Our Team
Senator Dwight Bullard
State Senator Dwight M. Bullard hails from an esteemed educator, community activist and legislator family. His mother, Larcenia J. Bullard is a former school teacher, administrator, education consultant and member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992-2000. She was later elected to the Florida Senate in 2002 and has continued to serve since. His father Edward B. Bullard is a former educator, assistant principal, and former member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2000-2008. In 1981, Dwight moved to Miami, where he was raised in the community of Richmond Heights. After graduating from Miami Killian Sr. High, he continued his education at Florida A&M University where he received his B.S. in History Education. From 2000 to 2017, Sen. Bullard was a teacher at Coral Reef Senior High School and in 2008 he was sworn into office as representative of District 118 and was reelected subsequently. He served as a member of the Agriculture & Natural resources policy committee, the Prek-12 appropriations committee, Prek-12 education policy committee and several others. At the time, then Representative Bullard was named Democratic ranking member of the PreK-12 education policy committee after his first term and became Democratic ranking member of the education committee subsequently. In 2012 Senator Bullard was elected to the Florida Senate where he served as Vice Chair of the Transportation and Agriculture committees and maintained membership on Education and several other committees. In his time in the Senate, Bullard worked to stop online bullying, bring tuition equity to aspiring citizens and raise the minimum wage. Bullard served in the Florida Senate until 2016.
His extensive and remarkable role in political and educational leadership has granted him tremendous recognition; Bullard was a recipient of the Florida Education Association’s Freshman Friend of Public Education Award and Friend of Education Award, and the Florida Association of School Administrators’ Next Generation Leader Award and the Young Elected Officials Barbara Jordan Leadership Award. Senator Bullard is also affiliated with the Miami-Dade Democrats where he has served as Chair and was awarded the Miami-Dade Young Democrats Outstanding Leadership Award. He retains membership in the Democrats of South Dade Club, the Ron Brown Democratic Caucus, 100 Black Men of South Florida, as well as, the J. L. King Prince Hall Masonic Lodge and the Richmond-Perrine Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.
In 2017 Bullard was hired as the Political Director of the New Florida Majority. In this capacity he works to bring political education and awareness to underserved and often marginalized communities. He also works to push policy to positively impact those same communities. His work now much like his previous roles looks to uplift people in a way that makes them the masters of their own destiny. He continues to simply amplify the voice of those often unheard.
Edwina Simms, MPA
As the proud daughter of former educators, civil rights advocates and public servants, Edwina Bullard Simms has always believed in working for causes far greater than herself. She is a mission-driven, effective relationship builder, who believes in leading and developing performance-based and outcome-based programs. Edwina has been fortunate to work in higher education for a number of years advancing the university’s mission and enhancing levels of engagement with the alumni community.
Edwina Simms currently leads the regional engagement efforts in the Southeast Region for the University of Denver. Based in the Washington, D.C. office, Edwina develops and implements strategies to increase and enhance alumni engagement efforts from the District of Columbia to state of Florida. In collaboration with her colleagues, she works to elevate regional programing, while supporting the university’s advancement goals, and enhancing the mission across the region.
Her previous roles include Director of Multicultural and Affinity Engagement at American University in Washington, D.C. as well as Senior Director for youth and social events with the American Heart Association. Edwina brings over 12 years of experience in nonprofit management and constituency engagement, including a government and community relations background in the state of Florida, as the former Director of Lobbying at her alma mater, the University of Central Florida (UCF).
Edwina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in African American Studies from UCF. She later obtained her Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Strayer University, and recently became a Certified Diversity Professional. Edwina enjoys traveling and creating new memories with her husband, Gavin Simms, and their children, Gavin Ethan and Gianna Lynn. She loves servicing her community and giving back in unique ways.
“Leadership success requires intellectual curiosity and resiliency. I am always seeking the opportunity to absorb new information, master new disciplines, and better understand and respond to the needs and challenges of our diverse group of stakeholders.”
– Edwina Simms, MPA
Our promise to our clients and our community.
Loyal. To be a dependable and valued partner to our clients.
Connected. Being a great community partner and maintaining a relevant understanding of the current culture and trending topics
Innovative. Strategically and thoughtfully meeting the needs of the 21st century
Transformative. Visionary leaders thinking global while remaining local