The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has selected 24 participants from across the region for its 2019 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute.

Class members will take part in seven training sessions from late April through late June, conducted by the acclaimed Leadership Development Institute of Eckerd College. Gulf Coast Community Foundation 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 24 participants selected for the 2019 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute are:

• Olympia Baylou, owner/founder, Blooming Impressions FL
• Nicole Britton, director of development, The Twig Cares
• Steven Brownlee, associate attorney, Williams Parker
• Cathy Bryant, director of donor relations, Streets of Paradise
• Gregory Cruz, field director, GRSG Company
• Michele Demperio, director of business development, Sweet Sparkman Architects
• Tony Dempsey, president, Sunstate Business Brokers
• Joanne Fabec, financial advisor, RBC Wealth Management
• Alyssa Goudy, production manager, The Players Centre for Performing Arts
• Cynthia Gravino, founder and executive sirector, Alum-Worx
• Gina Jordan, senior vice president and trust officer, Caldwell Trust Company
• Kathy Jordan, director of major gifts, WUSF Public Media
• Shay Kilby, board member, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sarasota County
• Beth Kregenow, program administrator, Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County
• Jessie Lapek, center director, Pregnancy Solutions
• Mary Ellen Mancini, director of development, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center
• Angelique Medvesky, professor and academic chair, State College of Florida – Lakewood Ranch
• Coral Pleas, owner/founder, Cutting Loose Salon
• Neil Rainford, senior project executive, Mullet’s Aluminum Products
• Eileen Rosenzweig, president, Sir Speedy
• Dawnyelle Singleton, director of programs and community relations, Visible Men Academy
• Mark Smith, director of marketing, The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art
• Bob Stone, owner, Minuteman Press
• Molly Swift, scholarships/special projects manager, William G. and Marie Selby Foundation

This is the 12th year of Gulf Coast Leadership Institute, which was preceded by two classes of the foundation’s North Port Leadership Institute. In all, more than 300 community members have completed the training provided through this leadership-development initiative.