Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Byron Donalds is the product of a single-parent household. Throughout his life, his mother made every sacrifice possible in order to give him the best opportunity at the American Dream. That philosophy his mother taught him, striving to leave future generations better than the current, is what leads him in his work, his home life, and as a state legislator.
Byron attended Florida State University and graduated in 2002 with bachelor of arts degrees in finance and marketing. Byron’s career path has included working in the finance, insurance, and banking industries in Southwest Florida.
When serving in the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, Byron sat on five committees and honorably served as the chairman of the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee. He was named a Champion of Economic Freedom for his A+ rating for the 2017 Legislative Session by Americans for Prosperity. For the 2018 Legislative Session, he was the recipient of the Award for Conservative Excellence by the American Conservative Union Foundation. In 2018, Byron was honored by the Florida Council on Aging for his work in preventing elder abuses in financial transactions. During his time in the Florida House, Byron has primarily focused on elder affairs, criminal justice reform, and striving to make sure each child in Florida has access to a world-class education.
He has been a featured speaker and panelist discussing policy and politics on national and statewide stages. Byron has been a guest host and commentator on Daybreak with Drew Steele, on 92.5 Fox News FM; the Bob Harden Show; the Joe Whitehead Show, on 98.9 WGUF; Pundits on the Porch, a podcast by the James Madison Institute; and as a featured speaker at the Republican Party of Florida’s Sunshine Summit this past summer.
Having served the community in a multitude of ways since he moved to Collier County in 2003, Byron was previously appointed by Governor Rick Scott to the board of trustees for Florida Southwestern State College. From 2004 to 2016, Byron served as a youth leader in his church where he mentored middle school and high school students. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering as a coach in youth football and basketball leagues.
Byron Donalds lives in Naples, Florida, with his wife, Erika, and their three sons, Damon, Darin, and Mason. Having spent his adult life in business, service, and leadership in his community, he will continue leading a prosperous and conservative Southwest Florida and fight for those same values in Washington, DC.