A revamped college board — with six new members appointed by the governor in only the past six months — is seeking termination of longtime College of the Florida Keys President Jonathan “Dr. G” Gueverra.
Per an audio recording obtained by the Keys Weekly of the June 30 meeting at the Upper Keys Center, the seven-member board unanimously voted to consult with the Key West law firm Smith, Hawks PL to review whether the board has grounds to terminate an agreement between Gueverra and the college. If costs exceed $15,000, the law firm would have to seek approval from the board.
Bart Smith, one of the founders of the law firm, told the Keys Weekly on July 8 that the law firm is, “still trying to figure out what we can and can’t do, because we already do some work for the college. So I can’t comment further on that as of now.”
The latest development at CFK follows a statewide pattern of moves DeSantis has made to install conservative members on college boards — it was an election pledge to root out diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — and install allies as president. Most notably, DeSantis’ hand-picked New College of Florida board was the subject of national attention. The former House speaker Richard Corcoran was chosen to replace the president at the college.
During the meeting, the CFK board seemingly criticized Gueverra over the recent veto by the governor of $3.5 million to update the college’s air conditioning system. The request was also axed by the governor last year.
Some members also believed there was a $2.2 million allocation in this year’s budget that was vetoed by the governor to expand the college’s marine science programs. That funding request was vetoed last year by the governor, and the request wasn’t included in the Legislature’s approved spending plan this year.
Conversations also revolved around an exchange between college board chairwoman Alexandria Suarez and Gueverra about his contract at a May 26 meeting. Some board members believed Gueverra was being disrespectful toward the chairwoman, saying he called her a liar. Gueverra denied those claims during the June 30 meeting. The Keys Weekly requested the May 26 meeting audio recording and hadn’t received it by press time.
“Dr. G’s done a good job, but he’s been here 13 years. I would move for termination,” Suarez said during the June 30 meeting. Suarez was appointed by DeSantis in 2023 and became chair in February. “I don’t think the college is getting what it needs to get. I think the actions, aside from not getting the appropriations, and the insubordination, and the way things have happened with leadership …”
Suarez added she spoke to Gueverra the Thursday before the meeting to go over the president’s assessment. She was “sincerely expecting an apology … but I didn’t get it in spite of me stating that,” Suarez told board members at the meeting. “I’m not sure if it falls under insubordination. But, that is neither here nor there. My biggest concern is the college isn’t getting the money it needs.”
In addition to seeking termination, the board approved a motion to give Gueverra the chance to resign within 48 hours. Gueverra has not offered his resignation.
A previous board approved a three-year contract extension with Gueverra during a July 29, 2025 meeting. Some board members wanted to know why the contract was renewed prior to the expiration of the existing agreement. At the May 26 meeting, they requested historical contract practices, contract renewal timelines and whether the contract renewal occurred earlier than expected.
Board makeup shifts
On Jan. 30, DeSantis announced four new appointments to the CFK board. They included:
- Eddie Kertis, a U.S. Army veteran who works at the college as captain and divemaster.
- Peter Batty Jr. is president and owner of United Atlantic Insurance Group and co-founder and chairman of the board for Gulf Atlantic Bank.
- Michael Downer is a proprietor at Key West Fine Wines who previously served as a senior lawyer and executive at Capital Group. His wife, Dr. Jessica Johnson, is Republican state committeewoman for Monroe County.
- Bob Broton is a retired director of engineering at Northrop Grumman.
With the appointments, coming off the board were Kevin Madok, who served as chairman, vice chair Sheldon Suga and trustees Mike Puto and Richard Weinstein.
The four new board members were installed at a Feb. 24 meeting, where Suarez took over as chair and Batty became vice chair.
By the June 30 meeting, the governor’s latest appointments — Susan Raffanello, Islamorada resident and shareholder at Coffey Burlington, and Andrew Dulcey, a private practice attorney in Key West — were sworn in. The appointments filled trustee Dan Leben’s seat and a longstanding vacancy on the board.
Suarez is a lawyer and former assistant prosecutor with the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office. She’s also the current chair of legislative affairs for the Keys Republican Executive Committee.
Rhonda Rebman Lopez, who chairs the Monroe County Republican Executive Committee, has been closely watching the college board appointments, but denied having any involvement in the attempt to replace college president Jonathan Gueverra.
“I don’t have that kind of authority,” Lopez told the Keys Weekly on July 6. “Y’all are giving me too much credit. But I have had discussions throughout the community and perhaps the college trustees heard me saying that a college president’s main goal is to bring in money for the school, and in this case, that didn’t happen.”
Lopez pointed to the governor’s veto of $6 million in funding that CFK did not receive, although several community colleges’ requests were also left unfunded by the governor’s veto pen.
