Having raised five children on Key Biscayne, Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie feels comfortable with her sudden appointment to Florida’s seven-member Board of Education by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Education has been my life — from a parental perspective,” she said.
With more than 25 years experience in radiology and diagnostics, and partnering with medical teams from Hialeah to Hollywood, Dr. Christie, a Republican, was surprised by Friday’s announcement, although she had earlier been asked if she would be interested.
“It is exciting. I admire Gov. DeSantis and the work he’s doing,” she said.
The appointment to the four-year term, which still must be approved by the Florida Senate, came just days after State Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced his plan to step aside in April to resume his career in law and business.
The four-year term likely will be filled with challenges when the Board meets bi-monthly in Tallahassee and at different locations around Florida.
“I do feel pressure — I feel the pressure of catching up and understanding all the ways the School Board can have an impact and make good things happen for students from Pre-K to the university level and even post-grad,” Dr. Christie said.
“But I’m excited for the challenge. I really believe in the DeSantis Administration, which has been on the ball with a lot of good things happening.”
Among the hot-button items the State Board of Education handled this past year was: banning “critical race theory” from classrooms; ruling against school districts (including Miami-Dade County Public Schools) that were defiant when it came to Gov. DeSantis’ order of banning mask mandates and protecting parents’ rights; and, constructing an “anti-transgender law,” banning such students from girls sports in charter schools.
The current hot topic is the “Don’t Say Gay” bill (dubbed that way by opponents), or the “Parental Rights in Education” bill (how Republican backers refer to it). Florida’s House of Representatives passed the bill 69-47, and the Florida Senate approved the bill by a 22-17 vote. The Board of Education will have to determine what constitutes an “age- or developmentally appropriate” lesson, if the bill becomes law.
“There are lots of complicated things out there, but I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said Dr. Christie, who waited a day to enjoy a little celebration with her husband, Steven, also a doctor, and an accomplished author.
The Miami-born Cuban-American had moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, as a child before permanently moving to Key Biscayne at the age of 19.
“I’m a native with a detour,” she joked, calling her childhood days in Mexico “a great experience” to engage in another culture.
Two of her kids are in high school, one is in college, and the other two have graduated.
Dr. Christie has been the Senior Policy Advisor for The Catholic Association and the Treasurer of the Catholic Association Foundation. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and her Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Miami.
She has written numerous columns on topics ranging from social issues, such as illegal child trafficking and building a better workplace for women, to government health policies and their impacts. Her works have appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, and U.S. News and World Report, and she has appeared on CNN, Fox News, Telemundo, C-Span and EWTN’s global Catholic network.
In addition, Dr. Christie was a featured speaker at the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., in January of 2015, when she spoke about prenatal diagnosis.
The other appointee by Gov. DeSantis on Friday was Esther Byrd, a former U.S. Marine and wife of Neptune Beach State Rep. Cord Byrd. According to several reports, Esther has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and once offered a defense to those “peacefully protesting” at the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots.
Other current members of the State Board of Education include:
– Chair Tom Grady, a Naples attorney and Chief Investment Strategist investment for PureAssets Management Company, LLC.
– Vice Chair Ben Gibson, a Tallahassee resident and partner with the statewide law firm of Shutts & Bowen LLP.
– Monesia Brown, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations with Walmart and subsidiaries.
– Marva Johnson, a Winter Garden resident, who is the Group Vice President, State Government Affairs, for Charter Communications South Region.
– Ryan Petty, a technology executive who lost his daughter, Alaina, in the tragic high school shooting in Parkland.
– Joe York, of Ponte Vedra Beach, the president of AT&T Florida & Caribbean.
