Laura Hine has a received the endorsement of Dr. Kanika Tomalin, City of St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor in her candidacy for Pinellas County School Board District 1, At-Large seat with primaries set for August 18, 2020.
Born in Tampa, Florida, educated in K-12 traditional public schools, and with an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and graduate degree in business administration from University of South Florida, St Petersburg, Hine says her experience with systems of scale along with her passion for public education make her the strongest candidate.
Tomalin’s endorsement reads, “Laura Hine is a champion for our children – a true advocate who models responsible leadership that delivers measurable results. Equity in education is a cornerstone of our community’s opportunity creation. Every child who grows up in St. Petersburg needs and must receive a top-quality educational experience. Laura’s recognition of this truth and her willingness to work on behalf of it has created trajectory-shifting changes at North Shore Elementary and that change reverberates throughout our school district with her school partnership and support program serving as an inspiring example for many others. She promises to bring the same tenacious insistence on equity, access and excellence to her service as a school board member.”
Laura remarked on Dr. Tomalin’s endorsement, “I am so honored and proud to receive the endorsement of the Deputy Mayor for my candidacy for Pinellas County School Board. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Dr. Tomalin and her collaborative approach to public service – and I hold her in the highest regard.”
Laura’s professional career began first as an officer in the U.S. Navy; then as a licensed general contractor managing project development, most recently project director for Tom & Mary James’ new museum of Western & Wildlife Art and adjacent commercial development; and now as the executive director of The James Museum. Laura is a graduate of Army Airborne school in Ft. Benning, Georgia, and was one of the first two women integrating a U.S. warship, and at 23-years-old qualified as Officer of the Deck (OOD) of a $1B warship.