Dr. Rachel Abnar Shelley

Dr. Rachel Shelley is the daughter of the late Bettye Spencer and Johnny “Buddy” Abnar. She is the wife of Carlton Shelley and the mother of CJ and Kayla Shelley. She is a loving wife, committed mother and dedicated educator. 



Dr. Shelley was educated in the Sarasota School System. She attended Emma E. Booker & Philippi Shores Elementary Schools and Sarasota Junior High School before graduating from Riverview High School. After graduating from Riverview High School, she attended Bethune Cookman University.


Dr. Shelley graduated with a Bachelors of Arts Degree from BCU, a Masters of Education from Bowling Green State University, and an Educational Specialist and Doctorate from Argosy University.

Dr. Shelley started with Sarasota County School System as a P.E. Aide in 1989 and worked her way through the system. She taught at the elementary and middle school levels and fell in love with "The Booker Schools." She spent the majority of her teacher career at Emma E. Booker Elementary and Booker Middle Schools. She has been a 1st Grade, Reading, and Math Teacher. At the administrative level she was a Team Leader, Department Chair, Behavior Specialist, Assistant Principal and Principal.

Currently, Dr. Shelley is the principal of Booker High School.  She is a hands-on personable principal who leads with her heart and is passionate about education and ensuring all students are being prepared to become productive members of society. 

Throughout her career, she has received many awards and accolades. Most recently she was recognized as the State of Florida 2017 Principal of The Year.  Furthermore, Dr. Shelley had been chosen as the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.’s 2013 Woman of The Year and as the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.’s 2016 Citizen of The Year and selected as Twelve People to Watch in 2012 by Sarasota Herald Tribune. Her most memorable award occurred in December of 2011, and the students at Booker High School honored her with a “Top 10 Great Things That Make Dr. Shelley Great Video.”


Dr. Shelley is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church and a member of God’s Army. Her favorite verse is found in Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Emily Schoenbaum

A native of Charleston, West Virginia, Emily Schoenbaum was a snowbird from age 9 until her graduation from Riverview in 1984. While at Riverview, Emily fostered and honed her leadership abilities, joining TRI-HI-Y, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society and was both the President and Vice-President of the Student Council. During her tenure as President, the council aided the Grey Panthers and beautified the school’s campus.

Ms Schoenbaum has been a proponent of equality and justice and to that end fought for separation of church and state. As a result of her work, she was asked to be an honorary member of the Sarasota County School Board where she served for a year.

After completing a B.A. in Women’s Studies and Sociology from Newcomb College of Tulane University, she moved to Washington DC where she worked for Greenpeace. While there, she not only raised money for the organization but also developed an environmental curriculum that was distributed to local elementary schools. Emily then went on to complete a Master’s in Elementary Education as well as pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Policy. Ms Schoenbaum taught for a number of years as both an environmental educator at the Audubon’s Drumlin Farm in Massachusetts and as a third grade teacher in Boston and Washington DC.

After her teaching career, she enjoyed managing a real estate company where she oversaw short-term rentals in her Washington DC building. As a property manager, she learned trades such as plumbing and rough carpentry and even welding.

Through her donor-advised fund in New Orleans, Emily supports organizations that impact youth with ecology based programs such as community gardens at public schools, the nature-based group, Teaching Responsible Earth Education and Grow Dat Youth Farm which teaches children not only how to farm but also how to cook nutritionally, market produce and learn to work as a team. Nearly all children who participate in these programs see marked increases in their grades and many see positive behavioral changes.

Ms Schoenbaum also supports many Jewish organizations that not only support the Jewish community but also support the community at large with literacy programs, job retraining, housing and health issues. Emily has traveled extensively largely as humanitarian endeavor. She most enjoyed her time volunteering in the small village of Tanzania where she immersed herself in the local culture and customs while aiding the locals rebuild their school and build a clean water supply.

Today, Emily spends her time managing her family’s business in West Virginia, her rental property in New Orleans, and serving on a number of boards including her family’s foundation. She lives with her two cats, Mila and Iko who enjoy watching the parades and jazz funerals that regularly roll by her house.