Candidate Profile: School Board District 3: Jane Pfeilsticker

School Board: District 3

Candidate: Jane Pfeilsticker (Incumbent)

Age: 54

Residence: Braden Pines

Occupation: Associate professor at the State College of Florida

Annual income: About $90,000

Education: Bachelor degree in medical technology; master degree in microbiology; doctoral work in molecular biology

Jane Pfeilsticker is aiming for a second term on the Manatee County school board.

When Pfeilsticker first ran for office in 2006, she vowed to only stay a term to help the district improve its science curriculum. Recently, the school board chairwoman decided to run again because there is a venture that she wants to see through.

“I want to get together a biotech consortium, between the State College of Florida, Manatee schools and Sarasota schools. We had just begun to get together,” she said. “I have worked in the biotech field for quite a while, so only I can put this together. No one else can.”

The venture is important in attracting a viable biotech industry in Florida, she said. Already, both Manatee and Sarasota counties are home to two new biotech companies, and that could lead to 500 jobs in the area in the next five years. She wants to make sure Manatee students are trained to fill those positions, she said.

“Almost everyone involved in the district, from teachers to administrators, have encouraged me to run and they support my campaign,” she said.

While on the board, Pfeilsticker served on a committee that helped draft the state’s new science standards and have participated in reshaping the district’s overall curriculum.

Pfeilsticker has lived in Manatee County for 20 years. She lives with her husband and her teenage son. She has two other grown children.

Pfeilsticker has raised over $35,000 with strong support from the construction industry. Her opponent has criticized her for taking money from comnpanies that bid on constructing new schools. Her campaign finance report is available here.