The work that came along the way
My professional life moved through education, politics and state government, technology, business, workforce development, and school administration. Each chapter gave me something I carried into whatever came next.
The common thread
Looking back, the titles and settings can make the path seem more disconnected than it actually was. Again and again, the work involved people, programs, technology, budgets, implementation, problem-solving, and accountability.
Education was the setting for much of my career. Organizational leadership was the work underneath it.
1972–1993
School District of Lee County
The career began in the classroom and expanded into Team Leader and Department Head responsibilities. Those years established a pattern that would continue throughout my work: helping people improve, organizing work around a shared objective, and stepping into leadership when something needed to move forward.
1979–1981
Indiana Governor’s Office / Office of Community Services Administration
A return to Indiana led first into politics and then into state government. After a 1978 campaign for the Indiana House of Representatives, District 69, professional relationships opened the door to state service. As a Program Specialist, I worked with Community Action Agencies administering federally funded weatherization programs, with responsibilities involving compliance, fiscal oversight, reporting, and technical assistance.
1993–2011
School District of Lee County
The focus shifted from using technology personally to helping thousands of other people use it effectively. The work included districtwide technology implementation, professional learning, LMS and Microsoft Office adoption, vendor and IT collaboration, Train-the-Trainer programs, multimedia production, and large-scale implementation support.
Technology was changing rapidly. The challenge was rarely the technology alone. It was helping people understand why it mattered and become confident enough to use it.
2001–2005
Independent Initiative / Collaboration with NASA Kennedy Space Center
SMaRT grew from an idea into a multi-year professional learning initiative developed in collaboration with NASA Kennedy Space Center. More than 150 educators participated in immersive programs involving NASA educators, scientists, astronauts, school districts, vendors, transportation, lodging, meals, materials, stipends, and continuing education.
It brought together many parts of the career at once: program design, learning, logistics, technology, partnerships, budgeting, communication, and the satisfaction of turning an idea into something people valued.
2011–2024
Camarelle Investments, LLC
Business ownership added another perspective: ownership. Managing a residential portfolio meant responsibility for budgets, vendors, maintenance, tenant relationships, technology, and the everyday decisions that determine whether an operation works well. There was no department to hand a problem to. The problem was mine until it was solved.
2015–2017
Florida SouthWestern State College
I managed work within a federally funded workforce initiative spanning four campuses and programs in information technology, business, logistics, supply chain, transportation, engineering technology, and network security. Participation increased approximately 650 percent while the program maintained zero audit findings.
The role combined staff leadership, employer and community partnerships, participant support, compliance, reporting, outreach, and the practical work of helping people move from enrollment toward credential completion.
Mar 2019–Jun 2019
Island Coast High School
A short assignment brought the path back into K–12 education, this time with administrative responsibilities centered on daily school operations, student behavior, safety, and problem-solving.
“The titles changed. The settings changed. What remained surprisingly consistent was the work: helping people and organizations move from an idea or a problem toward something that actually worked.”
Douglas Goldman
