Who?
Rita and Florida Dems Share the Love
Rita Ferrandino Wears Many Hats!
Educational Publishing Industry
Rita co-founded and is a principal Arc Capital Development, a consulting and equity company. Her career highlights include selling over $100 million of products to the higher education and K-12 markets, leading the acquisition effort for more than 50 titles, and forming revenue-producing alliances with over a dozen of the industry’s largest publishers and distributors. She also serves as CEO of Chicago Educational Publishing Company, creators of Science Companion, a K-5 inquiry-based science curriculum.
Activism
As the founding Executive Director of the Elementary Science Coalition, in conjunction with Carmen Group, Inc., Rita co-sponsored the first Congressional Briefing on elementary science education, and has successfully advocated for legislative changes in elementary education, including increased federal funding for K-12 science education in the America COMPETES Act, and the adoption of an amendment to the FY 2008 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill to ensure that the NAEP 2009 Science Test includes extensive and explicit to scientific inquiry. Rita also serves as a member of the AEP Government Relations Committee
Politics
Rita is the unanimously elected Chair of the Sarasota Democratic Party in Sarasota, FL. While under her watch, the party enjoyed its first democratic sweep of wins in the area in over thirty years, and currently has over twenty candidates running for offices in the November elections. As a result of these successes, Rita was recently selected as one of the “8 To Watch in 2008” by the Herald Tribune in Sarasota, FL.
Rita has an MBA from Penn State University. She is the proud daughter of Italian immigrant parents and the proud mother of a seven year old son. She fondly remembers the days when she had time to go sailing!
Rita,
Welcome to Denver! I will follow you and your activities vicariously via your blog. I would love to see you while you are here but I know your time is filled.
Wow! Congratualations on the NY Times selection. I’ll watch for it tomorrow.
Harold
Hi Rita,
We couldn’t be any more proud of you, your accomplishments in education and your role as a delegate at this year’s history making, Democratic convention. Your vibrant enthusiasm and inspirational leadership have made the Sarasota County, Florida Democratic team one of the best in the country! Thank you for being you!
Best Wishes and Have a Ball! Murray B.
Hey Rita,
First response is from Harold. Wow! I too will look for the article in tomorrow’s paper. You are going places, my friend. I am glad to be associated with you.
Donna Leese, Science Companion Consultant
Love your blog. Hope to hear something about education policies out of this convention!
What was it like to be in the audience when Ted spoke? On tv, he was strong and commentators lauded his grit. Except Fox News, which changed the subject quickly off Ted. Will be great to hear more from those on the floor, front and center! Thank you for investing so much of your time and energy and personal sacrifices for being there to let the rest of us know what’s really going on.
I send greetings from Canada>
I too love your blog. Keep up the good work promoting quality education for all children in America. Make education a priority this week.
Rita,,I am sure you and your Dad are enjoying yourselfs,I am sure Frank is having an exciting time and is very proud of you as I am ….love you aunt josie
Hi Rita
You go girl we are all proud of you. I am sure your Dad is having the time of his life.
Love Marilyn ^ Bill Guidici
Rita,
This blog is such a wonderful idea but isn’t that what we have come to expect from you: wonderful, creative ideas!
What is a bit creepy is seeing pictures of Kevin on the floor of the Democratic National Convention. I would say, “Now I have seen everything,” but as long as bushcheney is in office, I suspect that I have not seen “everything”!
Have a great convention. The Democratic Party is lucky to have you on its side!!!!
Hugs,
Kay
What an exciting opening night! Please say hello to Kevin and your father.
-Ted
Rita, I am so impressed! You certainly are giving your life to worthy causes–education, the democratic mission, and your family! I wish you all the best!
Barb Terry Howe
Rita,
Though we haven’t met, your life’s story and your insights are endearing. I hope to meet you some day since we do have a common friend in Kevin and certainly a common passion for education. Enjoy this amazing experience.
Anne
NANA AND I ARE WATCHING YOU WITH LOVE
CHRISTOPHER AND NANA
GREETINGS WE ARE PROUD OF YOU GOOD LUCK WITH LOVE
CHRISTOPHER AND NANA
Glad you are in front, helping to lead the charge. You really do have what it takes. Last night: Ted. Tonight. Hillary. Wow! Not only a witness to history, but a part of it.
Love your Dad. So glad he was able to be on the floor. What an American story!
Rita,
Wow! You are part of some impressive things. Enjoy the ride!
We know this event and what follows is all about Leadership. We are delighted to be associated with your magnificent achievements here at the grassroots and enormously grateful to have you as our Leader of the Sarasota County Democratic Party.
Gail and all the crew at HQ
“It is all about meaningful work!” And this is some of the most meaningful I can imagine. Well, maybe not as meaningful as pretending to be a giant squid, but it’s up there.
Good luck with the rest of the convention and congratulations.
-m
Rita,
Shelley and I watched the whole convention! You are
such an inspirational woman. We are so thrilled to
have you doing great work for our party in Sarasota.
I can see why you are a woman to watch!! Keep it up.
As the daughter of a French/Italian immigrant whose father was a member of the OSS and whose mother worked in the French Undergroud during WWII I am acutely aware of what it means to be an American and
what role we have to play as a leader into the 21st Century.