WBTT Board of Trustees

OFFICERS

Doris Johnson Doris Johnson, Chair, enjoyed a successful career in medical office administration management in Texas before retiring to Sarasota with her husband. She had myriad professional and volunteer board involvements, including serving as president of the State of Texas Medical Association Alliance, president of the Tarrant County AIDS Outreach Center as well as a member of the Harris Methodist Hospital Foundation Board, to name a few. She first became involved with WBTT when she attended a summer show in 2012 and then became a season subscriber; she has been a devoted supporter of WBTT ever since. Johnson served as the chair of WBTT's recent and very successful Heart & Soul capital campaign, which raised $8.7 million to renovate the organization's campus and buildings.

Cheryl Anderson Cheryl Anderson, Treasurer, provides CFO advisory services, accounting and technology to new startups and existing small businesses and not-for-profit entities. In December of 2014 she opened Executive Accounting Solutions of Sarasota, LLC where she is doing what she loves best, helping business owners organize and understand their financial position, just as she did for WBTT. Cheryl knows that with this understanding the sky’s the limit for success. Cheryl has a BS in Accounting and a MBA. She worked for two Fortune 500 companies where she dealt with small businesses across the country. Cheryl is also a former small business owner with multiple locations in several states and was a partner in a CPA firm in Sarasota.

Marian Moss Marian Moss, Vice Chair, served as Chair of WBTT’s Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2020. She manages her family business, which has been in existence since 1898. Her grandfather started the business as a homebuilder in New York and her father followed suit, first in NY and NJ and then for more than 50 years in Sarasota. In the late 1970s, her father became a commercial real estate developer in the area and built and leased U.S. post offices in approximately 10 states. Marian joined the company in 1988 after getting a master’s degree and serving as the Assistant Dean of the College of Education at the University of New Orleans. Marian currently sits on the national board of the Association of U.S. Postal Lessors.

Chris Caswell, Esq. Chris Caswell, JD, Secretary, has practiced law for over 30 years and is a member of the Florida and Georgia bar associations. He is also a Certified Financial Planner. Active in his profession and the community, Chris has served as the President of the Financial Planning Association Suncoast; on the Executive Council of The Florida Bar’s Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section; and a board member of the Economic Development Council of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Chris was a founder and former chairman of the Florida West Coast International Affairs Commission. In his spare time, Chris enjoys acting engagements.

TRUSTEES

Ali Bahaj Ali Bahaj relocated from Tokyo, Japan to Sarasota in 2013 after 32 years of service with Caterpillar Inc. He held a variety of senior management positions at Caterpillar, including the role of Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Japan Ltd. Since moving to Sarasota, Ali has been actively engaged in our community. In addition to being a member of WBTT’s Board of Trustees, he currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Ringling College of Art and Design and was formerly the Chairman of the Van Wezel Foundation.

Kitty Cranor Kitty Cranor moved to Sarasota from Louisville, KY, where she served on several not-for-profit boards, including The Louisville Zoological Gardens, The Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, Actor’s Theatre and The Kilgore Samaritan Counseling Center. She has a B.A. from Salem College and an M.B.A. from The Darden School at University of Virginia. Since moving to Sarasota, Kitty has been an active volunteer at Tidewell Hospice, The Out-of-Door Academy, All Faiths Food Bank and Healthy Start.

Nancy Flanagan Nancy Flanagan moved to Sarasota in 1999 from Los Altos, California. She has a Master of Science degree in Instructional Media from the Ohio State University and had a first career as a teacher in the Chicago suburbs. Following a shift in focus to corporate training in the high tech industry in the Silicon Valley, Nancy worked for tech leaders Hewlett-Packard and Silicon Graphics, Inc before starting her own management and team development consulting practice in 1995. In that capacity she designed, developed, and facilitated executive, management, and team development training programs for global companies. Her clients included Cisco Systems, Google, Network Consultants Inc, Hewlett-Packard, Novell, SGI, E-Trade, and Netscape. Nancy is a former Board Chair of non-profits Alliance for Community Care and Avenues to Mental Health in San Jose, California, and the Child Protection Center and the Pastoral Advisory Council of the Church of St. Patrick in Sarasota. Nancy is currently a weekly volunteer for Meals on Wheels Sarasota in addition to being a lector and council member at the Church of St. Patrick. She started following WBTT in 2004 after seeing a production at the Sarasota Art Center. From there, she was hooked!

