SRQ DAILY Aug 20, 2025
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"Believe me, change is going to come!"
SRQ Magazine is proud to announce it will honor powerhouse producer Katie Nelson Thomson as the recipient of the 2025 Women Who Roar Trailblazer Award at the Women Who Roar Leadership Awards Luncheon on Friday, October 31, 2025, at Michael’s On East.
The prestigious Women Who Roar Trailblazer Award recognizes a leading woman whose fearless spirit and groundbreaking contributions have not only shaped her industry but also inspired those who followed. Former award recipients include USA Today bestselling author and former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Kate White, global model and author Paulina Porizkova, CEO of MiMO Studios Cyma Zarghami, journalist and civil rights activist Dorothy Butler Gilliam, CEO of Timbuk2 Patti Cazzato, former editor-in-chief Town & Country and Travel & Leisure magazines Pamela Fiori and fashion icon Adrienne Vittadini, among others.
From newsrooms to late-night television, Kate Nelson Thomson’s career is a masterclass in powerful storytelling, bold leadership, and the relentless pursuit of truth—always delivered with impact. Thomson is the senior talent producer behind HBO‘s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, where she has been since launching the show in 2014. The half-hour topical comedy series, featuring a satirical look at the week in news, politics, and current events, has received 28 Emmys and three Peabody Awards.
Before joining Last Week Tonight, Thomson was the senior broadcast producer of CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight. Before that, she spent 15 years at ABC News working alongside legendary journalist Barbara Walters. During her time at ABC, she produced award-winning segments and interviews for 20/20 and The Barbara Walters Specials, including Walters’ exclusive interview with Monica Lewinsky—seen by over 70 million viewers and still the highest-rated news event broadcast by a single network.
While at 20/20, Thomson was instrumental in producing Barbara Walters’ Peabody-Award winning interviews with Christopher Reeve after the accident that left him paralyzed, intimate presidential candidate profiles, coverage of Princess Diana’s funeral, and Patrick Swayze’s last interview. She also played a key role in ABC’s Emmy Award-winning coverage of the September 11th terrorist attacks, securing first interviews with President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the aftermath of the tragedy. Thomson has produced interviews with every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter and conducted conversations with world leaders such as Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Benjamin Netanyahu, King Abdullah and Queen Rania, Slobodan Milosevic, Benazir Bhutto, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Oscar Arias, the Dalai Lama, and an unprecedented joint interview with Yitzhak Shamir, Yasser Arafat, and King Hussein. With a legacy that spans decades of high-stakes journalism, history-making interviews, and culture-defining television, Katie Nelson Thomson exemplifies what it means to blaze a trail through your industry.
The 2025 Women Who Roar Trailblazer Award will be presented to Katie Nelson Thomson at SRQ Magazine’s 10th Annual Women Who Roar Leadership Awards Luncheon, where we will gather to connect, celebrate, and recognize this year’s Women Who Roar Award Honorees from the region.
Event Details: SRQ Magazine’s 10th Annual Women Who Roar Leadership Awards Luncheon, Friday, October 31, 2025, Michael’s On East Ballroom, 1212 S. East Avenue, Sarasota. Pop Up Boutiques, “Her Story” Exhibit and Registration: 10:30am, Luncheon Program: 11:30am to 1:15pm. Post Event Reception: 1:15-2 pm
For sponsorship opportunities, table reservations, tickets, or more information about SRQ’s Women Who Roar Leadership Awards Luncheon, please visit srqmagazine.com/wwrluncheon. 
Project Pride SRQ has named Tom Edwards as its new executive director. A longtime advocate and Sarasota County School Board member since 2020, Edwards brings decades of entrepreneurial experience to the role. He aims to build on the nonprofit’s strong foundation by using his reputation as a moderate to unite diverse coalitions, promote inclusivity and defend human rights. His plans include launching student-led anti-bullying initiatives, expanding youth and family programs and creating after-school offerings focused on critical thinking. Edwards recently sat down with SRQ to discuss his new position.
You’ve spoken about creating a “silo-free community unified by shared values.” How do you plan to bridge ideological or political divides while advancing LGBTQ+ advocacy in today’s polarized climate?
Many siloed communities are being bullied and are experiencing the loss of protections and rights. Some of those communities are women, blacks, Hispanics, veterans, seniors, LGTBQ+ and folks with disabilities, just to name a few. The idea is to wake up, unify and build a large moderate coalition that advocates for the protections of rights for ALL through shared common values, not tribal policies. The reason we are living in a polarized environment is because extremists on both sides are the loudest and are dictating policy when we should be governed by the moderate majority voices. Believe me, change is going to come!
Your new initiatives, particularly the student-led Support Squad and after-school programs, focus on healing and critical thinking. What inspired these youth-centered strategies, and how do you see them shaping the future of LGBTQ+ inclusion in Sarasota?
First of all, I am not leading PPSRQ to advocate for LGTBQ+ issues only. My ideas for student initiatives are based on support for ALL students who are being bullied, not just the gay ones. Additionally, critical thinking skills are a shared common value that we want for ALL students so they become well-rounded citizens. I'm not confident the Florida Department of Education's policies and statutes provide environments for optimal critical thinking topics, so PPSRQ will.
As someone with experience on the Sarasota County School Board, how has that perspective informed your approach to leadership at Project Pride SRQ—especially as education becomes a flashpoint in cultural debates?
