Government Relations

John V. Lombardi, President

After our successful session in Tallahassee this past season, we have conducted a review of our work and refined and refocused our staff and organization for representing the University of Florida in Tallahassee and Washington. One of the key elements in representing as complicated a place as the University of Florida is good communications. We find that sometimes our faculty, staff, students, and friends will appear in Tallahassee or Washington to participate in a legislative event without our legislative support team being aware of the appearance. If we know that one of our people will be in Tallahassee or Washington, it may well be possible to enhance their effectiveness by providing background information or by taking advantage of their presence to put them before another group. Consequently, one of the goals for the next year is to improve communication and coordination.

As you will see from the responsibilities outlined below, Linda Baldwin will have the primary responsibility for maintaining communication with all of the various people involved in university representation in Tallahassee and Washington. While we encourage everyone to work with whichever of our team has the greatest expertise in the issue at hand, everyone should also be sure to keep Linda Baldwin informed too so she can maintain good coordination among the other members of the team.

Here are the key members of our team in alphabetical order with a short description of their responsibilities, their primary phone and fax numbers, and their email addresses.

Linda Baldwin: Manages the communication and coordination of university personnel related to government relations. This includes central clearing for messages, information gathering and dissemination, and follow-up on any issues assigned. Manages the information clearing for faculty, deans, vice-presidents who have concerns, issues, or information needs the attention of the government relations enterprise.

Barbara DeVoe: Special focus on local government, IFAS issues throughout the state, and member requests of UF resources.

David Flagg: Coordination of Tallahassee operations of UF and affiliated enterprises (Shands, UAA, University of Florida Foundation, and other DSO’s), Washington responsibility for specific issues and for implementing specific UF priorities. David Flagg is an employee of the Shands HealthCare organization and the University of Florida contracts for his services to perform the work outlined here on behalf of the university.

Graham Glover: Assistant coordinator of Tallahassee operations with special focus on maintaining computer communications, tracking bills, tracking legislative issues, and working with specially assigned projects in Tallahassee.

Milt Morris: Special focus on appropriations issues, member communication issues in Tallahassee, special focus on IFAS issues and coordination with Board of Regents lobbying group, special advisor to the president on legislative issues.

Gerry Scheibler: Special focus on Health Sciences Center and Shands HealthCare issues in both Tallahassee and Washington, primary liaison between Health Sciences Center and Shands Board, special focus on university-wide issues as appropriate.

Mac Stipanovich: Health Center lobbyist pursuing particular issues as identified, coordinates as well with Jon Mills and David Flagg on general university issues wherever helpful on a volunteer basis.

Primary phone and fax numbers and email addresses for the legislative team are as follows:.

If you have suggestons or questions about our representation in Tallahassee or Washington, please let Jon Mills or me know.

With thanks for all your help in representing this university to its legislative constituencies.