Candidate: Jason Tetlak

Most of my friends and acquaintances know that I grew up in Northeast Ohio, but not many people know that I was actually born on the small island of Bermuda. My father, a Navy Veteran, was stationed there at the time, and I lived there until a little after my first birthday. My move here to Florida didn’t occur until 1996, when I came south to attend Flagler College in St. Augustine. After graduating from Flagler in the spring of 2000, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the fun and sun of North Florida, and decided to make Jacksonville my permanent home. My family and I now reside in Murray Hill, and I’ve called the Riverside area home for several years. I love this part of town and look forward to raising my two daughters here. From the historic Avondale neighborhoods to the eclectic Five Points district, we enjoy spending time in the area’s many parks and playgrounds, and love discovering new local restaurants. I’ve spent most of my life studying art and design, and currently work at a non-profit that focuses on bringing a variety of quality cultural experiences to town. I very much enjoy working for a group that not only provides access to music, theatre, and speaking engagements, but also helps to relieve the financial stress of individuals pursuing post-secondary opportunities at Florida State College at Jacksonville. My previous work experiences have afforded me the opportunity to teach elementary school students in the Duval Public School System and also work with the Department of Defense on NAS JAX designing publications and support materials to assist in the ongoing War on Terror. Both of these experiences offer me a unique perspective that I am hoping to bring to City Council. My wife, Alicia, is a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Ghana. Upon returning, she completed her Masters in Biology right here at UNF. We were married in April at Treaty Oak downtown and enjoy traveling and exploring Jacksonville’s hidden treasures.