Three new members join UF Board of Trustees, one member re-appointed 

The University of Florida is welcoming three new members to its Board of Trustees.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced appointment of Richard Cole to board.

Cole is a managing partner and lawyer with the law firm of Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A., one of the largest law firms in Florida, a position he has held since 1997. He has been a member of the Dade County Bar Association since 1974 and previously served as president of the board of directors. He also served on the executive committee of the Leukemia Association of Dade County from 2013 until 2017. Cole earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and his juris doctorate from the University of Florida. He succeeds Rob Stern.

DeSantis on Thursday also announced the re-appointment of Rahul Patel, who has served as a trustee since 2015. He has previously served as president of the University of Florida Law School Alumni Council and president of the University of Florida Alumni Association. He is a partner with King & Spalding LLP, where he has been since 1997. He is co-head of the firm’s global private equity practice and also serves on the firm’s governing policy committee. Patel also serves on the board of Crawford & Company, a New York Stock Exchange traded public company. Patel earned his bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate from the University of Florida.

Also joining the board are Sylvain Doré, who serves as Chair of the Faculty Senate, and Student Body President Trevor J. Pope.

Doré, whose term began June 1, is a brain scientist investigating new therapies and precision medicine modalities to fight against ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, traumatic brain injury, sickle cell, newborn hypoxia, aged-related vascular dementia, and Alzheimer disease. He has been an active participant in shared governance at UF and has consistently been an enthusiastic voice to support the interests of all faculty. During this academic year, Doré plans to strengthen collaborations with all stakeholders and foster pathways to aid the faculty in accomplishing their teaching, research and service missions.

Pope, whose term began April 25, hopes to continue his legacy of student advocacy.  He graduated from the University of Florida as a double major in both political science and economics. Currently, he is a second-year law student, hoping to work in corporate law upon earning his law degree. He is a member of the UF’s Hall of Fame 2019 Inductee Class, and a two-time Reitz scholar. In 2019, he was honored with UF’s Outstanding Leader award.   

UF’s 13-member board consist of six members appointed by the governor and five members appointed by the Board of Governors. The chair of the Faculty Senate and the president of the Student body also serve as voting members of the board. Board members serve staggered, five-year terms.