Lee schools official finds consensus amid chaos

At the School District of Lee County, Kristina Houlihan leads intergovernmental engagement and advocacy efforts and oversees the district’s communications initiatives. It’s a role that builds on her past experience: She was a legislative assistant to Florida Rep. and State Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Fort Myers, and State Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, and spent a year as director of government affairs for Family Initiative, which serves children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

“One of my favorite things is waking up every day and knowing that I’m serving in a role bigger than myself,” she says. “It’s a real honor the work that I get to do.”

Photo by Mark Wemple

She learned a lot about service from her grandfather, William Hodson Sr., who served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam and then worked in law enforcement and for the U.S. Postal Service. And her ability to build bipartisan relationships stems from some of his life lessons.

“The way he approaches folks and takes time to invest in them and truly understand where they’re coming from — that’s my grandfather day in and day out,” says Houlihan. “That’s how I’ve been able to go into complex conversations, looking at those folks and knowing they’re a person just like me, no matter the title or important policy.”

Education can be an emotional topic these days, and Houlihan strives to listen to both sides of any argument, identify the gaps and find ways to meet in the middle. “Your integrity and your word mean everything,” she says. “That truly sets the foundation there.”

As deputy chief of communications and government relations, Houlihan leads a team of about a dozen, and trust is an important factor in that realm too. “Once you have that level of trust from your team, it’s amazing the work that can be done,” she says. “They’re talented folks, so it’s about leveraging them and letting them have that ability to create and feel comfortable with the work they’re doing.”

Outside of work, she volunteers her time to help grow the next generation of leaders through various civic initiatives. “I had great folks invest in me,” she says. “So I feel like it’s almost a responsibility to help guide and lead them, because they will be our next policy leaders. They will be the next major stakeholders continuing to help move the state forward.”