Michael Gardiner Michael Gardiner comes to the board with vast experience in marketing and sales in the travel and hospitality industries. He held executive positions in Diners Club International, Resorts Condominiums International, and Hertz Rent A Car, where he was the Executive Vice President of Marketing for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Michael is a strong advocate for WBTT and the Dream Center in Manatee County. An avid theater buff, Michael and his wife, Karen, divide their time between Los Angeles and Sarasota.

Sy Goldblatt Sy Goldblatt has an unusually varied background. Armed with a B.S. degree in physics and math, he spent 10 years working for the Department of Defense on the detection of signals from atomic bombs. For the next 10 years, he oversaw his own electronic and medical instrumentation company. Sy then started, and ran for 30 years, a money management company that managed investments for university endowments and foundations. Recently retired, Sy volunteers as a mentor for homeless veterans, and along with his wife Shelley, participates in numerous education programs and supports young performing artists.

Michele Hooper Michele Hooper is President and CEO of The Directors’ Council, which consults with major companies to improve the effectiveness of their corporate governance. With more than 30 years of corporate board experience, including over 25 years chairing audit committees of several global companies, Michele is a highly regarded governance expert and business leader. In 2017 she was selected as the National Association of Corporate Directors’ (NACD) Director of the Year. Michele currently serves on the corporate boards of directors of UnitedHealth Group (chair, Nominating and Governance) and United Airlines (chair, Audit Committee). She previously served on the boards of directors of PPG Industries, Target Corporation, Seagrams, Warner Music Group and AstraZeneca. Michele is Vice Chair of the Smithsonian National Board and is a board member of the Van Wezel Foundation. She retired from the boards of the NACD and the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ), where she was Chair of the CAQ Working Group focused on Deterring and Detecting Financial Reporting Fraud. Previously, Michele served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Voyager Expanded Learning and of Stadtlander Drug Company Inc. Prior to joining Stadtlander, she was Corporate Vice President, Caremark International Inc., and President of the International Business Group, responsible for the expansion of Caremark into Europe, Canada and Japan. Michele began her career at Baxter International; as President of Baxter Canada she led Canada’s largest health care and laboratory supplies company.

Penelope Kingman Penelope Kingman came to the U.S. from London at the time of the "British Invasion." She has lived all over this great country. She spent five years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, West Africa. She holds a master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and worked for 15 years as a hospital administrator in Westchester County, New York. After retiring, she served a four-year term as a school board member in Butler, Pennsylvania. Penelope came to Sarasota in 2005. She loves sea turtles, and also her children, Sidney and Louise. She is on the board of Mote Marine Laboratory and, more recently, WBTT where she is proud to support this dynamic and growing theatre arts center.

Dr. John E. Maupin Jr., DDS, MBA Dr. John E. Maupin Jr., DDS, MBA, is a retired healthcare executive, having most recently served as president of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta for 8 years, until his retirement in July 2014. His other executive leadership positions have included President of Meharry Medical College, Nashville; Chief Administrative Officer, Morehouse School of Medicine; and Deputy Commissioner for Medical Services, Baltimore City Health Department. Dr. Maupin was also a career dental officer in the United States Army Reserves, retiring in 1997 as Command Dental Surgeon for the 125th US Army Reserve Command. He currently serves on the board of directors of the VALIC Companies I & II, a mutual fund complex; and Encompass Health, Inc., a national in-patient rehabilitation and home-based healthcare management company. Dr. Maupin has a distinguished record as a healthcare expert and public policy advisor, having served on numerous national scientific advisory panels and federal and state public health councils. Actively engaged in community affairs, Dr. Maupin has previously served on the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (Chairman); United Way of Middle Tennessee (Chairman); Development Authority of Fulton County, Atlanta, Georgia (Vice-Chairman); America’s Promise Alliance, Washington, DC; and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.

Howard Millman Howard Millman has been involved in theater since the age of 17. Although a fine director and actor, he has distinguished himself in theatre management. Howard was the Managing Director of the Asolo Theatre from 1968-1980. He left Sarasota to become the Producing Artistic Director of the Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York. In 1995 the Asolo was in a crisis and Howard agreed to return as the Producing Artistic Director. During his tenure, he helped to successfully balance the budget, turn the theater around financially, rebuild audiences and create a national reputation for excellence.

