Growing up in the halls of radio studios as the daughter of two on-air personalities, Raquel A. Regalado was exposed to a wide range of characters from a young age.

That upbringing, in addition to observing her father Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado’s approach to elected office, has led her down an ambitious path: practicing patent litigation with Feldman Gale, serving the public as District 6’s school board member – which encompasses South Miami, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Miami and East Kendall – not to mention motherhood, teaching and hosting radio and television shows.

“I was given the ability from a very young age to be exposed to so many amazing public servants,” Ms. Regalado said. “As a child, perspective is so important, and I was exposed to fantastic people who were doing fantastic things. For me [public office] was always attainable because I had met those people.”

Elected to the school board in August 2010, Ms. Regalado’s priorities inc"district 6" miami-dadelude lobbying Tallahassee and Washington for more infrastructure funding, minimizing disparity between schools and placing restrictions on virtual schooling.

“If we’re going to give academic autonomy, it should come with a certain amount of responsibility,” she said. “We can’t just say every child can take a class virtually, and they’re going to have the same outcome.”

Ms. Regalado discussed key education issues affecting Miami-Dade’s students, what she has learned from her father and how she finds balance with Miami Today staff writer Jacquelyn Weiner in her downtown Miami school board building office.