Mary Benedict

Mary Benedict moved to Gainesville in 2006 with her husband, George Sarosi, and raised two children. Though trained as a cancer biologist, she shifted her focus to community advocacy, especially for children and families in Alachua County.

Mary has served on PTA boards for over 20 years, including as President of Chiles Elementary PTA, Eastside High PTSA, and currently, the Alachua County Council of PTAs (ACCPTA). At Chiles, she launched a backpack food program that helped form the Food4Kids Backpack Program of North Florida, which now feeds over 1,000 students in 30 schools annually.

As the parent of an autistic son, Mary is a dedicated advocate for students with disabilities, organizing ACCPTA workshops and the annual Disability Resource Expo. She is also a Florida PTA Board member, serves on the Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Board of Associates, mentors a student through Take Stock in Children, and is a former Treasurer of the UF Medical Guild.