Campogni challenges Peters for Pinellas school board seat

Curtis Campogni, 41, is running for Pinellas County School Board District 3 (At Large) in the Nov. 3 general election. The nonpartisan race pits Campogni, a first-time candidate born and raised in Clearwater, against incumbent Dawn Peters.

Campogni advanced to the general election after receiving more than 59,000 votes (34.8%) in the Aug. 18 primary, finishing second behind Peters (36.3%) and ahead of Dawn Douglas (28.8%), according to his campaign website.

Asked why he is running, Campogni said in our candidate questionnaire: "I'm a dad who wants to make a difference for the schools my kids attend and the community they'll grow up in. … I'm not a politician, and I didn't start this journey because I was looking for an elected position. I'm running because I believe my experience, perspective, and approach to leadership can add something valuable to the School Board."

Candidate information

Age: 41

Education: "B.A. in Psychology," Campogni said in our questionnaire.

Party: "The Pinellas County School Board is a nonpartisan office," Campogni said in our questionnaire. He is registered as non-party affiliated, according to WUSF.

Family: "My mom is a public school teacher. I'm married to a social worker, and we have two children who are both Pinellas County Schools students. We became a family through Florida's foster care system. We also have a Basset Hound named Hamilton Lafayette, who is pretty convinced he's our third child," Campogni said in our questionnaire.

Previous elected office: "None. This is my first campaign for elected office," Campogni said in our questionnaire.

Campogni is the author of C.A.P.E. Conversations: How Superheroes Communicate with Children, a book aimed at helping parents and professionals support, communicate with and inspire young people, according to Florida Politics.

Experience and public service

Asked about his occupation and work history, Campogni said in our questionnaire: "I'm a business owner and consultant specializing in training and speaking for organizations serving young people and families. I have more than 15 years of experience across child welfare, juvenile justice, workforce development, and youth services. … I eventually founded my own business, where I've partnered with organizations in more than 15 states to provide training, consulting, and workforce development support."

Campogni also said he serves as vice chair of the Circuit 6 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board and as Florida state representative at the Southeastern Employment & Training Association, according to his campaign website. He volunteers as a girls high school flag football coach at East Lake High School, according to the same site.

Asked what accomplishments show he can handle the job, Campogni said in our questionnaire: "I started as a youth care worker in a group home and worked my way into leadership, eventually overseeing a multimillion-dollar state-funded program serving approximately 145 young people each day. … But the accomplishment I'm most proud of is being a father."

On the issues

Asked how his 15 years working with at-risk youth shaped his thinking about schools, Campogni said in our questionnaire: "It's why I believe empathy is so critical. That work taught me how to understand what may be driving someone's behavior, meet them where they are, and help influence positive change. … A strong support system, a great education, and an opportunity for meaningful employment can completely change the trajectory of a young person's life."

On declining enrollment and teacher burnout, Campogni said in our questionnaire: "In my first year, I would push the Board to get much more intentional about retaining both families and teachers. … For teachers, my approach is simple: Hear them. Empower them. Pay them." He added: "I also want clearer criteria and transparency around teacher non-renewals. Pay matters, but so does knowing that strong performance and feedback mean something."

Asked what sets him apart, Campogni said in our questionnaire: "Throughout this campaign, I've proposed ideas including a Student Impact Test for budget decisions, Perspective Days for Board members and district leaders, clearer guardrails around teacher non-renewals, and regular input from workforce experts on CTE programs."