When You Get There

JENNIFER CARROLL, In 2010, she made history as the first black person and the first woman elected to the position of Lieutenant Governor in the state of Florida. As Lieutenant Governor, her duties included assisting the Governor with economic development and foreign trade, overseeing the Florida Department of Military Affairs and the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, and serving as Chairperson of Space Florida. She was also the Governor's Designee on the Florida Defense Support Task Force and Chairperson on the Governor's Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection. Highlights of her work in office include: meeting with Congressional and Pentagon officials to advocate for Florida's $65 billion military economy and defense industry, efforts which resulted in increased military positions, construction funding, and defense contract opportunities for Florida's businesses; leading trade missions to South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago, which led to $70 million in new trade between Florida and those countries; and helping to create thousands of new private sector, space and aerospace jobs in Florida through her work as Chairwoman of Space Florida. Jennifer began her career by enlisting in the United States Navy in 1979, where she rose from the rank of enlisted jet mechanic E-1 to Lieutenant Commander, Aviation Maintenance. Over her twenty years in the Navy, she served during Desert Storm and Desert Shield and received numerous awards, including a Meritorious Service Medal and two Navy Commendation Medals. From there, Jennifer moved to the private sector and public service. She spent seven years in the Florida House of Representatives, where she served as Deputy Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and on numerous committees and councils. She was also Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, where she was responsible for the claims and benefits of over 1.8 million veterans, and Chairperson for Florida's Council on Homelessness, where she worked to provide enhanced services aimed at solving homeless problems in the state, particularly within the veterans community.

Jennifer was born in Trinidad, West Indies and immigrated to the United States as a young girl. She has been married to Nolan Carroll for 31 years and they have three accomplished children, Nolan II, Nyckie, and Necho.