The first time entering the political arena, Cape Coral resident Vanessa Chaviano was elected as the new District 7 school board member Tuesday night.

Chaviano received 204,476 votes, 69.22%, while Sheridan Chester received 90,935, or 30.78%.

She said she was still processing the victory Wednesday morning.

“I am grateful and honored. It’s my first time running as a candidate, getting into the political arena,” Chaviano said, adding that she has been a part of the community volunteering and coaching for a long time. “It’s nice to see that support.”

She said she greatly appreciates everyone who supported her. Chaviano wants the voters to understand she is a voice to understand what is happening in the schools.

“We can’t fix what we don’t know,” Chaviano said. “We are there to set policy, work with an elected superintendent, which is an administrative function.”

She said it’s about making the best district where students, families and teachers are happy and proud.

“I will be working with the board and the now elected superintendent and communicate and create transparency and make sure we are all on the same page,” Chaviano said.

The District 7 at-large and non-partisan district provides all voters countywide with the opportunity to cast a ballot. Cathleen O’Daniel Morgan, who has served in the district 7 seat since November 2012, did not seek reelection.

Chaviano, 40, a 25-year resident of Lee County, is in marketing operations at LIV Digital Marketing. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and criminal forensics, a master’s degree in criminal forensics, behavioral analysis, and business administration.

There are many issues on her radar to tackle once she is sworn into office Nov. 19.

“Our teacher pay, recruitment is huge,” she said. “We are losing great teachers in our district to our sister districts north and south because of pay.”

With that improvement, Chaviano said it will help improve student achievement. It will help increase their ranking among large districts in Florida.

“The goal is to be there at the top,” she said, adding that when they focus on teacher and staff pay it will put the right teachers in the classroom.

Another issue is championing the district’s career and trade schools.

“We need to invest in our workforce here. Cape Coral was originally a retirement community. We are seeing that demographic change now. This city has grown so much after COVID,” Chaviano said, adding that there are multiple paths of success that are not necessarily college. “We have three vocational schools here to champion our trades.”

There are multiple possibilities, she said of HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

“Without those things we would be camping. It is crucial and it is very important. They are very well-paid trades that are much needed. There is so much here in Lee County to invest in them (students) here and continue to keep growing our city and our county moving forward,” Chaviano said.

The concerns she heard on the campaign trail included teacher pay, behavior and discipline, and bringing parents back into the fold.

“The first teacher in the child’s life is the parent guiding and creating a foundation. Times have changed — parents are working if not one, but multiple jobs,” she said adding the parent figure may be a caregiver, guardian, or grandparent. “So much different is going on and we need to bring them back into the mix, so the child can be the best they can be.”

Chaviano encourages parents and guardians to use the district as a resource, as they want students to be successful.

“They are supported, and Lee County is a great place to be. We are no longer a sleepy town,” she said, adding that there are opportunities on the horizon.

Chaviano is an appointed member for the site section committee, and equity and diversity advisory committee for the School District of Lee County. She is also a board member and member of the government affairs committee for the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, as well as a coach for Pop Warner Youth Football Youth Cheer, Cape Competes stakeholder member and president of Leading Latina, Inc.

“I came back into cheering this year. I have been coaching since 2006 through the Pop Warner program,” she said, adding that she also focuses on academics in addition to the sport. “I love working with the various groups and seeing our kids grow and find that confidence in themselves and working with other kids and personalities on a team to figure out how to come together to build a routine.”