I’m Sandy Parker, the founder of Sparker’s Soapbox. I believe that the more informed voters are, the better our government will be. That’s why I do what I do.

My interest in Florida government began after I moved to Naples from New Jersey in 2003. I wanted to understand who makes the decisions that affect our lives, how those decisions get made, and how voters can make informed choices when we elect them.

In 2010, after completing the Greater Naples Leadership program, serving in leadership roles with the League of Women Voters, and closely following state and local government, I started Sparker’s Soapbox to share what I was learning with others.

Today, through my weekly news digest, civic primers, presentations to community groups, and election research, I gather and share information people need to stay current on state and local government and make informed choices at election time. I do the legwork to help people find what matters and reach their own conclusions.

Before retiring, I had a career in accounting, corporate finance, treasury, and investor relations, working for Arthur Young & Company, JPMorgan, Armco Inc., American Home Products Corp., and Dun & Bradstreet, where I retired as Vice President of Treasury and Investor Relations. I earned my undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

My civic contributions have been recognized with the 2026 Collier County Bar Association Medal of Honor, the 2024 League of Women Voters of Collier County Outstanding Community Partner Award, and the 2022 Greater Naples Leadership Distinguished Leadership Award. What began as my own effort to become a better-informed voter has become work I truly care about: helping others become better-informed voters.