Governor appoints new member to Polk State District Board of Trustees, reappoints three

Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed Steve Lester to the Polk State College District Board of Trustees and also announced on August 22 the reappointments of Ann Barnhart, Cindy Hartley Ross and Ashley Troutman.

They will serve on the Board alongside members Ashley Bell Barnett, Greg Littleton and Teresa V. Martinez.

Steve Lester

Lester is a Distinguished Alumnus who received his Polk State Associate in Science in Criminology in 1982 and a Polk State Associate in Arts in 1983. He serves as Chief of Staff for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and is second-in-command for the agency – a position he has held for more than 15 of his 40 years with the PCSO. Lester works closely with Sheriff Grady Judd and acts as Sheriff in all regards during the Sheriff’s absence.

Lester joined the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 1986 as a detention deputy sheriff. He rose through the ranks from Corporal to Chief Commander for the Department of Detention before his appointment as Chief of Staff in 2010. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session 240 and the Senior Management Institute of Police, Session 41.

Lester holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Administration from Troy University. He is a member of the Polk State Alumni Association, Polk County Police Chiefs Association, Police Executive Research Forum, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Rotary Club of Winter Haven. He is also a graduate of Leadership Polk: Class II and, in 2023, was named one of the “10 Most Inspiring People” for Polk County. Steve is married to his wife, Alisha, and they have two daughters, Hannah and Jenna.

Ann Barnhart

Barnhart, Chair of the Polk State College District Board of Trustees, is Vice President of Strategy and Growth for AdventHealth West Florida Division.

Barnhart is an experienced healthcare and business professional who has worked in the Central Florida community for more than three decades, including as a nursing instructor and consultant for what was then Polk Community College. Prior to her current role, she served as Chief Business Development Officer for AdventHealth Polk Market.

With more than 40 years of experience in healthcare, Barnhart began her career at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut and joined Health Management Associates in Florida, where she held the position of Senior Vice President/Division President.

Barnhart holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern Connecticut State University. She serves on the Winter Haven Economic Development Council and is a Board member of the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, Give Well Foundation and the Polk County Citizens Oversight Committee.

Cindy Hartley Ross

Ross, a Polk State Distinguished Alumna, is the owner of Social Graces, a company specializing in etiquette and protocol training. The Lakeland native has also served on the Polk State Foundation Board and as President of the Polk State Alumni Association and served two terms as the Chair of the Association of Florida Colleges Trustees Commission.

She also serves the Former Members of Congress Spouse Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C., Girls Inc. of Lakeland Board of Trustees, Polk Arts Alliance Advisory Council and Habitat for Humanity Advisory Council. She has previously served as a Commissioner of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, a Board and Board of Governors member of the Polk Museum of Art and President of the Polk Arts Alliance.

She also invested 15 years in volunteering and teaching as a substitute for Polk County Public Schools. Having served in many roles at Rochelle School of the Arts and George Jenkins High School, including Parent-Teacher Association President and Academic Booster Club President, she earned Volunteer of the Year awards at both schools, the USA Presidents Volunteer Service Award and the Kids Count Award.

Ashley Troutman

With close to 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Ashley Troutman is the founder and principal of Guided Financial Planning. He engages with successful individuals and business owners who are retired or nearing retirement in the financial planning process, including wealth management. He believes in continuous education, holding relevant industry certifications, including Fraternal Insurance Counselor (FIC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). A proud Polk State alumnus, he has served as a business owner within his industry since 2012.

A lifelong Lakelander, he attended Polk County Public Schools throughout his primary education and graduated from George Jenkins High School. He received his Associate in Arts from Polk State and his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of South Florida. He is also a public speaker and published poet.  His work has been featured in two books published by Brown Bear Publishing.

A member of Leadership Lakeland Class 27 and Leadership Polk Class 12, Troutman has served the Polk County community in several different capacities, including his current roles as Chairman of the Board at Lighthouse Ministries and a member of the Lakeland Regional Health Foundation Board of Directors. He is also actively involved in his church. He lives in Lakeland with his wife, Kia, and their two sons, Bryce and Ellis.

The District Board of Trustees is made up of members who are vested with oversight of all College policies, including matters related to programs, buildings, finances and personnel. Florida’s governor appoints the members who serve without compensation.

All appointments are subject to Florida Senate confirmation.