Step Up For Students is a non-profit managing five scholarship programs serving low-income students, children with special needs, victims of bullying and public school students struggling with reading. Today the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and Gardiner Scholarship programs are the largest private school scholarship programs of their kind in the United States. This year Step Up will serve more than 150,000 students throughout the state of Florida.  

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

For media inquiries please contact 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

Scott Kent

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

Patrick Gibbons

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

Alexis Laroe

Analyst, Legislative Affairs
Cell phone: 802-363-1011.
Email: alaroe@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

Donna Winchester

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