A conservative American think tank based in Tallahassee is adding a former Florida Speaker of the House to its roster of academics.
The James Madison Institute (JMI) announced it’s adding Former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli to its roster of Scholars in Residence. The position will be housed in The Durden Center for the Advancement of Liberty at the JMI in the state capital.
Crisafulli was originally elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 for the District 51 seat, which covers parts of the Space Coast and surrounding areas. The Merritt Island Republican went on to advance to the Speaker of the House. He held that position from 2014 to 2016 and served as the state’s 85th Speaker.
JMI President and CEO Robert McLure said the nonprofit organization is eager to have Crisafulli join the institute.
“Steve is a principled leader whose commitment to economic liberty and free-market advancement strongly aligns with JMI’s mission. We are delighted to welcome his insight and passion to our team,” McClure said.
JMI advances conservative ideals of limited government, economic freedom, federalism and individual liberty with the mission to help shape public policy based upon many of those principles.
Crisafulli has deep roots in Florida politics. His late cousin Doyle E. Carlton was the Governor of Florida from 1929 to 1933. His grandfather, Vassar B. Carlton, was Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court between 1969 and 1974.
“For almost 40 years, JMI has been a leading advocate for free-market principles, with a sustained and measurable impact in Florida and across the nation. I look forward to this next chapter of advancing the principles that have made our state what it is today in my role as Scholar in Residence,” Crisafulli said.
Crisafulli operated his own consulting firm, Crisafulli Consulting, which merged with Smith Bryan & Myers in early 2025, and the company became SBM Partners.
