The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County has announced the appointment of Hayley Peace as the inaugural Sarasota Youth Poet Laureate for the Cultural Coast region. Peace, an 11th grade student at Pineview School, is the recipient of a $500 stipend and will embark on a year of opportunities as an ambassador for literary arts and youth expression. She will also qualify to be selected as the National Youth Poet Laureate.

Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College has announced that Dr. Rangsook Yoon has been appointed senior curator, a newly established position for the Museum. Yoon is currently curator of modern art at Artis–Naples, The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has made two local judicial appointments: Guy Flowers, of Arcadia, will serve as judge on the DeSoto County Court, and Dana Moss, of Sarasota, will serve as judge on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court. Flowers has been the President of Flowers Law Firm since 2012.  Moss has served as a Judge on the Sarasota County Court since January 2019. Previously, she served as Felony Division Chief at the Twelfth Circuit Public Defender’s Office.

Twenty community members from across the region graduated October 28 from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation's 2022 Fall Gulf Coast Board Institute (GCBI). They are Kecia Carroll, Invest in Incredible Consultant; Stevan Collins, Sarasota British Club; Christina de Guia, Embracing Our Differences; Paula Dulski, American Association of University Women, Venice Branch; Robert Frank, Friends of the Myakka River; Samantha Gholar, Emerge Sarasota; Melanie Griffin, Rocket Phonics Foundation; Stephen Guffanti, Rocket Phonics Foundation; Jay Handelman, Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association; Steven Kennedy, Helping Our Returning Neighbors; Debbie Krider, SCORE;  Kory Lee, Tidewell Foundation; Pamela Mahoney, Senior Friendship Centers; William Nease, Rocket Phonics Foundation; Keith Pandeloglou, Lakewood Ranch Community Fund; Richard Pocker, Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota; Susan Spayd, Literacy Volunteers of South Sarasota County; Dan Starostecki, Child Protection Center; Sam Stern, Pines of Sarasota Foundation; and Elizabeth Topp, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

The Tidewell Foundation board of trustees has elected Victoria Kasdan of Bradenton to a three-year term, joining regional business and not-for-profit leaders. Kasden is a registered nurse, former public health administrator, and executive with more than 30 years of experience in for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast recently honored its 2022 Conservation Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. Nancy Milholland and the group Conserve Bobby Jones Now received the Conservation Partner of the Year award for their integral role in the conservation of the nearly 300-acre Bobby Jones Golf Club. Mary Lundeberg received the Volunteer of the Year award for her ongoing photographic contributions helping to tell the story of the land Conservation Foundation saves. Honorees received recognition at the organization’s Annual Conservation Reception.

JFCS of the Suncoast, a mental health counseling and health and human services provider, announced the addition of a new member to its board of directors and the election of a new vice-chair. Marc Kanoff is returning to the board, replacing Dean Miller as the vice-chair. Victoria Kasdan has joined the board for the first time.

Dr. Rishi Patel, CEO of CAN Community Health, has been selected for membership in the Florida Council of 100. Patel joined CAN Community Health as chief pharmacy officer in 2015 and has served as its president and CEO since January 2022. He holds a doctorate of pharmacy from Nova Southeastern University, an MBA from Florida Gulf Coast University, and a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Florida.