Florida Board of Governors Appoints Ruiz, Coleman to New College of Florida Board of Trustees

(February 16, 2011) —The Florida Board of Governors has appointed Mary Ruiz and Audrey Coleman to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. The appointments of Ruiz and Coleman fill the vacancies of outgoing board members Rev. Jerome Dupree and Ken Misemer, a member of New College’s charter class.

Dupree and Misemer completed their terms in January 2011 after serving on the board since New College became independent in 2001. Ruiz and Coleman’s appointments were effective Jan. 20, 2011, and run through Jan. 6, 2016. Board members are eligible to serve up to two five-year terms in succession.

Ruiz is an alumna of New College and holds an MBA from the University of South Florida. She is the president and CEO of Manatee Glens, a nonprofit hospital that has been helping families in crisis with mental health and addictions services in Bradenton, Fla., for more than 50 years. Ruiz has senior management experience in hospital administration, corporate strategic planning, marketing, business development, local government and nonprofit agency administration. Ruiz also helped create the New College Alumnae/i Association.

Audrey Coleman is a retired educator who spent most of her career as an administrator for the Boston school system. In 1985, President Reagan recognized her as one of the “Ten Most Influential Negro Women in America.” Coleman has held leadership positions in national sororities that raise funds for student scholarships and has received awards from the National Council of Negro Women and the National Council of Jewish Women. Coleman holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Youngstown State University and Boston State College, respectively.

“We are fortunate to have these two outstanding individuals within the College’s governance structure for the challenging period in the years ahead,” stated New College President Mike Michalson. “Similarly, it has been our great fortune, indeed, to have benefitted from the service of trustees Dupree and Misemer. Both gentleman have served on the Board since New College became independent in 2001. We thank them for their perseverance on our behalf over such a long period of time.”