Gov. DeSantis boots José Oliva, a former ally, off state university Board

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declined to renominate his once loyal ally, former House Speaker José Oliva, to an influential state Board that oversees Florida’s public university system.

In a press release sent out just before his State of the State address started Tuesday, DeSantis named four new appointments and two reappointments to the State University System’s Board of Governors (BOG). Missing in the press release was any mention of Oliva, whose prior term ended Jan. 6.

Oliva was a DeSantis defender who had even been rumored to be on DeSantis’ list of Lieutenant Governor choices before DeSantis picked Jay Collins.

But Oliva clashed with DeSantis as the BOG voted on a new Chair in November.

The BOG elected Alan Levine as Chair instead of allowing Brian Lamb to remain for a third term. Influential University of Florida Board of Trustees Chair Mori Hosseini, a DeSantis supporter, had been pushing for Lamb. Hosseini had also loudly backed UF hiring Santa Ono as President, but the BOG rejected Ono’s bid in June.

“Insiders say DeSantis’ office lobbied the Board of Governors in November to block anyone who voted against Ono from ascending to board leadership. Oliva ended up nominating Alan Levine, then the vice chair, to be chair — bucking the governor’s demands,” Miami Herald reporter Garrett Shanley wrote on X.

The new members of the BOG, subject to Florida Senate approval, will be: Ashley Lukis, Michael Okaty, Keith Perry and Nick Sinatra. Ashley Bell Barnett and Charles Lydecker were also reappointed.

One of the new Board members is a former state lawmaker. Another has ties to national politics.

Perry, now President and Owner of Perry Roofing Contractors, previously was a Senator representing Senate Districts 8 and 9 as well as a Representative for House Districts 21 and 22.

Sinatra, founder of Sinatra and Company, was the Associate Political Director for The White House under President George W. Bush.

Meanwhile, DeSantis said “Lukis is a Shareholder at GrayRobinson, P.A., where she represents public entities and private clients alike in complex state, federal, and administrative litigation.”

Okaty “is a Partner at Foley & Lardner, LLP,” DeSantis said, who “was recognized as the 2023 Lawyer of the Year in business organizations law by The Best Lawyers in America.”