School board candidates for District 4 look to serve
Four candidates are vying for the Lee County School Board in District 4.
Running in the non-partisan race are the incumbent, Debbie Jordan, and three challengers – Carl W. Baxter, Tony Beougher and Gisele “Gigi” Gentile.
Only voters in District 4 may cast a ballot in this race to appear on the Aug. 18 primary ballot.
District 4 includes parts of Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and part of Fort Myers.
A district map may be found at leeschools.net.
The candidates
• Debbie Jordan (I)
“As your school board member, my job is to represent the people of my district/county while keeping the needs of all students at the center of every decision,” said incumbent Debbie Jordan, 68. “I’ve always believed that being a good school board member means showing up, doing the homework, listening to the community, and making informed decisions. My role is to provide thoughtful oversight while working professionally with the superintendent – always remembering that our shared goal is the success of every student.”
Jordan, who has lived in District 4 for more than 50 years, is among management for the Global Event Market Place.
She said the superintendent manages the day-to-day operations of the district and carries out the policies that the board adopts.
“My responsibility is to be prepared, review every agenda, ask the tough questions, and make sure decisions are made in the best interest of our students, employees, and taxpayers. If something doesn’t seem right or needs more discussion, I believe it’s my responsibility to speak up,” Jordan said.
• Carl Baxter
Fort Myers resident Carl Baxter, 63, entrepreneur and business consultant, is also running for the seat. A lifetime Floridan, he has been a guest/substitute teacher for the district for the past two and a half years.
“As the school board member for District 4, my first responsibility is to ensure that the voices of the families, students, teachers, staff, and taxpayers in my district are heard and represented in every decision the board makes. I will maintain an open-door policy, regularly attend community meetings, visit schools, and communicate with constituents so I understand their concerns and priorities,” he said.
Baxter said he will stay committed to remaining an independent voice for District 4 while working collaboratively with his fellow board members and the superintendent.
“My decisions will always be guided by what is in the best interest of students, parents, staff and taxpayers, with fiscal responsibility, academic excellence, school safety, and parental involvement. My commitment is to ensure every child in Lee County has access to a high-quality education and that taxpayer dollars are managed wisely and transparently,” he said.
• Gisele “Gigi” Gentile
Retired special education teacher Gisele “Gigi” Gentile, 70, has lived in Lee County for 35 years, 20 of which have been spent in District 4.
“Although I am elected to represent District 4, I understand that every School Board member has a responsibility to make decisions in the best interests of all Lee County students,” she said. “I will remain accessible to the families, teachers, employees, and taxpayers of District 4 by listening to their concerns, visiting schools, attending community meetings, and ensuring that their voices are brought before the full board. I will not simply listen during election season; I will maintain regular communication with the community throughout my term.”
Gentile said the roles of the superintendent and board members must remain clear.
“I will work professionally and respectfully with the elected superintendent, but I will maintain my independent judgment. The board should not micromanage daily operations, but it must also never become a rubber stamp. I will ask questions, review the facts and supporting data, demand transparency, and hold the district accountable for measurable results, especially in academic achievement, student safety, teacher retention, parental involvement, and fiscal responsibility,” she said.
• Tony Beougher
Tony Beougher, 44, a North Fort Myers resident, who is the regional vice president of Gartner, Inc., is also running.
He could not be reached for comment by press time. This story will be updated when reached.
Editor’s note: We have included the earlier published biographies and platforms. Mr. Beougher’s provided information is among them.
Bios and platforms
• Candidate name: Carl Baxter
Seat sought/district: Lee County School Board District 4
Age: 63
Education/degrees: High School graduate and college as well as Professional Business Development acumen.
Occupation and place of employment: Self employment, entrepreneur, business consultant with subject expert in non profit and secular arena.
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Current seasoned business owner in the field of public administration. Been working as guest/substitute teacher with the School District over 2.5 years with subject expertise in the areas of ESE Students with Disabilities and policy making advocate and Human Rights advocate.
