Carissa Bergosh was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida.  The first person in her family to attend college, Carissa earned an academic scholarship in 1986 to Pensacola Junior College earning an Associate of Arts degree and ultimately earning her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Elementary Education, Cum Laude, in 1989 from The University of West Florida.  Carissa began her life long career in education by teaching in the inner city schools of Memphis, Tennessee.  After one-year of teaching, Carissa was selected to enter graduate school and earned her Master's Degree in Guidance Counseling and Personnel Services in 1991 from The University of Memphis.   

 

From 1990 until 1996, Carissa continued her career in education by teaching in the Schools of Memphis, Tennessee; Manassas, Virginia and the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) (Okinawa, Japan) as both a classroom teacher and as a Guidance Counselor.  In 1996, Carissa continued her career as a teacher/Guidance Counselor with the Escambia County School District working at Bratt Elementary School, Bellview Elementary School and Blue Angels Elementary Schools.   

 

In January of 2003, then Governor of Florida Jeb Bush appointed Carissa to serve on the Escambia County School Board, a Florida Constitutional political position for one-year, due to a vacancy in the position.   

 

After her tenure as a member of the Escambia County School Board, Carissa continued to teach and volunteer in the School district.  In 2009, Carissa was selected to be the first School Liaison Officer to the local education agencies in northwest Florida for Naval Air Station Pensacola. 

 

She was elected to the Escambia County School Board in November, 2024. She is looking forward to continuing to help all ECPS children and families navigate the rules and regulations of the local school system.