Jennifer Carroll

Jennifer Carroll
18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 2011
Governor	Rick Scott
Preceded by	Jeff Kottkamp
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 13th district
In office 2003–2010
Preceded by	Mike Hogan
Succeeded by	Daniel Davis
Personal details
Born	August 27, 1959 (1959-08-27) Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Nolan Carroll
Children	Nolan II Nyckie Necho
Residence	Fleming Island, Florida
Alma mater	Leeward Community College (A.A.) University of New Mexico (A.B.) Kensington University (M.B.A.) St. Leo University (M.B.A.)
Profession	Former Navy officer Businesswoman Politician
Religion	Christian
Military service
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1979–1999
Rank	Lieutenant Commander

Jennifer Sandra Carroll (née Johnson, born August 27, 1959) is a Trinidadian-born American politician who is the 18th and current Lieutenant Governor of the U.S. state of Florida. The first African American and the first woman elected to the position, she assumed the office on January 4, 2011. Carroll previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2003 until 2010.

Early life, education, and early political career

Carroll was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. She moved to the United States at the age of eight, and graduated from Uniondale High School in Uniondale, New York in 1977. Carroll enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1979. After serving as an Aviation Machinist Mate (Jet Mechanic), she was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program, becoming an Aviation Maintenance Officer in 1985. She retired from the Navy in 1999 as a Lieutenant Commander. In 1981, she received an Associate of Arts degree from Leeward Community College. She followed this in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of New Mexico. She moved to Florida in 1986. She received a Master of Business Administration degree from unaccredited diploma mill Kensington University in 1995, and then earned another Master of Business Administration degree online from St. Leo University in 2008.

Carroll is a member of the Clay County Republican Executive Committee. In 2000, she ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the Florida's 3rd congressional district. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown defeated Carroll 58%-42%. After redistricting, she ran for a rematch against Brown in the newly redrawn 3rd district in 2002. Brown defeated her 59%-41%.

Following her defeat in the 2000 election, she was appointed as Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs by Republican Governor Jeb Bush and served in that post until July 2002. Then, Republican President George W. Bush appointed Carroll to the Commission on Presidential Scholars and served that post from 2001 to 2004. Bush appointed her to a seat on the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission and served in that post from 2004 to 2007.

Florida House of Representatives

Elections

Carroll ran for a seat Florida House of Representatives in the 13th House District after incumbent Republican State Representative Mike Hogan resigned in 2003. In the April 2003 special election, she won the Republican primary with 66% of the vote. She became the first African-American female Republican ever elected to the Florida Legislature. She won unopposed in 2004, 2006, and 2008.

Committee assignments

She was appointed Deputy Majority Leader from 2003–2004, and served as Majority Whip in 2004–2006. She was Vice Chair of the Transportation and Economic Development Committee (2003–2004), Chair of the Finance Committee (2006–2008) and Chair of the Economic and Development Council (2008–2010).

2010 gubernatorial election

See also: Florida gubernatorial election, 2010

On September 2, 2010, Republican primary winner Rick Scott named Carroll his running mate in the 2010 Florida gubernatorial election, after Toni Jennings and Susan Story declined the job. Carroll thus became the second black woman to be a major party candidate for lieutenant governor in Florida's history, and the first black woman on any statewide Republican ticket. Scott and Carroll won the election, and assumed office on January 4, 2011. She is the first woman elected and the second woman to hold the position of lieutenant governor, following Toni Jennings who was appointed in 2003 to finish the term of Frank Brogan.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Carroll is married to Nolan Carroll and has three children. Her son, Nolan Carroll II, played college football for the University of Maryland, and is now a member of the Miami Dolphins.

External links

• Project Vote Smart profile
• Florida House of Representatives Profile

Political offices
Preceded by Jeff Kottkamp	Lieutenant Governor of Florida 2011–present	Incumbent