Meet Kristina
Meet Kristina
A Life Devoted to Serving Faith, Family, County
Kristina Sargent is a trial attorney, Army veteran, former prosecutor, and community advocate who launched her campaign for Sarasota County Commission on October 1, 2025 because she believes local government should be transparent, accountable, and focused on the people it serves.
Originally from Maryland, Kristina's childhood was anything but ordinary. She is the eldest of 7 siblings, and she lived overseas in England for much of her youth before later moving to Puerto Rico. Those experiences exposed her to different cultures, communities, and perspectives, while teaching her the value of service, hard work, and resilience.
She is very close to her family and attends a family reunion every two years in Concord, South Carolina, where her family owns land that was inherited after the abolition of slavery.
Kristina graduated from the Baltimore public school system, and by the time she earned her high school diploma, she was already a parent. Working two jobs and putting herself through college, while barely making ends meet, Kristina decided she could fight for her family and country at the same time.
At the age of 21, Kristina joined the United States Army and served for over 15 years in both active-duty and reserve capacities. During her military career, she managed complex logistics operations, oversaw millions of dollars in equipment, supported hundreds of soldiers, and deployed in support of operations in the Middle East. Her military service instilled leadership, discipline, and problem-solving skills that continue to guide her today.
After losing several of her fellow soldiers to suicide, Kristina decided that caring for wounded warriors would be her life mission. She advocates suicide awareness and has helped dozens, and continues to help veterans get VA benefits.
Kristina earned her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law, a master's degree in ethics from the University of Baltimore, and a bachelor's degree in political science and Arabic from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Kristina began her legal career as a prosecutor, first in Baltimore City and later in the Sarasota-Bradenton area, where she handled serious criminal cases and fought on behalf of victims and public safety. She later transitioned into civil litigation, becoming a trial attorney representing businesses, property owners, and individuals in complex cases involving wrongful death, negligence, premises liability, and catastrophic injuries.
Today, Kristina is a founding partner of Harris, Schlossberg & Sargent, PLLC, a Florida-based law firm serving clients throughout the state. Throughout her legal career, she has built a reputation for preparation, integrity, and standing up for what she believes is right.
Kristina's commitment to public service extends beyond the courtroom. Through thousands of conversations with Sarasota County residents, she has heard the same concerns repeatedly: traffic congestion, aging infrastructure, flooding, responsible growth, rising costs, and a desire for greater transparency from local government.
Kristina believes Sarasota County can preserve the qualities that make it special while planning responsibly for the future. She supports improving infrastructure before approving major growth, protecting taxpayers through responsible budgeting, increasing government transparency, and ensuring that decisions are made in the public's interest, not behind closed doors.
Most importantly, Kristina believes elected officials should be accessible, accountable, and willing to listen.
As a veteran, attorney, and lifelong public servant, she is running for Sarasota County Commission to bring principled leadership, practical experience, and a strong independent voice to county government — because Sarasota's future deserves leadership that puts residents first.