Dr. Randall C. Morgan, MD, MBA. Dr. Randall C. Morgan, MD, MBA., is a Sarasota-based orthopedic surgeon who also serves as the Executive Director of the W. Montague Cobb/National Medical Association Health Institute. A graduate of Grinnell College with a B.A. degree, and Howard University College of Medicine, he also completed a Residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Northwestern University and a Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics. Randall earned an MBA degree at the University of South Florida, received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Grinnell College and served as President of the National Medical Association 1996-97. He was elected to Gary, Indiana’s “Steel City Hall of Fame” in 2003. Currently, he serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at two medical schools. Since the age of 11 Randall has sung publicly in cities around the U.S. as well as internationally. He has formed many bands, including, most recently, the Soul Sensations, who entertain local crowds in many venues. He has produced and performed in four major fundraisers for WBTT: Doo-Wop to Hip-Hop, The Second Time Around, Black or White, Makes My Music Right! and Put Your Hands Together He is also a member of the Gulf Coast Community Choir, which performs for enjoyment and to raise funds as a community service. He continues to practice consultative and non-surgical orthopedics in Sarasota and Bradenton.

Kim Parris Kim Parris is the President and Founder of Parris Associates, Inc., an independent consulting firm specializing in financial management and human resources consulting. The company was formed in 1998 and provides practical, effective solutions incorporating “best practices” industry data to clients. Parris Associates, Inc. has benefited non-profits and Fortune 500 companies in the areas of strategic planning, leadership development, performance management, diversity programs and team building, process reengineering, financial management, project management and systems implementations. Selected clients include: Prudential Financial, McGraw Hill Financial, and Goldman Sachs.

As a principal in Parris Associates, Ms. Parris brings more than 20 years of diverse financial services experience. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Accounting from Howard University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Pace University. Prior to forming Parris Associates, Ms. Parris was a senior executive in Human Resources at JPMorgan Chase in New York.

Ms. Parris is also an active leader in her community and has served on various boards, most recently as Parliamentarian for the NABA NY Chapter Executive Board; Treasurer for the New Jersey Chapter of the Girl Friends, Inc. Conclave Committee; Treasurer for Beachplace Association Inc., Board of Directors; and Audit Chair for the NCNW (National Council of Negro Women), Raritan Valley Section. Her other passions include running and she’s earned a Six Star Finisher Medal for completing the Abbott World Marathon Majors in London, Tokyo, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, and New York. She also enjoys teaching public speaking to youth. Ms. Parris is married with two adult children.

Lee Rainer Lee Rainer served in the United States Army from October 1965 to December 1985. His military assignments included; Basic Training Fort Benning Ga, Advance Individual Training (AIT) Fort Sill Oklahoma, Paratrooper (Jump School) Fort Benning Ga, 173rd Airbourne Brigade, Republic of Vietnam, 319th Artillery, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg NC, Drill Sargent School Fort Jackson SC, 108th Artillery Augsburg Federal Republic of Germany, Officer Candidate School (OCS) Fort Benning Ga., 1st COSCOM Support Command Fort Bragg NC., 8th Maintenance Battalion Hanau Germany, University of Nebraska, Omaha Nebraska, Red River Army Depot, Texarkana Texas, Professor of Logistics and Contract Management, The Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air force Base Dayton Ohio. Retiring in 1985.

In 1987 Lee joined the U. S. Department of State, serving under 6-Secretaries, Schultz, Christopher, Baker, Albright, Powell, and Rice. He was responsible for Strategic Planning, Balanced Score Development, and Asset Management for the Office of Logistics Management. Lee managed a $7.2 Billion Asset Management Program for 3-domestic bureaus, and 166 overseas posts, including Ambassador Residencies. He participated in Performance Measurement and Strategic Planning, Balance Scorecard, Supply Chain Scorecard development and implementation. Prior to assuming the position of Director Business Analysis Division, he was a senior manager in the Office of Acquisition Management where he served as the Program Manager for the implementation of Office of Logistics Management, Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS). He retired again after 21 years from the US Department of State in 2008.

He is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, LR-Associates, LLC (LRA) Within his company he manages the day-to-day operations of multi-million-dollar Federal contracts performing logistics support services in 12-different states in disciplines of warehouse management, supply chain management, facilities support services, security services, contract management, and janitorial and custodial services. During the 2020 Pandemic, LRA became a leader in the disinfectant, sanitizing and cleaning of COVID-19, meeting all standards of CDC and OSHA set for the Federal Government, Private Industry, State and Local Governments.

