A political committee operated by Broward School Board Member Allen Zeman received large contributions from persons associated with vendors seeking contracts with the Broward School District, State records show. Zeman is the chairperson of the “Keep Students First Florida” political committee based in Tallahassee. State campaign records show Zeman’s political committee received two contributions from individuals associated with a Tampa area healthcare company and a contribution from an individual employed by a California tech company. All three contributions were made while the Broward School Board decided whether to award contracts to the companies.
On May 13, 2025, the Broward School Board discussed awarding a $131,500 contract to Invo Healthcare to provide mental health services. During the discussion, Allen Zeman said “six months ago, [he] asked experts to discuss strategy” regarding mental health services. The School Board voted to approve the contract.
Two weeks later, Zeman’s Keep Students First Florida political committee received a $5000 contribution from Emily Farag at 4200 W. Cypress Street Suite 550 in Tampa. This is the exact same address as Invo Healthcare.
In fact, Emily Farag notarized the paperwork for the agreement between Invo Healthcare and the School District of Broward County. Farag stated she personally knew the Invo Healthcare executive who signed the agreement.
On June 27, 2025, Alex Kazelidis of 4200 W. Cypress Street Suite 550 gave $10,000 contribution to Keep Students First Florida. Less than one month later, the Broward School Board added Invo Healthcare to its $23.5 million dollar budget for physical and occupational therapy services.
On July 1, 2025 Anna Park of San Francisco, CA made a $2,000 contribution to Allen Zeman’s Keep Students First Florida committee. State records list Park’s address as 26 O’Farrell Street Floor 7 in San Francisco.
Park is a project manager for Prisms of Reality, a virtual reality company located on the 7th floor of 26 O’Farrell Street in San Francisco.
Three weeks later, Prisms of Reality sought a one-year, $864,860 contract to provide the Broward fifth graders with “immersive virtual reality.”
During the July 29, 2025 Zeman championed the deal with Prisms. Zeman said the deal, that would balloon to nearly $4 million dollars, was a “great business decision.”
Zeman said he was willing to “gamble” with capital dollars.
HISTORY OF PAC MONEY
While running for office in 2022, REDBROWARD exposed Allen Zeman’s first foray into the world of political committees.
On April 5, 2022, Allen Zeman announced his candidacy for the At-large District 8 Broward School Board seat. His official campaign paperwork listed his Fort Lauderdale home as his campaign address. Yolanda Brown of Brown Financial Consultants was designated as Zeman’s campaign treasurer.
According to State elections records, Yolanda Brown created the “Keep Students First” political committee on May 27, 2022. Brown was the chairperson and treasurer of Keep Students First. The address for the committee was the same Fort Lauderdale address as Yolanda Brown’s Fort Lauderdale financial business.
Allen Zeman is the CEO and founder of The Center For Human Capital Innovation. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the company performs contact work for numerous Federal government agencies.
On May 31, 2022, the Center For Human Capital Innovation gave $35,000 to the four day old Keep Students First political committee.
In June 2022, Keep Students First paid $7,500 to Renaissance Campaign Strategies of Tampa. This company part of Mercury Public Affairs. Zeman is reportedly used Ashley Walker as his campaign manager. Walker is a partner at Mercury.
REDBROWARD asked Allen Zeman about Keep Students First.
When reached by telephone, Zeman stated he needed to discuss things with someone before he could answer. He asked if we could email the questions. We emailed him eleven questions.
Zeman provided a brief statement:
I am aware of Keep Students First. It was formed to elect a Broward County school board that is fully focused on students, which is needed now more than ever. And I have supported their efforts in accordance with Florida elections law.
Keep Students First disbanded in May 2023. Five months later, Zeman became the chairman of Keep Students First Florida.
KEEPING WHO FIRST?
In June 2024, REDBROWARD exposed contributions from Broward School District contractors to Zeman’s political committee. On November 1, 2023, The Corradino Group made a $10,000 contribution to the one-month-old Keep Students First Florida political committee.
REDBROWARD revealed a company owned by Allen Zeman’s brother landed a contract with Broward County Schools. According to social media posts, the same company works with The Corradino Group. The posts were made on the LinkedIn website.
According to State corporate records, Derek Zeman formed the Zeman Consulting Group, a civil engineering firm, in February 2021. His brother, Allen Zeman was elected to the Broward County School Board in 2022.
In a three month old post, Zeman Consulting Group announced it had been chosen to receive a “continuous services contract” from Broward Schools. Under this type of contract, the District can call upon Zeman Consulting Group to perform services without the need to ask for bids from other companies.
The post said:
“Contract Win! Zeman Consulting Group is excited to have been selected for a continuing services contract with the School Board of Broward County providing land surveying and utility locating services. This is an important win for us as we look forward to supporting projects that positively impact the communities where we live, work, and play.”
In a post from 2023, Zeman Consulting Group announced it was “proud to be teamed with The Corradino Group” on a Florida Department of Transportation project.
In January 2024, Allen Zeman recused himself from a School Board agenda item involving Zeman Consulting Group. Zeman said his recusal stemmed from an effort to avoid a “perception of conflict.” This item did not involve a “continuous services contract.”
On May 24, 2024, The Corradino Group made a another contribution to the Keep Students First Florida political committee. This time, Corradino Group gave $5,000 to Zeman’s PAC.
How do vendors and contractors seeking business with the School District of Broward County find out about this obscure political committee?
What motivates these vendors and contractors to give thousands of dollars to this obscure political committee?
The District website shows no contact reported between these companies or their representatives and school board members. Is someone else communicating on their behalf? Shouldn’t this communication be documented?
Allen Zeman did not respond to our request for comment on this story.
To quote Allen Zeman, “Broward’s students deserve better.”
