Library Foundation for Sarasota County Announces New Board President and Directors
This article was originally featured in Scene Sarasota. To view the full article, click here.
The Library Foundation for Sarasota County proudly announces the election of Kat Wingert as President of its Board of Directors, along with the addition of five new board members: Deborah Ayres, Ann Olson, Lisa Silvershein, Caroline Strickland, andLarry Wickless. Each brings unique professional expertise, extensive board service, and a commitment to sustaining and enhancing Sarasota County’s libraries.
Wingert, who joined the Foundation’s board in 2018, brings deep passion for libraries and a vision for their role in building community. A lifelong library supporter and community journalist, Wingert says the opportunity to lead the foundation at this pivotal time is both exciting and meaningful.
“I’m excited to serve as president of an organization that is focused on strengthening and supporting our libraries, which are such a critical local resource,” Wingert said. “As a community journalist, I believe in free and open access to information and ideas, as well as the need to bring people together, and there’s no better place that offers these things than our libraries. We have an enviable library system in Sarasota County, and we have so much growth happening within it that it’s a great time for the Library Foundation to grow in tandem to support our librarians in all their important work.”
As Board President, Wingert’s priorities include expanding community awareness of Sarasota County’s robust library services—ranging from e-books and genealogy resources to live programs and digital learning tools—ensuring strong county funding, and increasing philanthropic support for innovative projects.
Founded in 2011, the Library Foundation for Sarasota County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to securing the future of our libraries as essential community resources. Through fundraising, advocacy, and partnerships, the Foundation supports programs and initiatives that enhance the library system beyond what public funding alone can provide. To learn more about the Library Foundation for Sarasota County, visit SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org or call 941-404-3139.