Officers

Kristine Switt moved to Levy County with her husband, Joe, in 1989, from New Jersey where she worked for several years at Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Research Laboratories in Rahway doing basic biochemistry research.

Kristine earned a M.S. in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida while working as the Plant Manager at a local Dunnellon manufacturing plant. She retired from that facility in 2018 after nearly 25 years, having achieved the position of Chief Operating Officer. In her position as C.O.O., her leadership emphasized a balance between profitability, the environment, and the health and safety of the workforce while complying with all regulations. She fought for employee benefits like higher-than-average local wages, paid sick leave, vacation, and holidays, and offered health insurance knowing that these benefits create a healthier, happier, more productive workforce.

Since retiring, Kristine became active in the various activities of the Levy County Democratic Party. She served as Secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee from 2020 to 2022, became President of the Democratic Women’s Club of Levy in 2021, and Chair of the Levy County Democratic Executive Committee in December of 2022.

In her new role as Chair, she hopes to expand the outreach to county Democrats and the party’s role in addressing the everyday concerns of all Levy residents while contributing to their achievements.

Vacant

Mignon Adamavage Craig was born in Pennsylvania, moved to Florida at age 11 and to Levy County in 1980.  She has five children, five grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and two great-great granddaughters.

Mignon is a senior bookkeeper and a real estate broker. She is a charter member of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of the Williston Library and the Williston Garden Club. She is President of Williston Chapter #912 AARP and has been a Tax Aide volunteer since 2007.

Mignon has been actively involved in politics since 1976 and a member and treasurer of the Levy County DEC since 2019. She has also been a poll watcher during several recent elections.

Larry Arbeiter and his wife Karen had been living in Illinois and then New York for many years, and in 2015 they bought a winter home near Chiefland, a few hours north of where Karen grew up in DeSoto County. They lived full-time in Florida during much of the pandemic.

After the 2016 elections, they became concerned that foreign and domestic enemies of democracy were collaborating to damage America’s political institutions.

In 2020, Larry became politically active for the first time, feeling an obligation to stand against the fear, bigotry, and disinformation being used to justify regressive tax, voting, and environmental laws, and to undermine the authority of science, the press, and the judicial and legislative branches of government.

After volunteering over the summer with many enthusiastic Levy County Democrats, he was proud to be asked to serve as state committeeman for the group.

In that role he joined in candidate training and advocacy, canvassing and voter registration and campaigning. He has been a member of the Chiefland task force and recently has been supporting the efforts of historian Dr. Marvin Dunn, who has been working to promote Florida’s Black History in the face of state government efforts to suppress it. For 2023-24 he will serve as DEC Secretary.

Larry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics & Astronomy from the University of Wisconsin and worked as a science writer and later Director of Communications at the University of Chicago, and then as Associate Vice President of Communications at the University of Rochester in New York. In retirement, he is interested in helping to restore our true democratic and community values, and to pursue his hobbies of astronomy, music, and woodworking.

Vacant

Joe Switt came to Levy County in 1989 where he and his spouse purchased an 80-acre farm to raise cattle and horses.

Joe earned a B.S. in Animal Science from Michigan State University in 1969 after being released from active duty as a sergeant in the Marines. During his military career he was stationed at Marine Barracks, Washington D.C., as part of the Ceremonial Presidential Guard and security detachment of Camp David.

After his college, he spent several years in real estate development, management, and brokerage for large corporations and in private practice. For 15 years he was employed by the city of Ocala as its real estate officer and he was responsible for all real estate acquisitions, disposal, and eminent domain procedures.  This gives him a unique knowledge of local government operations.  After retiring from the city in 2008 he pursued his second passion as a licensed auctioneer.

In 2015 he was asked to return to the city of Ocala on a part-time basis to work with the city manager and growth management director on many diverse projects, including affordable housing, economic development, and downtown redevelopment.