Dr. Whitco (nee Bruzzese) graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton, in Greater Binghamton, New York, with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. As an undergrad student, Dr. Whitco studied philosophy and European Union politics at Regent’s University, London, UK, where she served as a Parliamentary intern for former Mayor of London, Kenneth Livingstone, worked on Mr. Livingstone’s parliamentary re-election campaign, accompanied him in Parliament and in routine surgeries in Brent. Dr. Whitco also served as an undergraduate summer intern in the Supreme Court of New York, civil division, in Queens County, New York, for Justice Joan Marie Durante, where she researched and drafted opinions in tort law cases, including negligence and intentional torts.
During graduate studies at St. John’s University School of Law in Queens, New York, Dr. Whitco was Co-Editor for the New York State Real Property Journal, Vice President of Communications for America Bar Association student division, a member of Phi Delta Phi, continued to serve as a legal intern with Justice Joan Marie Durante, and also served as intern for the office of New York State Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer, litigation division, in downtown Manhattan, where she researched and drafted opinions on varied civil issues including Kosher food laws and ownership rights to the Statue of Liberty. Finally, she interned for United States Environmental Protection Agency, superfund division, in downtown Manhattan, where she researched and drafted opinions on toxic tort cases.
Dr. Whitco practiced tort, contract and commercial law in New York (Berns & Castro; Silverman, Perlstein & Acampora, LLP; Grossman & Associates, PLLC; Bruno, Gerbino & Soriano, LLP) before relocating to Florida where she practiced tort, contract, commercial and real property law (Katzman & Korr, LLP; Choice Legal Group, P.A.). Dr. Whitco also waived into the DC bar.
Graduating magna cum laude from Florida Atlantic University with a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, K-12 School Leaders, Dr. Whitco taught full-time including gifted Civics, AP, advanced, and regular American Government, AP, advanced and regular Economics, Comprehensive Law and International Law, English and Language Arts, and Reading during her graduate studies in education. Teaching in both traditional and charter school settings, Dr. Whitco completed her master's applied leadership and administrative internship onsite at the high school level and also supervised many extracurricular activities including Honor Society, Mock Trial, Future Lawyers of America, Student Government Association and more.
Dr. Whitco completed her graduate studies in education at Nova Southeastern University, graduating with honors with an Organizational Leadership concentration and focused her doctoral research on the School Superintendency. She developed the School Superintendency Longevity Survey© for school districts. The survey was developed to take aim at the problem of high turnover in the role of school superintendent, functional disruption, decreased morale, and impaired student achievement.
Dr. Whitco resides in Lake Worth, Florida, with her spouse and beloved dogs.