| Anna V. Eskamani resides in Orlando and works as a nonprofit professional. She graduated from University High School, where she was a member of Theatre Troupe 4848 from 2004 to 2008. She earned two B.A. degrees from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Political Science and International Studies, as well as a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Women's Studies and a Certificate in Service Learning from 2008 to 2012. She continued her education at UCF, obtaining dual M.A. degrees in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management, along with a Graduate Certificate in Gender Studies and a Certified Nonprofit Professional credential from 2012 to 2015. She has been pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Affairs at UCF since 2016.
Born on May 20, 1990, in Orlando, Florida, Eskamani enjoys feminist research, going to the beach, poetry, and running.
She was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2018 and has been reelected subsequently.
Eskamani is actively involved in numerous organizations, serving as a board member of Central Florida Community Arts (2023), Orlando Gay Chorus (2021), and Winter Park Playhouse (2021). She is Florida's State Lead for the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (2020) and has been a board member of the UCF Nonprofit Management Advisory Board (since 2017) and Valencia College Peace and Justice Initiative (since 2014). Additionally, she has held leadership positions such as Chair of the Orange County Legislative Delegation (2023) and a selected participant in the Aspen Institute of Germany's Transatlantic Democracy Laboratory (2022), with a focus on climate and energy policy.
She has received numerous accolades, including the Americans for the Arts Public Leadership in the Arts Award (2022), Florida PTA Legislator of the Year (2022), and Orlando Magazine's "50 Most Powerful People" (2021, 2022). She was recognized as the first Iranian-American elected to public office in Florida and has been honored with various community, education, and advocacy awards from organizations such as the Florida Education Association, Equality Florida, and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence.
Her academic research includes presentations at the UCF Public Administration Research Conference, covering topics such as "In Her Own Words - The Impact of Poverty on Health Care Access and Outcomes" (2021) and "Evidence-Based Policymaking - Using Big Data to Evaluate Public Sector Innovation and Improve Organizational Performance" (2019). She also presented "Intimate Partner Violence Behind Closed Doors- The Connection Between Violence and Collective Efficacy" at the Florida Political Science Association in March 2017. |