Step Up For Students is a non-profit managing the largest tax credit scholarship program and largest education savings account program in the United States. This year Step Up provided scholarships to over 100,000 low-income students and managed more than 13,000 education savings accounts for students with special needs. Step Up also manages the Reading Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship for students who’ve been victimized by bullying or harassment, and processes applications for Florida’s newest voucher program, the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

If you are a reporter or academic researcher and you need information about these programs, please contact our team.

For media inquiries please contact Jon East (727-451-9819, jeast@sufs.org), Ron Matus (727-451-9830, rmatus@sufs.org) or Patrick Gibbons (727-451-9827, pgibbons@sufs.org).

Jon East

Director of Special Projects
Office phone: 727-451-9819
Cell phone: 727-420-6993
Email: jeast@sufs.org

Amy Graham

Senior Policy Director
Office phone: 850-270-6357
Cell phone: 850-980-2736
Email: agraham@sufs.org

Ron Matus

Director of Policy and Public Affairs
Office phone: 727-451-9830
Cell phone: 727-580-1577
Email: rmatus@sufs.org

Keith Jacobs

Manager, External Affairs
Mobile: 813.385.4180
Office: 727.451.9807
Email: kjacobs@sufs.org

Patrick Gibbons

Public Affairs Manager
Office phone: 727-451-9827
Cell phone: 813-528-3435
Email: pgibbons@sufs.org

Dava Hankerson Fedrick

Research Manager
Office phone: 727-451-9813
Cell phone: 954-290-7942
Email: dfedrick@sufs.org

Scott Kent

Strategic Communications Manager
Office phone: 727-451-9832
Cell phone: 850-866-8152
Email: skent@sufs.org

Lorraine McBride

Manager, Community Engagement
Office Phone: 727-300-0416
Email: lmcbride@sufs.org

Fernanda Murgueytio

Alumni Coordinator
Email: fmurgueytio@sufs.org

Hannah Plante

Manager, Legislative Affairs
Office phone: 904-452-5677
Cell phone: 813-361-1735
Email: hplante@sufs.org

Amy Stringer 

Research Analyst
Office phone: 727-451-9875
Email: astringer@sufs.org

Donna Winchester

Managing Editor, redefinED (www.redefinedonline.org)
Office phone: 352-514-9979
Email: dwinchester@stepupforstudents.org