The Board of Directors are responsible for the overall policy and direction of the FLCHE, and delegates responsibility of day-to-day operations to its officers and committees.

Board of Directors

Dr.  Tammara Purdin, Executive Director

Tammara Purdin is one of the founding members of FLCHE and is employed at Lamarque Elementary School in Florida.  Her 19 years of teaching experience include Gifted and Title I.  She holds a doctorate in Teaching and Learning, with a concentration in American history.  Her research includes elementary and secondary history instruction; and student literacy proficiency, using historical thinking strategies. ​

Dr. Bernadette D. Bennett, Board Member

Bernadette Bennett, Ed.D., is a member of the Curriculum and Instruction Department of Sarasota County Schools, FL.  She holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Elementary Education, a Master of Art in Curriculum and Instruction as well as a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on disciplinary literacy and staff development.   She has taught social studies at the middle grades and then elevated her craft by becoming the District Social Studies Specialist.   As the social studies specialist, Bernadette’s major responsibilities include coordinating K-12 social studies curriculum initiatives, identifying staff development needs and fulfilling them, supporting staff and schools as they implement standards based instruction with a focus on individualized instruction, and developing curriculum resources for all grade levels.  She also serves as the Education Coordinator for Embracing Our Differences (EOD) educational initiatives serving as liaison between EOD and the Sarasota County School Board bridging educational and community partnerships. Bernadette has an established track record creating partnerships with educational facilities, for –profit, non-profit and community agencies.

Ms. Kaley de Leon, Communications Chair

Kaley de Leon is currently a doctoral student in the Human Development and Family Science program at Florida State University. She works as a Training Specialist and a Family Life Educator at the Florida Center for Prevention Research where she assists with research projects that aim to evaluate and implement programs in the Human Sciences. Over the past 12 years she has competed, mentored, and judged for National History Day.  She spent the summer of 2018 at NHD Headquarters in College Park, Maryland where she worked as a 2018 national contest intern. Kaley is passionate about the importance of historical literacy and supporting local educators.

Dr. Kacie Nadeau, Board Member

Kacie Nadeau has been a fifth-grade teacher of language arts and social studies in Sarasota County Schools for 18 years and an adjunct instructor of K-5 social studies methods at the University of South Florida. She earned her Ph.D. from the USF in curriculum and instruction in interdisciplinary education and her research includes the history of American education and curriculum reform, as well as social science content and instruction.

Dr. Jennifer H. Jaso, Secretary

Jennifer Jaso is a sixth, seventh, and eighth grade teacher of social studies and critical thinking classes at Sarasota Middle School in Florida.  Her 16 years of teaching experience include Montessori, Gifted, Title I, and virtual learning.  She is the 2022 Sarasota County Middle School Teacher of the Year and the 2022 District Teacher of the Year.  In addition to teaching, Jennifer is an educational trainer and consultant specializing in classroom management.  She holds a doctorate in Teaching and Learning with a concentration in American history.  Her research has included secondary social science instruction and student proficiency, historical literacy, and the impact of the Teaching American History Grant on teaching and learning. 

Dr. Amber Godwin , Board Member

Dr.  Amber Godwin is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Sam Houston State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University in 2015 and joined SHSU in 2018. Her research aims to develop critical thinking experiences for learners and explore interventions that enhance social studies education. She was previously employed in both Florida and Texas school systems as a teacher including AP World History and AP European History curricula. She has served as an essay scorer for AP College Board, a question writer for Albert, and a contractor for McGraw-Hill, York, and National Geographic Learning.

Mrs. Dawn Vittorio, Editor of In Context

Dawn Vittorio is currently a Teacher of English Speakers of other Languages in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.  She recently moved to South Carolina from Florida and holds a deep appreciation for the history of Florida and the value of teaching it to the next generation.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communication from Florida State University, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Florida Gulf Coast University and a master’s degree in Education Leadership from the University of West Florida.

Mrs. Deborah Kaiser, Board Member

Deborah Kaiser teaches seventh and eighth grade United States History and Civics at Sarasota Middle School in Sarasota, FL. She obtained her Bachelors of Science in Social Science Education from the University of Central Florida and completed her Masters of Arts in American History and Government from Ashland University.

Interested in becoming a FLCHE board member or an advisory board member?

Advisory Board

The advisory board provides advice/counsel on issues raised by executive board of directors; provide unbiased insights and ideas from a third point-of- view (not involved in the operation of the non-profit business); encourage and support the exploration of new business ideas; act as a resource for executive board.  
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