User:SheilaDGriffin/sandbox

SheilaDGriffin (talk) 04:24, 23 July 2019 (UTC)Sheila Diane Griffin was born on October 19, 1957. After completing a short Exploratory Committee Exploratory_committee period, she entered Florida's 2020 Congressional Race [] as an African American. [] lifetime Republican Candidate for the U. S. House of Representatives, Florida District 13. []

Early Life Sheila was born in Live Oak, Florida, on October 19, 1957. In 1959, her parents, Bernard Jerome Scott, Sr. from Perry, Florida, and Betty Mae [Burnett] Scott, from Live Oak, Florida moved to Pinellas County, Florida. They met during their freshman year at Edward's Water College in Jacksonville, FL. https://www.ewc.edu/ Sheila is the third child born of their family, but from age three, in Clearwater, Florida through Middle school in St. Petersburg, Florida, she was raised as the oldest child and a fighter for others. The family put a high emphasis on strong work ethic and education. Summer months were spent in Live Oak, Florida earning money for school clothes doing agrarian jobs like working in tobacco fields, picking peas, corn and more. She graduated early in 1975 from Boca Ciega High School.

Sheila married her high school sweetheart, Larry Turner in 1977. They had three natural children, Myon, Daniel and Jasmine. In addition, they served as houseparents to the court designated incorrigible teens and adjudicated delinquents through Youth Homes of Florida; then as foster parents raising male middle-school and high school teenagers with Pinellas County, Florida Department of Children and Families. . Most of their volunteer endeavors centered on youth mentoring and training programs, both faith-based and through her corporation, Monarch Business Builders, Inc. Kirkland, Ellen, The Weekly Challenger, "Inspiring A Community," Vol. 45, No. 11, pp 1, 6 (11/8-11/14, 2012). Volunteer endeavors included: Joshua Tree Adoptions, Gibbs High School Delta Force Mentor, Esther's School, Hillsborough County Correctional Institute (Women's Facility), Chamber of Commerce - 2004 St. Pete. Leadership St. Pete, Brookhaven Girls Home Project, Grey Foxes and participation in the local church community as pastor, teacher, mentor and events coordinator. Although personally enriched by empowerment instruction opportunities, Sheila and the entire community were greatly disappointed with the closure of Hillsborough County's faith-based prison. ;.

Larry was permanently totally paralyzed for life and wheelchair-bound from an industrial accident in 1982, days after the birth of their third child. When the injury occurred he was working with the IBEW, Local 308 (n/k/a local 915) as a union electrician. Their lives changed significantly, yet they continued to sponsor, mentor and train youth. As the last child turned 18 in November 2000, Larry died from congestive heart failure and blood clot complications that impaired lung, kidney and heart function.

Education and Early career Early career opportunity began with serving as a human resource clerk, and paraprofessional at Blanton Elementary School with the School Board of Pinellas County.  Upon completion of her Bachelors in Psychology at the University of South Florida,  she embarked on an assignment as a Housing Financial Planner with Pinellas County Community Development. While serving as a Regional Planner, at Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, she was tasked with reviewing wastewater, fire, transportation and environmental impact compliance with Local Government Comprehensive Plans (LGCP). for Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs).

An opportunity opened to make an application to law school. Sheila entered Stetson University College of Law in Fall class of 1990. She served as the Stetson Law Review, Articles Editor (One of First Group of African-American Students Chosen in Stetson Law Review History), Black Law Student Association, President; Faculty/Student Recruitment Team; Christian Legal Society; Student Bar Association; American Bar Association/Law School Division (Labor & Employment Law Section). In addition, she earned the Cecil C. & Augusta Bailey Award (Award based on character, academic achievement and capacity for meritorious leadership in the field of law); and Moot Court Oralist Award. While attending law studies, she worked in internships from 1991-1993, with Harris, Barrett, Mann & Dew; Alpert, Josey, Grilli & Hughes, PA; and Chambers of Chief Justice Elizabeth Kovachevich. After graduating from Stetson University, College of Law in Gulfport, Florida and passing the bar on her first attempt, Sheila was hired as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Henry Lee Adams, the first African- American to serve as Judge in the Middle District of Florida. Subsequently, Chief Judge Elizabeth extended her contracted term of service as a judicial law clerk to manage magistrate cases previously assigned to the Honorable Charles R. Wilson who became a jurist with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.. Part-time Sheila taught Research and Writing II (Appellate Brief Writing) at Stetson University College of Law. Upon leaving federal courts, Sheila opened a private practice in downtown St. Petersburg called the Turner Law Group serving private clients, unions and corporate clients with a focus on labor and employment law.

Political In her first engagement in the political arena, Sheila ran for St. Petersburg City Council Seat, District 7 in 2015. Although achieving a laudable 17% of the vote in a five-person race, she placed third behind Will Newton and Lisa Wheeler-Brown (Bowman) and did not move on to the general election. As chair Sheila led the launch of the Pinellas Suncoast Black Republican Club. 

During Black History Month, February 2019, Sheila began the exploratory process leading to officially filing to be a candidate for the U>S> Congress in 2020. 2020_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Florida She is one of four Republican contenders vying for the nominee as the Republican representative against the incumbent, Charlie Crist. In the primary sh will be challenging Mark Becker, Amanda Makki, and George Buck.