Welcoming New Board Leadership & Members

The Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) elected Anand Pallegar as Chair and Rose-Anne Frano as Vice Chair for a one-year term as officers beginning July 1, 2025. The Board also welcomed three new Board members, Deb Kabinoff, Elizabeth Moore, and Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth, for a three-year term. The Board and Leadership Team celebrated outgoing Board Chair Dave Sessions for his two-year term, which was marked by transformative initiatives like Rapid Response for disaster relief and meaningful cross-foundation collaborations that helped to realize the Sarasota Housing Action Report.  

Anand Pallegar has served on the Gulf Coast Board for nearly a decade, consistently championing thoughtful, bold ideas. During his time, Gulf Coast has provided $605 million in philanthropic impact to the region. As the immediate past Chair of the Community Leadership Committee, Pallegar ensured that Gulf Coast’s impact was not only bold and proactive but also met the community’s greatest opportunities. Pallegar is the Founder and CEO of DreamLarge, a change-making organization that engages in innovative projects and partnerships to advance the well-being of our community. His portfolio of successful businesses also includes Sarasota Magazine and ATLARGE, a local marketing and branding firm. “I am excited to welcome Anand Pallegar as Chair of our Board of Directors,” said Phillip Lanham, president | CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “Anand brings a visionary mindset, deep community roots, and a strong commitment to innovation. His thought-partnership will help guide our mission and deepen our impact across the region as we work together with our partners towards the greater good.” 

Rose-Anne Frano has served on the Gulf Coast Board since 2022, where she chairs the Governance Committee and actively contributes as a member of the Finance Committee. Frano is a Partner at Williams Parker Attorneys at Law, where she has built a career spanning more than 20 years. Her practice focuses on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning for individuals and their families, as well as estate and trust administration. She is also highly experienced in crafting tax-efficient succession plans through a variety of traditional estate planning tools, charitable structures, and business entities. Frano’s deep expertise and strong commitment to her local community will continue to play a key role in guiding Gulf Coast’s strategy, particularly in fostering partnerships within the region’s wealth and estate planning sectors. 

The Foundation is excited to welcome three powerhouse women as new Directors, each bringing a unique lens and unmatched commitment to our local community. Deb Kabinoff has founded several businesses and has a passion for expanding access to affordable housing, and serves as the CEO of Gulfstar Homes, building affordable homes in North Port. She is the current Board Chair of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. A true trailblazer, her philanthropic work uplifts education and creativity. 

Elizabeth Moore, a well-known environmental champion and philanthropist, joins with an eye for sustainability and conservation. In 2016, she purchased 1,143 acres in Myakka on behalf of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, of which she serves on the Board of Directors, creating a critical conservation easement on the property to ensure its legacy as open space and wetlands. In addition to the Conservation Foundation, she serves on the Board of Mote Marine and has supported Coral Reef research and restoration. 

Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth is a passionate advocate for health equity, driven by a curiosity about how we can do more, better. She and her husband co-chair the Selby Master Plan capital campaign committee and are dedicated supporters of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.  A board-certified nephrologist, Dr. Morrison Morganroth has played a prominent leadership role in academic medicine at University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.   

The members of Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for the foundation’s 2025-2026 fiscal year are: 

Anne Essner 

Ping Faulhaber 

Rose-Anne Frano, Vice Chair  

John Giglio 

David Green 

Rod Hershberger 

Keith G. Johnson 

Deb Kabinoff 

Phillip P. Lanham 

Frank Martucci 

Elizabeth Moore 

Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth 

Anand Pallegar, Chair 

Pete Petersen 

David Sessions, Immediate Past Chair  

Peter Soderberg 

Susan Sofia