Democratic Party of Lee County Florida
Democratic Executive Committee
10051 McGregor Blvd., Suite 101, Fort Myers, Fl. 33919-1090

Phone: 239-939-2866    FAX: 239-939-0188
e-mail: leecountydems@gmail.com           website: www.leecountydems.org

Officers

Jeffrey Kushner,  Chair

Constance Besco, Vice Chair

Michelle Guerin, Executive Secretary

Lawrence Donaldson,Treasurer

Patricia Albrecht,  Recording Secretary

Yosef Tedros, State Committeeman

Catherine Michiels,  State Committeewoman

*Jeff Kushner, the newly elected Chair of the Lee County Democratic Executive Committee, is looking forward to turning Lee County into a Blue County. He is an avid follower of the political scene, a keen reader, and a student of history, with a particular interest in American history, presidential biographies and the political landscape. He is a Democrat and believes strongly that the Democrats speak for the basic truths and the American experience.

Jeff is married to Roberta, his partner in marriage for 45 years, and also his law partner. Jeff and

Roberta have two children, Rachel and Jonas, both attorneys. Jeff jokes that it was “Painful” to go through law school 4 times; once for himself, and the next three times with his wife, his daughter and then his son.

Jeff was born and raised in the Groton/New London, Connecticut area and graduated from

Syracuse University, and from law school at Suffolk University Law School of Boston. Not one to be deterred by no job, a wife seven months pregnant and no roots in Florida, he moved to Miami upon graduation from law school to study for the Florida Bar. He became licensed to practice law in Florida in 1970. After living in Miami for three years, he moved to Fort Myers for what he thought was to be a temporary stay. Once here, however, he was taken in by both the small town warmth of Ft. Myers as well as opportunities for growth. He decided to stay.

When he moved to Ft. Myers in 1973, he worked as an Assistant Public Defender handling criminal defense and representing defendants charged with felonies and misdemeanors. After leaving the

Public Defender’s office, he continued criminal defense work in private practice for the next twenty years. He also represented the Lee County Legal Aid Society, mostly litigating divorce, support and custody matters. He has been in private practice for almost 40 years and now primarily represents claimants seeking Social Security Disability because they are sick, injured, disabled and unable to work. It was representing people with illness and disabilities that increased Jeff’s interest and awareness of many of the social and economic problems in our society.

Jeff is elated to be Chair of the DEC. He is looking forward to expanding the influence of the Democratic Party in this conservative “Republican enclave.” He is a results oriented person who looks at the big picture and keeps his eye on the ball. He looks forward to bringing a fresh perspective and new energy to the local, state, and national Democratic party agenda.