Foundation Announces 2021 Leadership Institute

Gulf Coast Community Foundation is excited to announce the selection of 28 participants from across the region for its virtual 2021 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. Through this annual initiative, the foundation provides intensive, high-quality leadership training designed to identify, develop, and connect a diverse and growing group of aspiring community leaders.

Class members will take part in six training sessions from May through June conducted by the acclaimed Leadership Development Institute of Eckerd College. Gulf Coast provides all training and resources at no cost to participants in exchange for their commitment to use their new skills to benefit the community.

The 28 participants selected for the 2021 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute are:

Erik J.  Arroyo, Attorney, Band, Gates & Dramis

Aly Busse, Associate Vice President for Education, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Cameron Deems, Director of Business Development, FYZICAL Venice

Aurilla (Dee Dee) Fusco, Principal Giving Officer, Jackson Laboratory 

Kendra Gemma, President, klg communications

Virginia Harshman, Manager, Marketing and Public Relations, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art

Sharron Howard, Social Justice Chairperson, Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota

Paula Ippolito, community leader and volunteer

Svetlana Ivashchenko, Executive Director, Children’s Guardian Fund

Carrie Kashawlic, Business Operations Director, Hershorin Schiff Community Day School

Christine Kasten, President and CEO, The Venice Symphony

Maneesha Lal, Associate Director of Faculty Development/Associate Director of Corporate and Private Foundation Relations, New College of Florida

Joshua Matlock, EVP/Chief Operating Officer, CareerSource Suncoast

Fran McPoland, Vice President, Paper Recycling Coalition; Associate, Colling Swift & Hynes

Patrick McQuillan, Director of Development, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation 

Ginger V. Miranda, Co-Founder and Community Engagement Director, North Port Forward

Regina Morris, Case Manager, Women’s Resource Center

Paul Murphy, Founder/Director, The Sarasota Vegan Society

Christine O’Brien, Executive Director, Venice Presbyterian Church

Derek Ober, Financial Advisor, Derek Ober – Northwestern Mutual

Richard Paolillo, Sales Manager, Landshore Enterprises

Jeannie Perales, Vice President for Museum Exhibits, Learning & Engagement, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Sandra M. Petway, community leader, retired from Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Laboratories

Ramon Quintero, Environmental Health Community Planner, Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County 

Kelley Severns, Executive Director, Venice Youth Boating Association

Cheryl Schum, General Manager, Boca Beacon

Heather Todd, Executive Director, Teen Court of Sarasota

Andrea Watson, Development Director, Manatee County Girls Club

This is the 13th year that Gulf Coast Community Foundation has offered the Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. The 2020 Leadership Institute was canceled due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. For this year’s class, the foundation invited applicants for last year’s planned program to roll their applications forward and be considered for a new virtual format.

In all, over 300 community members have completed the training provided through this leadership-development initiative. Many continue to work together on civic initiatives and community-improvement projects as well as participate in learning and reunion opportunities offered to Gulf Coast Leadership Institute alumni.