2010 Convocation
Guest Speaker
Senator Nan Rich
Senator Nan Rich is widely recognized as one of Florida’s
leading champions of children’s and social justice issues.
Elected to the Florida State Senate in November 2004, subsequently
re-elected in November 2006 and 2010, and currently serving
as the Senate Democratic Leader, Rich also served in the Florida
State House of Representatives from 2000–2004.
A long-time resident of Florida, Rich was educated at the
University of Florida. From 1996 to 1999 she served as the
National President of the National Council of Jewish Women—the first Floridian elected to that office in the organization’s
116 year history. She has extensive experience in advocacy
and community service, and has worked to improve the lives
of women, children and families in her community, the U.S.
and Israel. In 1999, President Bill Clinton appointed Rich
to serve as a Board Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C.
Rich currently serves on many committees including Health
and Human Services Appropriations, Vice Chair; Children, Families,
and Elder Affairs, Vice Chair; Policy and Steering Committee
on Energy, Environment, and Land Use, Vice Chair; Policy and
Steering Committee on Ways and Means; Commerce; Environmental
Preservation and Conservation; Ethics and Elections; and Joint
Legislative Sunset Committee. She serves on the Florida Children & Youth
Cabinet as the appointee of the Senate President.
Rich is on the board of directors of Kids in Distress, and the American Jewish Congress, Southeast Region.
