Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed Fort Lauderdale attorney Adam Cervera to the Broward County School Board, filling the vacancy left by the sudden resignation of board member Brenda Fam. The appointment takes effect May 1.
Cervera, a shareholder at the law firm Becker & Poliakoff, brings both legal expertise and community engagement to the role. He has previously chaired the Florida Bar’s Eleventh Circuit Grievance Committee, served on the regional board for Read to a Child, and received the Excellence in Service Award from the Florida International University (FIU) College of Law, where he also earned his law degree. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Florida.
Cervera steps into a role vacated amid growing tensions within the district. Fam, elected to represent District 6 in 2022, resigned earlier this week, citing a hostile political environment and what she described as “entrenched resistance” to reform. Her resignation followed that of Alec Bogdanoff, chair of the Superintendent’s Oversight Committee Task Force, who stepped down after only three meetings, citing similar concerns.
In her resignation letter to Superintendent Howard Hepburn, Fam warned of declining enrollment, projected budget deficits of up to $80 million, and what she viewed as an unhealthy focus on social justice over academics. She also criticized district plans to raise property taxes and impact fees, suggesting a potential taxpayer bailout may be looming in 2026.
“My greatest fear is that (the district) will seek a bail-out from residents in 2026 in the form of referendum funds from Broward County residents due to the (board’s) failure to implement a balanced budget and engaging in wasteful overspending,” she wrote. “
“My greatest fear is that (the district) will seek a bail-out from residents in 2026 in the form of referendum funds from Broward County residents due to the (board’s) failure to implement a balanced budget and engaging in wasteful overspending,” she wrote. “I have old school values and was taught that you don’t buy what you can’t pay for. You don’t purchase things that you cannot afford.”
Fam also took a parting shot at the board’s stance on school choice, saying she’d “forever treasure” the “unique opportunity to stand up to” fellow members and the Broward Teachers Union.
