Karen Castor Dentel fires 8 staff members after Glen Gilzean scandal

Karen Castor Dentel (Gabrielle Russon)

Since taking office from the embattled Glen Gilzean, new Orange County Elections Supervisor Karen Castor Dentel has fired eight employees, and another employee resigned.

The Supervisor of Elections Office paid out $63,077 in severance to seven of the terminated employees.

Out of the nine departing employees, all but one had been hired by Gilzean at various times last year in the 53-person office. Several were Gilzean’s top brass, according to personnel records released to Florida Politics in a public records request.

One employee was hired to be a “comptroller” for the office on the day Gilzean sued Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond in the final weeks of Gilzean’s term. 

Castor Dentel declined to comment on the firings.

Gilzean, who had been appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March 2024 to a partial term, made headlines for clashing with Orange County officials over his spending.

Gilzean gave about $5 million to Valencia College and other community groups and was accused of running his office bank account in the red after Orange County government cut him off from his regular budget payments at the end of his term. Gilzean argued the backlash over his spending was politically motivated.

Christopher Heath, an investigative journalist at WFTV 9 who went on to be Gilzean’s chief election administrator, was among those losing their jobs. Heath had been a staunch public defender of Gilzean and was paid $180,140 a year.

The other employees terminated were:

— Willis Perry, chief administrative officer, paid $180,139.

— Ebony Cobb, deputy chief-general counsel, paid $175,015. Cobb resigned after learning of her pending termination. 

— Javier Gonzalez, comptroller, paid $175,000.

— Byron Green, deputy chief-elections, paid $175,002.

— Jodie Bell, associate director of community outreach, paid $95,180.

— Rosa Centeno, senior human resources and procurement specialist, paid $93,600.

— Sharon Brandt, community outreach specialist, paid $71,999.

Meanwhile, Adeja Green, the elections coordinator for contracts and canvassing who was paid $74,880, resigned.

Florida Politics attempted to reach the former employees for comment but either did not get responses back or could not reach them.

Castor Dentel held a press conference on her first day of office last month and was asked if she planned to make staff changes. She told journalists at the time she hadn’t made any decisions yet and was still learning about the office.

Gilzean’s controversy began when Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he found out Gilzean gave $2.1 million to Valencia College for student scholarships.

Gilzean argued he had the power as an independent constitutional officer to make decisions on how to spend his Office’s budget. He said his initiatives were innovative ways to boost voter engagement and tackle other community issues. 

The fight between Gilzean, a Republican, and Orange County officials in one of the bluest counties in the state escalated to the county refusing to give Gilzean his regularly scheduled budget payment. Gilzean sued, although the lawsuit ran out of time before his term ended.

At one point, Gilzean’s staff members were caught in limbo when Gilzean said he didn’t have enough money to pay their salaries.

The Orange County government eventually covered the personnel costs in December and paid the money directly to a payroll company, keeping it out of Gilzean’s hands.