Mr. Rainer received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska and his MBA degree from Texas A&M University, Texarkana, Texas, he holds several federal government special Training Certificates.

Among the awards he has received includes; the 4-Army Commendation Medal for Valor; 2-Army Commendations w/Oak Leaf Cluster, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry; Vietnam Service Medal; Jump Master Wings, Three Department of State Meritorious Honor Awards; Three Franklin Awards, Vice President Gore’s Hammer Award; the U. S. Department of State’s Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Government Service; the Alpha Phi Alpha Presidents Award and the Alpha Man of The Year Award.

Mr. Rainer resides in Wimauma, FL with his wife, Lydia. He has two sons, Carlton Lee Rainer, Esquire, Charlotte, N. C. and Dr. Craig Roberson Rainer, DDS, Woodbridge Virginia, two amazing daughters-in-law, Courtney, and Brittany and three little Rainer King Grandsons, Maxwell Austin Rainer-7-years, Christian Alexandria Rainer-4- years, and Jackson Adan Rainer -2-years.

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”
Mark Twain

Mona Rankin Mona Rankin moved to Sarasota in 2014. She spent 20 years in executive leadership roles with the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury, with her ultimate role as Chief of Staff. Her work history also includes higher education leadership positions at City University of New York and Florida International University. She is among the founders of the Harlem Renaissance Education Pipeline, a Cradle to Career Collective Impact Initiative in Harlem, NY. She is a past participant and presenter in Florida International University's Executive Leadership Enhancement Program. Until recently, she served on the Advisory Board of Literacy Suffolk, Long Island, NY.

Donald Julian Reaves, Ph.D. Dr. Donald Reaves Donald Julian Reaves, Ph.D., is a semi-retired higher education senior executive with substantial corporate, not-for-profit, and financial services board experience.  Donald’s higher education career began in the classroom, at Kent State University in Ohio, in 1977, and concluded in 2015 as Chancellor of an HBCU. 

In 1980 Donald joined the faculty of Northeastern University in Boston, where for 13 years he taught undergraduate and graduate students in political science, public administration and public finance. While in Boston Donald spent four years as the deputy assistant commissioner for budget and cost control at the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare. From there Donald moved to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he served 14 years in various finance positions, including nine years as Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In 2002 Donald was recruited to the University of Chicago where he served five years as Vice President for Administration and CFO. Throughout his career in higher education Donald had hoped that one-day he would be asked to lead an HBCU. In 2007 that opportunity presented itself and Donald accepted the position of Chancellor at Winston Salem State University (WSSU), in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Donald describes the eight years that he led WSSU, as “the most fulfilling of his 38 year higher education career.” In 2013 his accomplishments were recognized when the new student union building was named the Donald Julian Reaves Student Activities Center. In 2015 Donald became Chancellor Emeritus of WSSU.    

Currently Donald serves as lead director of Amica Mutual Insurance Company. Previous corporate board experience includes: Independent Trustee, William Blair Mutual Funds (lead director); Director, The American Student Assistance Corporation (board chair); Director, Bank Rhode Island and Delta Dental of Rhode Island; and, the Wells Fargo Advisory Board of North Carolina. These board assignments included serving as chair, lead director, nominating and governance chair, and audit committee chair, including qualification under SEC Regulations as Audit Committee Financial Expert.   

Donald has also been active in the communities where he has resided, serving on hospital boards, as a trustee and board chair on college and university boards, and on numerous other not-for-profit boards and committees.  

Donald and his wife Deborah are snowbirds, dividing their time between Lakewood Ranch, Florida and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.  

 Dona Scott Dona Scott moved to Longboat Key from Chicago, where she was actively engaged with multiple community causes. She was a board member of Providence St. Mel School, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now known as The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab), and currently serves as a board member of After School Matters, one of the nation’s largest providers of after school programming for teenagers. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Dominican College in Orangeburg, NY.

