FL House Representative Fiona McFarland Visits

The Academy welcomed Representative McFarland and shared a bit of ourselves.

Former Naval Officer and graduate of the Naval Academy, FL House Representative Fiona McFarland is our kind of people. Like our Academy community, she has committed herself to service towards others. After serving eight years in the Navy, she transitioned into a career in public service (she is still in the reserves) where she now works tirelessly, serving the needs of Sarasota community.

When she heard about the Academy, she wanted to see it firsthand. She joined us yesterday for a tour, led by member Aaron Collmer. He walked her through the Academy, explaining the work that is performed in each team, lingering as other members introduced themselves and shared their stories with her. She saw our culinary team preparing a beautiful meal, observed the graphic arts team as they worked on getting the weekly newsletter out by deadline, and talked statistics with the business & technology team. McFarland was duly excited about our recovery model and our building, but her biggest takeaway, she said, was the willingness and openness of our members to tell their stories. In speaking with members, she saw what we see every day: a community of talent, ambition, and heart for service. Representative McFarland was excited to learn about how we get our members back to work, and she wants to do what she can to support us. We would be privileged to have this newest supporter “in the house.”