A leader with a true servant’s heart, Patty Sheehan has dedicated her life to public service. She is commissioner for the city of Orlando’s District 4.
In 2000, Sheehan became the first openly gay elected official in central Florida. During her political career, she’s been an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community. She also champions pedestrian safety, safe neighborhoods, historic preservation and a thriving downtown.
This article concludes a series on the three recipients of the 2018 American Association of Community Colleges Alumni Awards, which will be presented May 1 at the AACC Annual Convention in Dallas.
In addition, Sheehan is the founder and chairperson for Wheels for Kids, a nonprofit that has provided more than 1,000 bicycles to kids in Orlando’s Reeves Terrace public housing.
She works hard to serve others, but hard work is nothing new to Sheehan. Like many community college students, she worked full-time while attending Seminole State College of Florida.
Sheehan graduated from the college in 1986 and continued her education at the University of Central Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art. A proponent of the arts and culture in Orlando, her own paintings are on display in local businesses.
Sheehan has been recognized for her public service many times, but she became nationally known after the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016. She was a first responder during that tragedy, and became a spokesperson and leader who grieved with survivors and consoled the victims’ families.
For her contributions to the community, Sheehan last year received Seminole State’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
“When I attended Seminole State College, I was a waitress making below minimum wage,” Sheehan said. “Now I serve on the Orlando City Council. With education, you can go far.”
