A former employee has taken legal action against a prominent educational institution, alleging discriminatory practices that led to her wrongful termination. Deborah Lanford filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, on October 16, 2024, accusing Florida Atlantic University (FAU) of age and race discrimination. The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $50,001 and claims violations under the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.
Lanford, who held the position of Senior Associate Director at FAU's Small Business Development Center (SBDC), alleges that her termination was motivated by her age and race. She claims that after raising concerns about policy violations and mismanagement within the SBDC, she faced retaliatory actions from Dr. Sandra D. Marin, FAU’s Regional Director of the SBDC. According to Lanford, Dr. Marin threatened her job security if she did not comply with certain "innovative" practices that allegedly conflicted with established policies.
The complaint details several instances where Lanford reported perceived ethical breaches to higher authorities within FAU. For example, she objected to a $20,000 payment authorized by Dr. Marin for webinars hosted on the SBDC platform without proper branding or adherence to guidelines set by funding bodies like the U.S. Small Business Administration. Despite these reports, Lanford claims her concerns were dismissed or ignored.
Lanford further asserts that her termination on July 11, 2023, was unjustified and retaliatory in nature. She notes that following her dismissal, she was replaced by a significantly younger individual who is Latin American/Hispanic—a move she believes underscores racial bias within FAU's hiring practices. Additionally, Lanford argues that no other Caucasian employees have been hired since her departure.
In pursuit of justice, Lanford seeks back pay and compensatory damages for lost income and benefits due to what she describes as unlawful discriminatory conduct by FAU. Her legal team is also requesting reinstatement or front pay if reinstatement is not feasible, along with attorneys' fees and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Lanford are attorneys Gina Marie Cadogan and Laurie M. Weinstein from Cadogan Law based in Plantation, Florida. The case has been assigned Case Number 502024CA009917XXXAMB Div: AN in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.