Meet Stephanie Vanos.
About Steph
Born in the Midwest into a family that values the accessibility of public education, Stephanie Vanos is a product of the public school system and has been a resident of Orange County for 20 years. She has been married for 16 years to her husband Bill, and has three daughters who attend Orange County Public Schools.
After receiving her law degree from the University of North Carolina, Stephanie began her career in a downtown Orlando law firm. She served on the Board of Directors for Pace Center for Girls, where she helped to support programs that enabled at risk girls to develop trusting relationships, foster their individual talents and interests, and put them on a path toward high school graduation.
Over the last ten years, Stephanie has worked with school board members, teachers, parents, and the community on a variety of local school issues. As a public education advocate, she has firsthand experience with the challenges and opportunities within the education system, including the lack of support from many state legislators.
Stephanie is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Orange, an Orange County Public Schools program that provides an in-depth look at how the eighth largest school district in the nation is run. In 2021, Stephanie was appointed to the Reapportionment Advisory Council, which provided recommendations that were adopted by the School Board.
Stephanie has been a member of the Education Committee for the League of Women Voters in Orange County since 2017, serving as the co-chair of the committee for two years. In these roles, she facilitated monthly committee meetings, researched legislative bills, provided talking points for both local and statewide League advocacy, and helped organize multiple events focused on the impact of vouchers and other legislation on public schools.
As the Vice President of the Democratic Public Education Caucus of Florida, Stephanie researched and analyzed education legislation, testified before education committees in Tallahassee, and provided direct support to education analysts, State Representatives, and State Senators on issues ranging from increasing education funding and transparency, allowing retired teachers to return to the classroom, and introducing additional options for educator health care benefits.
Additionally, Stephanie is the founder and Chair of the Help Out Public Education (HOPE) political committee, which elevates the importance of school board races and seeks to help pro-public education candidates win school board elections across Florida
Stephanie Vanos is a compassionate, strategic thinker who wants to keep the Orange County School Board focused on improving public education for all students in the county. She is proud to have the support of the incumbent School Board Member, Karen Castor Dentel, other elected officials, and local leaders. Stephanie is excited to work together with the community to create a brighter future for our students, educators, and families.