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: Lifetime native
Floridian Political Experience/offices held: I involved with the political arena for over 15 years with many civil rights issues and as an educational advocate.
Civic/Community involvement: I have supported local schools, attended community meetings, and worked with parents, educators, and residents to better understand the needs of our students and families.
Family:
Military Experience: None
Website: votecarl.com
1) Why are you running?
First priority is to restore trust and transparency to the public. I believe every student deserves, access to a quality higher education a safe and supportive environment.
2) Planks of your platform?
Eliminate wasteful spending, parental rights reset nutritional focus, enhance school safety, expand technical opportunities
3) Top three issues?
1. Recruiting and retaining quality employees
2. Student achievement with academic excellence
3. Budget and fiscal responsibility
• Candidate name: Tony Beougher (Anthony Ryan Beougher Sr.)
Seat sought/district: Lee County School Board District 4
Age: 44
Education/degrees: B.A. in Economics from Wake Forest University
Occupation and place of employment: Gartner, Inc. – Regional Vice President
Time in the district: 44 years
Business experience: Nearly 22 years in various roles at Gartner including: Sales, Training and Development and 15 years of leadership. My regions have contributed over $100M in revenue to the organization. I currently lead a region of 38 people working with organizations nationwide and into both Canada and Latin America.
Political Experience/offices held: None
Civic/Community involvement: Prior member of North Shore Alliance Church as Deacon, Elder and Board member. Current member of Gulfside Church as Lead Trustee, Executive Team member. Board member for FGCU Department of Management Advisory Council. Foster parent since 2020, licensed through 4Kids. Prior member of the Lee County School Board CSI advisory committee.
Family: Married my HS sweetheart, Ashlee Beougher (also a Lee County native), and we are celebrating 25 years in August. We have four biological children (26, 23, 20, 17) and two sons we adopted out of foster care (8, 5).
Military Experience: N/A
Website: electtonyb.com
1) Why are you running?
Being born and raised in Lee County, I have a special connection to both our community and our schools. I attended eight different Lee County schools growing up due to how often my family moved throughout my childhood. My children have also attended our public schools, and three of my six children will be in LCSD next year and for many years to come. As a student, parent, and foster parent, I have seen both the successes and failures of our school system. I am running to ensure that every student has a chance to succeed.
2) Planks of your platform?
The planks of my platform center around: Parental Rights & Involvement, Academic Excellence, Safe Schools and Orderly Classrooms, Fiscal Responsibility, Career and Technical Education, Support for Teachers and School Choice & Opportunity.
3) Top three issues?
* Student success is the first priority. Excelling in reading, math, science, and history should be the primary standard in our schools. I will push for accountability and transparency for every student in every classroom.
* Career & Technical Development is vital for the children in our schools and our community. After mastering the basics, aligning students to a successful program that maximizes their talents and prepares them for success in life is a must. Applying my business experience, I’ll work with the district to improve communication and engagement with parents and students in this critical area.
* School Safety is and will always be a priority. As a parent, this hits home every day as I send my children off to school. I’ll push for further safeguards in our schools, at our bus stops & support for teachers in our classrooms.
• Candidate name: Gisele ‘Gigi’ Gentile
Seat sought/district: Lee County School District 4
Age: 70
Education/degrees: BA in Elementary Education, BA in Art, University of Maine
Occupation and place of employment: Retired Special Education Teacher, Lee County Schools
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 35-year Lee County resident and a District 4 resident for approximately 20 years, including 15 years in Cape Coral.
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: Aproximately 30 years of experience as an interior decorator, including experience working with clients, vendors, contractors, budgets, scheduling, purchasing decisions, and project coordination. My work required me to manage multiple projects, communicate clearly with clients, solve problems, review costs, and make decisions that balanced quality, needs, and available resources, all applicable because board members must review budgets, evaluate priorities, ask responsible questions, and make decisions that affect students, parents, teachers, staff, and taxpayers.
