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Department of Political Science

40 Under 40 Political Science Majors

Brian Aungst Jr. | BA Political Science ’05| Clearwater, FL

TITLE: Shareholder | COMPANY: Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen

Brian has dedicated his life to improving the quality of life in the communities he has served. He is an attorney and shareholder of Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen. A proud Triple Gator, he graduated from UF in 2005 with degrees in Political Science and Telecommunication and earned his J.D. in 2008. He received the C. Arthur Sandeen Improving the Quality of Life Award. He was appointed to the Board of Supervisors of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District which provides governmental services to the 40 square miles of the Walt Disney World Resort. He played a crucial role in finalizing a Collective Bargaining Agreement with IAFF Chapter 2117. He was re-appointed to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County on which he has served since 2012 in various roles including Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.

Anna DeCerchio | BA History ’12; BA Political Science ’12 | Tallahassee, FL

TITLE: Chief of Staff |COMPANY: Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Originally from Tallahassee, Anna graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in both History and Political Science. Upon graduating from law school at Florida State University, Anna began her career in public service as Legislative Aide to future Speaker of the Florida House, Paul Renner. Since January 2019, Anna has served in key policy roles in the DeSantis Administration. Anna began her tenure in the Executive Office of the Governor as Deputy Policy Director, where she helped develop policy initiatives, executive orders and budget priorities. She was later promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the Governor, where she served as a senior policy advisor to Governor DeSantis, informing on policy decisions for the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Department of Management Services, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, among others. While serving in this role, Anna helped secure record funding for Everglades restoration, resilience, and water quality, as well as aided in the development of statewide toll relief and the state’s red tide response efforts.