Lopez told the Keys Weekly that she thought Gueverra had already been removed from his position. When the Keys Weekly told her the college board instead had voted to hire a law firm to review Gueverra’s contract, Lopez said, “Oh, I think he’s been removed already. I have a strong feeling the board will go in a different direction. But no one is taking orders from me. In my opinion, the president did not have a harmonious relationship with the governor, and that wasn’t good.
“I’ll be happy to work with the college foundation to raise money, because we need it. But the college’s lobbyists failed us. And there’s not a college or university in the country that, if they don’t get millions allocated, then no one’s going to be happy with the lobbyists or the college president. I applaud what Dr. G has done and I look forward to working with the new president.”
Board evaluates Gueverra
While Kertis didn’t object to seeking termination with Gueverra, he recognized how the president of 13 years was “the driving force in where the college is today.”
An assessment of Gueverra by the newly-structured board noted his high level of knowledge in education and how he was able to handle crises, initiate new ideas and change, and demand effective short- and long-range strategic plans.
“As I also noted in my evaluation, almost iconic the level of what he’s done here,” Kertis said.
But there were some criticisms from board members. There were questions about two senior leaders who left at the same time, one who suddenly resigned and a vice president leaving with no explanation. There were also sentiments of disappointment in the assessment of how Gueverra interacted with the board in understanding his contract, as well as the exchange between Suarez and Gueverra at the May meeting.
The Keys Weekly contacted Gueverra for comment, but he didn’t respond by press time.
Suarez told Keys Weekly on July 6 that she wasn’t able to discuss details into the potential termination.
“We’re going through the process right now,” she said.
The CFK board will next meet on Tuesday, July 28 at 2 p.m. at CFK’s Middle Keys Center.
Guevarra’s track record
Gueverra was selected as the college’s sixth president in 2012. During his tenure, CFK launched new programs to support vital industries in the Florida Keys, including hospitality and ecotourism management and culinary management in 2015. Guevara also oversaw the first year that the college’s first-ever student housing operated with 100 beds.
By 2017, the college launched the Keys’ first public baccalaureate degree, a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management. With support from the National Science Foundation, the college added an associate in science in engineering technology — renewable energy technician.
Outside of the programing, the college came to the aid of the community following Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The college rallied and helped more than 160 businesses secure more than $6 million in bridge loans through the Small Business Development Center. CFK also launched tuition-free construction apprenticeships in electrical, carpentry, plumbing and HVAC.
In 2019, the baccalaureate-degree-granting institution was renamed the College of the Florida Keys. The same year, the college started a bachelor of science in nursing program in an effort to respond to the needs for highly-trained nurses on the island chain.
“Dr. Gueverra has done a superb job running the College of the Florida Keys. From taking the school from a two-year junior to a four-year institution, and establishing a brand new campus for our Upper Keys residents, the list goes on and on,” said Monroe County Mayor Michelle Lincoln. “He’s an honorable man who’s done more to champion higher education than anyone else in the Keys.”
The expansions continued into 2020 with the college introducing a bachelor of science in marine resource management — the first degree of its kind in the nation. CFK also entered into the world of competitive sports with new men’s and women’s swim teams and membership in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
By 2021, CFK expanded its presence in the Upper Keys from its original location at Coral Shores High School to a new, 38,000-square-foot center in Key Largo. The new center delivers a wide range of programming — from marine science and hospitality to nursing and apprenticeships in trades. Basic law enforcement training at the center offers aspiring officers the ability to complete a 770-hour program. A correctional basic training course at the center prepares students to become corrections officers in Florida, pending passage of a state exam.
In 2023, the college opened the CFK Academy, a tuition-free public charter high school on the Key West campus.
Madok served on the board for 12 years, with his final meeting being last January. A board chairman for several years, Madok said the accomplishments of the college were “nothing short of incredible.”
“I equate it to the 1971-72 Lakers when they went on a 33-game winning streak. We were on a winning streak and it was very exciting to be a part of it,” Madok said. “He’s a true educator first, and it amazed me how he literally knew the names of every student on campus. He’d sit out on the breezeway and students would come out and talk to him.”
A day after the June 30 meeting, CFK issued a press release stating that it’s fully and solely accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The college has been transitioning to HLC since it was granted initial accreditation in November 2025 — maintaining dual accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) during that time. CFK’s membership with SACSCOC, which has accredited the college since 1968, ended on June 30, 2026.
“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the determination and dedication of our faculty, staff, and administration. As we conclude our 60th anniversary, completing this transition to the nation’s largest institutional accreditor is a fitting reflection of how far we’ve come — and the strong foundation we have established for an even stronger future,” Gueverra said in a press release. “Our students can be confident that their financial aid, their credits and their degrees are backed by a world-class accreditor, and this positions CFK to continue opening doors for our students and community.”
— Mandy Miles contributed to this report
