Education, holding leadership roles on multiple committees. Moya holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University and a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University.
