Teri Cannady has devoted 32 years to the Lee County School District, spending 28 of those years in various administrative roles such as Assistant Principal, Principal, and Director for Grants and Charter Schools. Notably, Teri served as Lead Principal for several years, where she mentored numerous principals and played a key role in shaping school leadership within the district.

Recognized for her effective leadership, Teri has also been involved in state-level advocacy and is a member of the Florida Association of School Administrators (FASA) and a former President of the Florida Association of Instructional Supervisors and Administrators (FAISA).

Teri Cannady remains dedicated to improving educational practices and supporting the growth of school administrators.

Dr. Cort is the Principal of Island Coast High School.  She is a graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts from which she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, she also holds an MBA in Finance, a Specialist in School Administration, and a Doctorate in School Administration with a concentration in Statistics.  Dr. Cort has 24 years of experience in education, serving with distinction as a Teacher, District Administrator, Assistant Principal, and Principal. She enjoys running, fitness, reading, and spending time with her family. Dr. Cort has two daughters attending schools in the district and is a resident of Cape Coral. 

Melissa Layner is the current principal of Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts in Bonita Springs, FL.  During her 30 years in the School District of Lee County (SDLC), Ms. Layner has served at the middle and high school levels as an ELA teacher, Reading Coach, Assistant Principal for Curriculum, and Principal. She has also served as a Principal Lead, mentoring other SDLC Principals.

A native Floridian from St. Petersburg, FL, Ms. Layner earned a bachelor’s degree in English Education from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Florida Gulf Coast University. 

Melissa has served as a National Institute for School Leadership trainer to other current school leaders in Lee County, FL.  Her current goal is to attain Level 2 Marzano NASOT school certification, having achieved Level 1 certification during the 2023-2024 school year. She currently serves on the SDLC Administrator Evaluation Revision committee to assist in transitioning to the Marzano evaluation process. 

Ms. Layner enjoys life with her husband, a teacher, and elementary-aged daughter.  

Ms. Roberta White was born in Tennessee and lived in many states since her father was in the Marines. Mrs. White ended up going to high school and college in Virginia. She received her Bachelors in Family and Child Development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University otherwise known as Virginia Tech. She received her Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She taught for ten years in elementary, middle, and high school. She became an assistant principal in 2005 at Caloosa Middle School. She transferred to Mariner High in April of 2012. Her primary responsibilities at Mariner include curriculum, scheduling, grades, and standardized testing.

Misty Bernard serves as the Assistant Principal for Curriculum at Fort Myers High School. With a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Auburn University and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Misty brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. Having taught mathematics at both middle and high school levels for six years and served as a Title I Learning Resource Teacher for two years, Misty has a strong background in both classroom instruction and educational support. Misty has been an Assistant Principal for Curriculum since 2011, where she has been dedicated to enhancing curriculum development and fostering academic excellence.

Kari Hardman received her bachelors in Sport Management and Marketing from Kennesaw State University and her master’s in Educational Leadership from Florida Gulf Coast University.  Kari taught Business Education classes for 8 years and earned Technology Teacher of the Year before transitioning to school leadership.  Kari served as an Assistant Principal for 12 years in both middle and high school.  Currently Kari serves as a Coordinator for Talent Management where she supports the districts efforts in performance management systems, employee retention, succession planning, and career development.