The Sarasota-Manatee Originals, a nonprofit with more than 50 member restaurants, recently elected Sonia Velasco as the group's new board president. Velasco has more than 25 years of experience in communications, graphic design and marketing and for the past 13 years has worked with local businesses, restaurants and nonprofits in the Sarasota-Manatee area. The Originals is the area's largest organization of locally owned and independent restaurants.