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Leslie Ricciardelli was appointed by a 3-2 Collier County School Board vote as the next superintendent of Collier County Public Schools. Board members Erick Carter, Kelly Lichter and Stephanie Lucarelli voted in favor, with Tim Moshier and Jerry Rutherford dissenting.

Ricciardelli, a Naples native, has 28 years of experience in education, including serving as Collier interim superintendent and deputy superintendent. In those positions, she was responsible for leading financial services, school leadership and district operations, including transportation, nutrition services, safety and security and facilities and maintenance.

Early in her career, Ricciardelli worked in Broward, Orange and Seminole counties, where she served as a teacher for students with disabilities. She returned to Collier to work at Manatee Middle School as an inclusion teacher and at Lely High School as an Exceptional Student Education specialist and dean of students.

She worked at Palmetto Ridge High School for six years as assistant principal of attendance and discipline and returned to Lely as assistant principal of curriculum and instruction. Ricciardelli was later chosen to be principal at Golden Gate Middle School and again returned to Lely to serve as principal before taking a position in district leadership.