Political Experience/offices held:
Civic/Community involvement: Tutor students with dyslexia, volunteer at school when my child was attending school
Family:
Military Experience:
Website: gigi4schoolboard.com
1) Why are you running?
I am running for Lee County School Board District 4 because our students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers deserve better results, stronger accountability, and a school system focused on the classroom.
Every child deserves the opportunity to graduate able to read, write, compute, and compete. Parents deserve to be treated as partners in their child’s education, not bystanders. Teachers and school staff deserve respect, support, and a work environment that allows them to stay and succeed. Taxpayers deserve to know that every dollar is being spent responsibly and going where it matters most: students, teachers, safety, and academic success.
2) Planks of your platform
My platform is built on five priorities:
Academic Achievement
Every child deserves to graduate with strong reading, writing, math, and critical-thinking skills. We must focus on student outcomes, early intervention, and making sure students are truly prepared for college, career, military service, or the workforce.
Parent Involvement
Parents are the first and most important advocates for their children. The district must improve communication, transparency, and access so parents can understand what is happening in their child’s school and have a meaningful voice in decisions.
School Safety & Mental Health
A child who does not feel safe cannot learn. School safety must include discipline consistency, bullying prevention, and mental health support for students who are struggling.
Teacher Pay and Retention
We cannot have great schools without great teachers. If we want the best for our students, we must invest in the people teaching them. That means better retention, less unnecessary bureaucracy, stronger classroom support, and competitive compensation.
Fiscal Responsibility
Every dollar should follow the student and support the classroom. Taxpayer money must be spent wisely, transparently, and responsibly. I oppose wasteful administrative bloat and believe the district must prioritize classrooms, teachers, safety, and direct student services.
3) Top three issues
My top three issues are:
1. Academic achievement and student readiness
2. Teacher retention and classroom support
3. Fiscal accountability and transparency
• Candidate name: Debbie Jordan (I)
Seat sought/district: Lee County School Board, District 4
Age: 68
Education/degrees: 1976 Riverdale High, Southern College, Edison College
Occupation and place of employment: Lee County School Board. Global Event Market Place (Management)
Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: Over 50 years in Lee County and in the district in which I am running.
Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking: More than 30 years of experience in hospitality management, where I have managed daily operations, developed and monitored operating budgets, supervised teams of up to 100 employees, and ensured high standards of customer service and accountability. Responsibilities included personnel management, financial oversight, scheduling, purchasing, vendor relations, and strategic planning.
As a member of the Lee County School Board, I have provided governance and fiscal oversight, approving and monitoring an annual operating budget of approximately $3 billion. Experience includes evaluating financial reports, capital improvement plans, transportation, facilities, and district operations to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and student-focused decision-making.
Political Experience/offices held: Lee County School Board incumbent
Civic/Community involvement: I have been actively involved in the Lee County community for years. Since being elected to the Lee County School Board, I have served as Board Chair, Vice Chair, and Legislative Liaison/Legislative Co-Chair for the Florida School Boards Association. Regularly attend school events, community meetings, nonprofit functions, business and civic gatherings, and work collaboratively with parents, educators, students, and community organizations such as Uncommon Friends, and Community Partnership Schools.
Family: Four children and 20 grandchildren who all attended our public schools or who will.
Military Experience: None
Website: debbiejordan2026
1) Why are you running? I’m running for another term because I believe experience matters. While serving on the School Board, I have worked closely with others to help the district tackle major challenges. The focus remains on student success, responsible budgeting, and open communication. I want to continue this progress by supporting strong academic programs, investing in our staff, and making sure our schools meet the needs of every child by creating a pathway for all.
2) Planks of your platform? My platform is centered on putting students first through strong academic opportunities and pathways, responsible fiscal oversight with transparent leadership, safe schools, with support for teachers and staff, I am committed to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality public education while being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars.
3) Top three issues?
1. Student achievement and opportunity for every child.
2. Responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars through transparent fiscal oversight.
3. Safe schools and supporting the retention of excellent teachers and staff.
To reach Meghan Bradbury, please email news@breezenewspapers.com