Susan Lopez Valdés is a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives representing District 64 . Originally elected as a Democrat in 2018, she switched to the Republican Party on December 9, 2024, after losing a bid for Hillsborough County Democratic Party chair; she is term-limited in 2026. Daughter of Cuban immigrants and raised by a single mother, she moved to Florida in 1972, attended Hillsborough County public schools, and is a product of that system. She is married to Gerardo "Gerry" Valdés, with three children and five grandchildren. A Catholic and practice administrator by occupation, she advocates for public education, prison reform, healthcare, the environment, and economic development.

Education

• Honorary Doctorate, Humane Letters, Everest University.
• MA, Organizational Leadership, Manhattan College .
• BASc, Business Administration and Management, Nova Southeastern University .

Political Experience

• Florida House of Representatives, District 64 , 2022-present; previously District 62 .
• Hillsborough County School Board, elected 2004, served 14 years ; resigned in 2018 to run for state House.
• Current Committee Roles: Member, Education & Employment Committee; Member, Ways & Means Committee; Member, Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee; Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Choice & Innovation; Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Justice Appropriations.
• Former Roles: Member, Education Committee; Member, Insurance & Banking Subcommittee; Ranking Minority Member, PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee.
• Notable Affiliations and Achievements: Founder, Back to School Fair; Chair, Central Florida Coalition; Member, Council of Urban Boards of Education, Council of the Great City Schools, Florida School Boards Association Board of Directors ; Member, Executive Committee of Lowry Park Zoo; Volunteer, Hillsborough County Health Care Program; Clinic Manager, Healthpoint Management Services .