About Teri Sommerfeld

Terese “Teri” Sommerfeld is a civic-minded leader, healthcare executive, registered nurse and longtime advocate for responsible government, fiscal accountability and quality of life on Marco Island. With more than 40 years of leadership experience in complex institutional operations, multimillion-dollar budget oversight, regulatory compliance and strategic planning, Teri brings a disciplined, practical and thoughtful approach to public service.

Teri’s reason for running is simple: quality of life. She wants to help ensure Marco Island remains a wonderful place to live and visit, without unnecessary drama, conflict or chaos. She believes residents deserve a City Council focused on solving problems, protecting the island’s character and working together respectfully to get things done.

Her priorities begin with clean water, which she views as essential to Marco Island’s future, economy and way of life. She is also focused on sound infrastructure, responsible growth, transparent decision-making, careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars and common-sense solutions to the issues residents care about most.

Teri’s professional background makes her especially well suited for service on City Council. Throughout her career, she has made important decisions in highly regulated, high-pressure environments where accuracy, accountability and sound judgment matter. Her experience managing large budgets, reviewing complex data, leading teams and meeting strict compliance standards gives her the kind of practical, detail-oriented leadership city government needs.

Teri currently serves on the City of Marco Island Audit Advisory Committee, where she was appointed by City Council to help provide independent oversight of municipal financial records, annual budgets and internal controls. In that role, she reviews complex financial information, evaluates city spending and works to promote transparency, accountability and responsible use of resident tax dollars. Her service has included attention to infrastructure spending, beach parking initiatives, density issues and other matters that directly affect residents.

Before becoming deeply involved in Marco Island civic life, Teri built a distinguished career at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where she held senior leadership roles overseeing clinical, operational and financial performance for allied health services, stroke units and acute rehabilitation programs. She managed large-scale budgets, led compliance efforts involving rigorous national accreditation standards and helped guide evidence-based improvements in patient care and institutional operations.

That combination of executive leadership, financial oversight, regulatory knowledge and public service gives Teri a strong foundation for City Council. She knows how to work collaboratively, study complex issues, protect resources and keep the focus on outcomes that matter. Her background reflects the qualities residents should expect from a council member: preparation, integrity, transparency, fiscal discipline and a genuine commitment to the community.

In addition to her professional and civic work, Teri has supported causes close to her heart, including regular participation in American Heart Association walks and support for ALK Positive, an organization serving people affected by ALK-positive lung cancer. She has also supported people with developmental disabilities through work in Illinois and personal connections with families of children with developmental disabilities. Most recently, she served on a Marco Island Civic Association ad hoc committee that discussed ways to make Residents’ Beach more accessible for people with disabilities.

Teri has also remained actively engaged in local government by monitoring City Council agendas, speaking on public policy issues and advocating for decisions that reflect the needs and concerns of Marco Island residents.

Teri holds a Master of Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She maintains an active RN license in Florida and has held past certifications in rehabilitation nursing and holistic nursing. She retired as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is registered as a healthcare professional volunteer with the State Emergency Responder and Volunteers of Florida, known as SERVFL. SERVFL is Florida’s official system for registering and credentialing health care and other volunteers who may be called upon to assist during emergencies or disasters.

As a candidate for Marco Island City Council, Teri Sommerfeld is focused on preserving what residents love most about Marco Island while preparing responsibly for the future. Her approach is grounded in common sense, collaboration, transparency and fiscal responsibility. She wants to help move Marco Island beyond unnecessary conflict and toward a more constructive focus on clean water, quality of life and getting things fixed for the residents who call the island home.

Teri Sommerfeld: Caring for all who call Marco home

Teri has watched the island grapple with numerous challenges.

As Marco continues to grow and change, Teri believes city council must protect the island’s small-town charm while maintaining a wise balance between the needs of local businesses and the concerns of residents. With heavy development continuing north of Marco Island, she believes local leaders must look far into the future and plan carefully for the pressures that further growth will bring.

That means making sure Marco can better manage seasonal traffic, maintain safe and reliable infrastructure, protect access to enough fresh water for everyone and preserve the peaceful, livable character that residents and visitors value. Teri’s focus is on practical solutions, thoughtful planning and protecting Marco Island as a comfortable, welcoming and beautiful community for generations to come.

Why Teri is Stepping Up to Serve the Community

Marco Island residents deserve a city council that listens, respects, responds, and takes constructive action to solve the problems facing the community.

For years, the Marco Island City Council has been plagued by infighting and obstinancy. Teri believes that a healthy community is one where people work together to build a thriving local economy and safe, peaceful neighborhoods where residents both young and old feel at home.

Teri's guiding principle:
treat other people as you'd like to be treated.

People over politics

Teri believes people must always come before politics. The residents who call Marco Island home deserve a city government that listens, respects their concerns and works to bring the community together around a shared vision for the future.

To Teri, the role of City Hall is clear: keep citizens safe; protect a healthy environment and clean waterways for people, animals and marine life; care responsibly for the island’s infrastructure and natural resources; and use taxpayer dollars wisely. She believes Marco’s leaders should focus on service, not personal or political agendas.

As a candidate for city council, Teri wants to help build a better Marco by encouraging cooperation, kindness and common-sense problem-solving. She believes the way leaders treat one another helps shape the tone of the entire community, and she hopes to bring a thoughtful, respectful and steady voice to City Council.

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