Our community is built on history, connection, and the shared stories of people who have called New Smyrna Beach home. My story is one of those, and it begins many years ago. 

 

I moved to New Smyrna Beach with my mom, dad, and brother in 1966. I attended Coronado Elementary and Chisolm 7th Grade Center, became a Stingray at New Smyrna Junior High, and proudly graduated as a Cuda from New Smyrna Beach High School in the Class of 1978. I was always involved in school activities, and my family stayed active in the community. As a teenager, I worked weekends and summers as a Radio Dispatcher in the Flagler Avenue Lifeguard tower, learning firsthand the value of hard work in my hometown. 

 

New Smyrna Beach is my hometown in every sense of the word. It shaped my values, grounded me, and remains closest to my heart. 

 

While attending Daytona State College, then known as Daytona Beach Community College, I began working as a bookkeeper in an accounting firm in New Smyrna, where I discovered my talent for accounting. I later transferred and continued working my way through college, earning a degree in Accounting from the University of Central Florida. I became a Certified Public Accountant and built a career in government auditing, corporate finance, and executive leadership. Those years taught me accountability, transparency, and the responsibility leaders carry when they are entrusted to do the right thing and protect what matters most. 

 

Life and opportunity eventually took me away for a while. I launched my career and followed my family across Georgia, Tennessee, California, Texas, and North Carolina. Each place taught me something, broadened my perspective, and deepened my appreciation for community. But none of them ever felt like home the way New Smyrna Beach does. Wherever life carried us, New Smyrna Beach remained the steady point of return, the place that defined “home.” My children came to know it the same way, not simply as a hometown, but as the place that anchored their lives with continuity, memories, and meaning at my parents', their Grammy and Gramp’s house. 

 

After nearly 30 years in corporate America, I was drawn back home in 2013 to reconnect with my roots, pursue meaningful work, and be part of the community I love. I returned to the house I grew up in, bought a small business, and poured my heart into making it a welcoming part of daily life here, one that gives back and stands with neighbors in both celebration and hardship. When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and then Hurricane Ian struck in 2022, those hardships became personal. My business was forced to close during both events, first during a pandemic that shuttered countless businesses, and then again to renovate after severe flooding. Like so many others, I felt the frustration, uncertainty, and financial strain that comes with it. I know the dread of seeing rain in the forecast, not knowing how high the water will rise. I know what it takes for a community to keep getting back up because I have lived it alongside my neighbors, and I am dedicated to applying that perspective and commitment as I work to serve the people of New Smyrna Beach.

 

As a mother of three, I’ve worn many hats, including cookie mom, PTSA mom, booster mom, dance mom, cheer mom, and soccer mom, and I’ve always known that giving time, talent, and treasure is at the heart of community, wherever I was. Being a mom is not without its challenges, but what I will always carry with me is being someone they can look up to, setting an example and being their biggest fan. We are our children's first leaders and I believe true leadership begins with listening, understanding, and lifting others up.

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I am honored to be actively involved in organizations that strengthen our community and give back to the town that has given me so much. I currently serve as Immediate Past Chair of the AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach Foundation and on the hospital’s Board and Finance Committee. I also serve as Interim Chair of the Marine Discovery Center, with plans to assume the full Chair role in March, and I remain an engaged member of the New Smyrna Beach Chamber of Commerce. These organizations reflect my passion for areas of our community that matter deeply to me: exemplary healthcare that allows residents to be treated close to home, environmental protection through education, exploration, and preservation, and a strong commitment to local businesses. I support many local nonprofits because I believe giving back, whether through leadership, sponsorship, donation, or simply showing up, is part of being a responsible member of this community. 

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I am committed to preserving New Smyrna Beach’s small-town character, protecting its natural beauty, and ensuring the city remains safe and welcoming for all families, recognizing that growth must be thoughtful, slowly balanced with fairness, transparent, and respect for the city’s unique spirit. 

 

I believe every voice deserves to be heard and every neighbor has a role in shaping our future. With imagination, compassion, and a deep commitment to preservation, I am dedicated to protecting the best of who we are while helping build a future worthy of the generations who will call New Smyrna Beach home. 

 

New Smyrna Beach is more than where I live. It’s part of who I am. I’m committed to protecting what makes it special while working thoughtfully toward an even stronger future for all who love this place as much as I do. I would be honored to earn your trust, your vote and partnership in shaping the the next chapter of New Smyrna Beach’s future together.

— Cindi Amaral Flanagan