Alumni Spotlight: Michelle Gabertan Begley (’85)
Executive Director and Board Internal Auditor for Duval County Public Schools

Michelle Gabertan Begley attended Trinity from sixth grade and graduated valedictorian in 1985.  While she attended Trinity, Michelle participated in student government and various other clubs and activities.  During high school she knew college was waiting after graduation, but she really did not know what major to declare.  In her senior year at Trinity, she took Mrs. Whitehead’s bookkeeping class and this inspired her current career.

After graduating from Trinity, Michelle attended Jacksonville University on an academic scholarship as an accounting major.  Her college advisor cautioned her, since it was a difficult major and had little room for electives.  She took this as a challenge and desired to fulfill the requirements to sit for the Florida Certified Public Accountant test.  She finished the five-year program in four years and graduated in 1989 Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors in Science.  All of her hard work paid off when she passed all parts of the May 1990 CPA test on her first attempt.

A couple of months after graduation, Michelle met her husband, Chris, and they were married in 1990.  He has been in the field of education as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal for 29 years.  After teaching his first five years in Kentucky, he moved to Florida, fell in love with Michelle, and has been here ever since.  He has been the principal at Loretto Elementary for the past six years and will be the principal of Lake Shore Middle in the fall.  They have two boys – Andrew and Jmatt.  Andrew, 19, graduated from Providence School, where he played baseball and participated in various clubs.  He is attending Jacksonville University on an academic scholarship as a biochemistry major.  He intends to pursue graduate work in pharmacy school or research.  Jmatt, 14, attends Paxon School for Advanced Studies.  As a freshman, he was a member of the varsity golf team and received the Golden Eagle award for having the highest GPA in the freshman Advanced Placement program.  They currently live in the Hidden Hills area of Jacksonville and attend Southside Community Church. 

After graduation, Michelle joined the State Auditor General as a staff auditor.  She rose quickly through the ranks and was in charge of her first audit after only one year.  Throughout her 14-year career with the State, Michelle was in charge of various audits such as the school districts of Baker County, Duval County, Clay County, Nassau County, and St. Johns County, the University of North Florida, and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.  In this position, she traveled quite a bit but she knew that her boys needed more of her time.  Subsequently, God opened the door for her to work at Providence School where her boys attended and her husband was principal of the upper school.  Although she was only there as the school accountant for a short time, it was a time where she was able to be heavily involved with her family during the day.  Attending class parties, field trips and school activities were combined with her daily work.  She also worked as the accounting supervisor for the Nassau County Clerk of the Court prior to her current position.  Michelle currently serves as the Executive Director, Board Internal Auditor, for Duval County Public Schools and reports directly to the seven board members.  She has held this position since 2008 and performs various audits and reviews as directed by the Board.  She is also the secretary for the Florida Government Finance Officers Association - First Coast Chapter and served as the state representative for the national Government Finance Officers Association.

Michelle feels that her years at Trinity provided a strong, life-long Christian foundation.  She is very blessed to have maintained friendships over the past years.  Work and distance may keep them from daily contact, but this does not affect the closeness.  She is looking forward to the next alumni reunion!