 Asa Thomas-Harris Asa Harris was born and raised in Orlando, Florida September 8, 1980. Born to Fredrick Blocton and Sylvia Thomas of Pensacola, Florida. Asa has (3) Sisters and (1) Brother. Asa is the middle child. Asa started her career in hospitality after her mother who was a Director of Operations at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. In High School Asa worked for her mother as a PBX Operator and moved up from there in the industry. After Asa graduated from West Orange High School from their Law Magnet Program in 1999, she moved to Tampa to attend Hillsborough Community College and then University of South Florida to pursue a Marketing Degree. Asa quickly realized that she loved the hospitality industry and worked her way up to Director of Sales and Marketing by the age of 24 years old with Hyatt Hotels. She currently is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Art Ovation Hotel Sarasota. She was the very first employee hired.

Asa moved to Sarasota in June 2017 and lives here with her amazing husband Dominic Harris and they have two beautiful children Ian and Dominic Jr.

Outside of the hospitality industry Asa is a part of Navy League (previous Vice President), Junior League, nominated for Tampa’s Business Woman of the Year, Nominated and Won Sarasota County Tourism and Hospitality Rising Star in 2018, a part of The Links, Inc. and on The Board for USF Tourism and Hospitality.

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Andrew Economos

June Gordon

Margie Nellum Lee

Mary Ann Robinson

Lois Watson

Ambassadors Circle

Christine Jennings, Co-Chair, served as WBTT’s CEO from 2009-2014. Under her leadership, the Troupe became financially strong and was able to purchase a 2½-acre site for our own theatre. She has a varied background involving finance, politics and community service. Her 40-year career in banking culminated in a 14-year stint as the Founder, President, CEO and Chair of the Board for the highly successful Sarasota Bank. Since Christine moved to Sarasota in 1984, she has been in leadership positions on boards of a number of arts, civic and not-for-profit organizations. She currently serves on the New College Foundation Board of Directors and the Canandaigua National Trust Company of Florida Board of Directors. Christine is the former Chair of the Sarasota County Democratic Party and has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Outstanding Volunteer for the National Society of Fundraising Executives, Sarasota County Arts Council’s Arts Management Award, and SCOPE’s Boundary Crosser Award, to name a few.

Jacquelyn “Jackie” Woods, Co-Chair, is a Certified Residential Real Estate Sales Specialist with RoseBay International Realty. She is a past board member of the Manasota Branch of ASALH, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. She is currently a board member of The Boxser Diversity Initiative and an active member of The Links, Inc.

  • Honorable Dennis W. Archer
  • Shelia Atkins
  • Lynne Bernfield
  • Dr. Francine Brown
  • Frank Brunckhorst
  • Michael Bush
  • Judy Cuppy
  • Kim Davis
  • Donnie Diamond
  • Donna Dooley
  • Jenni Engleman
  • Robert Gaglio
  • Richard Gerrity
  • David Goldman, Esq.
  • Dr. Laverne Green
  • Howard Harris
  • Charlie Huisking
  • Tomeika Hunter-Koski
  • Amb. Jeanette Hyde
  • J.P. Knaggs
  • Lynne Koy
  • Joyce Locklear
  • Gregory Matthews
  • Kaveecia Moore
  • Hector Muniz
  • Andi Munzer
  • Vickie Oldham
  • Debbie Partridge
  • William Partridge, Esq.
  • Richard Perlman
  • Ann Hobson Pilot
  • Prentice Pilot
  • Dr. Jacqueline Ray
  • David Sales
  • David Shapiro, Esq.
  • Jeremy Shelby
  • Edna Sherrell
  • Barbara Shirley
  • Teresa Simmons
  • Marty Taffel
  • Melanie Thomas
  • Sheila Weiss
  • David Wilkins
  • Lois Wilkins
  • Hon. Charles E. Williams
  • Charles & Susan Wilson
  • Victor Young
  • Barbara A. Zdravecky

Steven J. Krause, Co-Chair, is a Senior Vice President and Senior Personal Trust Relationship Manager on the Wealth Advisory Team in the Sarasota office of Northern Trust, specializing in serving high net worth individuals and families with their wealth management, asset protection and estate planning needs. Prior to joining the Sarasota Region in 2012, he was a Personal Trust Relationship Manager in Northern Trust’s Lake Forest, Schaumburg, and Chicago, Illinois offices. Steve’s career of over 40 years with Northern Trust includes roles in marketing, banking, financial center management and regulatory compliance. He received a B.A. degree in Finance and Accounting from Mundelein College, and a Masters degree in Marketing from DePaul University. Steve is on the Board of both the Education Foundation of Sarasota County as well as the Tidewell Foundation. He is actively involved with Equality Florida and is a graduate of the Gulf Coast Board Institute.