DeSantis tapped Lauran Monbarren for the post. The announcement listed her occupation as chief financial officer and vice president of Simpson Environmental Services and Simpson Farms.
Monbarren previously was a Pasco County teacher and administrator at Pasco-Hernando State College. Her appointment to the university board will require Senate confirmation. Former House Speaker Will Weatherford is chairman of the USF Board of Trustees, which in the coming months will search for a new university president.
President Steven Currall announced Monday he will step down after two years on the job. DeSantis’ pick of Monbarren for the board followed his May appointment of Gabriella Passidomo, daughter of Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, to a seat on the Florida Public Service Commission. Kathleen Passidomo is slated to succeed Simpson as Senate president in November 2022.
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This article appears in Jul 22-28, 2021.