Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Board of Directors recently elected Anne Essner, Tracy Knight and Susan Sofia as members of the board. Each was elected to a three-year term that began in March. Essner is an active volunteer for Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Orchestra. She also is currently a board member of Sarasota Architectural Foundation and Sarasota County Rowing Club. She is a graduate of Skidmore College (B.S.) and Columbia University (MBA), and previously worked in the publishing and pharmaceutical industries. Knight is an entrepreneur and the founder and managing director of Knight Marketing, a marketing and advertising company that specializes in healthcare, tourism, real estate and nonprofits. She was recently appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to serve on the District Board of Trustees for State College of Florida, and she also has served as a board member with Venice Theatre and Venice MainStreet, among other local organizations. Sofia has volunteered her time and experience extensively in Sarasota and the Columbus, Ohio, area. She currently serves on the boards of the Sarasota Orchestra and the Young Presidents’ Organization Florida Sun Coast Gold Chapter. She is past chair of The Ohio Arts Council Board and a past member of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board and the Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden foundation board, among other organizations.

Gulf Coast Community Foundation