New St. Pete City Council, District 8 Candidate

St. Petersburg, Florida – March 9, 2021 – Dane Kuplicki, OD, has applied to be on the November ballot to represent St. Petersburg’s District 8 on the City Council. District 8 is home to a diverse and active community that borders 38th Avenue North, Tyrone Boulevard, and I-275.

A long-time resident of St. Petersburg, he sees the next ten years as crucial for the city. “I believe that the Council will face tough decisions in the coming years,” said Kuplicki, an Optometrist at VIP Eye Care, St. Petersburg. “There are some big issues on the table, like affordable housing, racial and gender equity, coastal resilience, transportation, and the redevelopment of Tropicana Field.”

Kuplicki is the son of two Pinellas County public school teachers. He graduated from Seminole High School and went to the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus, to earn his Bachelor’s in finance and pre-optometry.

“After college, I joined Moore Resources, a locally owned independent insurance agency,” said Kuplicki. “I really enjoyed working with individual homeowners, and small businesses here in the community. I learned a lot about what makes St. Pete so special and how we need to preserve all of the things that make it unique.”

Current Council Member Amy Foster is term-limited, leaving the seat open for new leadership. Only one other candidate has entered the race at this time.

Kuplicki will be collecting signatures in the coming weeks to complete his application. “We need to do more as a city to serve our residents,” he said. “I believe this leads to strengthening our neighborhoods and making our community thrive.”

About Dane Kuplicki, OD

Dane Kuplicki, OD, is 34 years old and works as an associate doctor at VIP Eye Care & Optical Boutique in St. Petersburg, a locally owned private practice. He was born and raised in Seminole, Florida, where he graduated from Seminole High School. He then went on to the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus, and earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and pre-optometry. He earned his doctorate in optometry from Indiana University’s School of Optometry. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, Florida Optometric Association, and the Pinellas County Optometric Association.  Kuplicki has been involved as a St. Pete Young Professionals volunteer, and vision volunteer with the Tampa Bay Buccaneer’s vision bus.  He has also spent time as a volunteer clinician with the Moran Eye Center’s Global Outreach Division, participating in outreach work with the Navajo Nation.  Kuplicki lives in the North Kenwood neighborhood with his partner, Nina, a local real estate agent.