Nicole Morst and Jennifer Levi. {courtesy}
By Ilene Lieberman
Years before either Nicole Morst or Jennifer Levi ever considered running for office, they met the way many Coral Springs moms do: trying to solve a problem affecting their children and their community.
Now, Morst, the newly elected Broward County School Board Member for District 4, is endorsing Levi for Coral Springs City Commission, Seat 4, in the November 3 election.
Their story began during a school boundary process that could have reassigned hundreds of Coral Springs students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to Coral Glades High School.
Levi was sitting at a Broward County School Board meeting, listening to the discussion, when School Board Member Dr. Allen Zeman spoke about making Coral Glades a “school of excellence” for students who might be reassigned there.
Levi decided she wanted to help make sure those words were followed by action.
She called Coral Glades High School and essentially asked one question: What do you need?
The answer led her to Nicole Morst, then president of the Coral Glades PTO.
The two moms joined forces, brought together other concerned Coral Springs parents, and began advocating for the students and families who would be affected.
“We didn’t meet through politics. We met because there was a problem affecting Coral Springs kids, and neither one of us was willing to just sit back and hope someone else would fix it,” Levi said. “Nicole and I are both moms who get involved, ask questions, organize people and don’t take ‘no’ as the end of the conversation.”
That experience was just one of many that ultimately pushed both women toward public service.
For years, Morst advocated for students, teachers and families through the PTO and throughout the community before deciding to seek a seat on the Broward County School Board.
Levi’s path followed a similar trajectory at the city level.
Long before becoming a candidate, Levi advocated on issues ranging from neighborhood preservation and protecting the character of Coral Springs to stronger inclusion and accessibility for people with disabilities and the educational needs of Coral Springs families.
For both women, repeatedly fighting issues after they arose eventually led to the same realization: they wanted to be at the table when the decisions were being made.
“We spent years advocating reactively — showing up when something was already happening and fighting to make our voices heard,” Levi said. “At some point, you realize that if you really want to create change, you need people at the table who understand what families are experiencing before those decisions are made. Nicole decided that meant running for School Board. For me, it meant running for City Commission.”
Morst was recently elected to represent District 4 on the Broward County School Board. Now, she is backing the fellow mom and community advocate she first worked alongside years ago.
“Jennifer and I met as moms advocating for our kids and our community, not as politicians,” Morst said. “I have seen firsthand that when Jennifer believes something matters to Coral Springs families, she shows up, does the work and keeps pushing. That is exactly the kind of person I want representing Coral Springs on the City Commission, and I am proud to endorse her for Seat 4.”
Levi said Morst’s endorsement is particularly meaningful because of the history they share.
“This one is personal for me,” Levi said. “Nicole and I didn’t start out wanting titles. We started out wanting results. We were two moms trying to make things better for our kids and our community. Years later, the mission hasn’t changed. We just realized we could make an even bigger difference with a seat at the table.”
Levi is running for Coral Springs City Commission, Seat 4, in the November 3, 2026 election. Her campaign is centered on public safety, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and preserving the quality of life that makes Coral Springs a place families want to call home.
Ilene Lieberman is a retired attorney and valedictorian of her Nova Law School class. She served as a Lauderhill commissioner from 1984 to 1988, Lauderhill’s strong mayor from 1988 to 1996, and a Broward County commissioner from 1996 to 2012, including terms as commission chair and county mayor. She also became the first female strong mayor in Broward County and the only person in Florida to serve as president of both the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties.
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