As a countywide elected official serving the community in the capacity of School Board, I have a wide lens of daily feedback from parents, teachers, seniors and students. I hear about parents' needs and dreams for their children. I hear from teachers regarding issues and opportunities for the advancement of improving educational outcomes. I hear from all community members and seniors who want a return on their property tax investment. Most importantly, listening to our students is the most essential ingredient that defines my leadership - they are our future. Even though my School Board work and leading PPSRQ are two different and separate roles and responsibilities, I do see crossover in my goal for building a kinder community. All of this combined feedback fuels my leadership with optimism. I can't live in a world without hope!
Provided photo.
The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation (LWRCF) is pleased to announce it awarded $60,255 total to 16 grant recipients in the first and second quarters of 2025. LWRCF’s grants committee meets quarterly to assess the applications received and thoroughly examines each request. The foundation’s board of directors is extremely grateful to have the ability, through donations, to fund the requests of local organizations. These nonprofit organizations received funding to support various programs, purchases, and projects: Avenue 941 Inc., Bailes Consulting, Boys and Girls Club, Children’s Guardian Fund, Epilepsy Services, Forty Carrots, Hope Family Services, Local Relief, Manatee Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels Plus-Manatee, Meals on Wheels Sarasota, One Stop Cares, Samaritan Counseling Services, Sarasota Orchestra, State College of Florida Foundation and Take Stock in Children Manatee.
Local food bank and hunger relief organization All Faiths Food Bank was recently recognized in two prominent regional "best workplace" awards programs: the “Sarasota-Manatee Top Workplaces 2025 Award" and Florida’s “Best Companies To Work For." Both of these awards programs measure the employee experience and workplace culture. This is the third year that All Faiths has made the "Best Companies to Work For" list and its first "Sarasota-Manatee Top Workplaces Award."
The Watershed Hospitality Concepts family of restaurants is proud to announce its participation in Giving Kitchen’s Dining With Gratitude 2025, a nationwide initiative. This month-long promotion in September serves to endorse Giving Kitchen’s mission to support and celebrate food service workers in Florida and across the nation. Giving Kitchen a national 501(c)3 and a James Beard Foundation and National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance and a network of community resources to food service workers in times of crisis in all 50 states.
Seasoned fundraising professional Jacqueline House, MBA, CFRE is honored to have been recertified by CFRE International. This designation indicates that House has met standards including tenure in the profession, education, and demonstrated fundraising achievement. In her nearly five years with child welfare agency Safe Children Coalition, where she is the VP of Communications & Community Engagement, House has built the development program from the ground up. Over the past few years, she has spearheaded SCC's capital campaign to build a new Youth Shelter for Circuit 12 (Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto counties); the nonprofit has reached 95% of its Phase I $9 million goal.
The Florida Center for Early Childhood has earned national accreditation from COA Accreditation, a service of Social Current, recognizing the organization’s commitment to best practices in early childhood care and behavioral health services. With a legacy spanning more than four decades, The Florida Center has provided developmental therapies, mental health counseling, early education, and family support to young children and their families across Sarasota and Manatee counties and beyond. Achieving this accreditation affirms the organization’s adherence to nationally recognized standards in service delivery, governance, and administration.
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, and Larry 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.
Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC) has announced updates to its Board of Directors for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The Board plays a vital role in guiding the organization’s strategic direction and furthering its mission to provide a safe haven while promoting empowerment, awareness, and social change to end domestic and sexual violence. SPARCC is pleased to welcome new board members Norhala Houck, Pat Robinson, Craig Schaeffer, and Fred Simmons, who bring fresh perspectives and a shared commitment to supporting survivors across Sarasota and Desoto Counties. Patrick Duggan will continue as Board Chair, Shelley Walters-Walker as First Vice Chair. For more information about SPARCC and its free and confidential programs and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, please visit www.sparcc.net or contact SPARCC at (941) 365-0208.
CFRE International has named CPC’s Capital Campaign and Grants Manager, Elizabeth K. Topp, as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Elizabeth joins over 8,000 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation. Individuals granted the CFRE credential have met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education, and demonstrated fundraising achievement. They have also passed a rigorous exam testing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a fundraising executive, and have agreed to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights. For more information on CPC or to inquire about ways to get involved, please visit them at www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277.
This long-term installation in Gallery 10 of the Museum of Art showcases five outstanding examples of 17th-century Dutch painting on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Featuring a dramatic seascape, an expansive landscape, and captivating portraits set in detailed interiors, this exhibition offers a window into the vibrant artistic production of the Netherlands as the small nation rose to global prominence in the 17th century. The five exceptional paintings from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, complement The Ringling's holdings of Dutch art and provide additional perspective on the artistry, historical significance, and continuing appeal of Dutch painting from this period.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
If you are oyster curious or just craving the fresh coastal seafood & hand-crafted cocktails from your new Rosemary District favorite, join us at Lefty's for our daily Happy Hours Monday - Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm and our Late Night Happy Hours every night from 9:00-Close. With seafood offerings from the Steamer and Buck-A-Shucks on oysters plus our extensive wine, specialty and seasonal cocktails and draft beers, Lefty's has your recipe to get happier and explore our menus. Join us every day for Lunch, Happy Hours or Dinner and for our downtown neighbors and Hospitality industry colleagues, we'll have live music and keep the light on for you on the weekends!
Lefty's Oyster and Seafood Bar, 428 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Cask & Ale on Main Street lifts a toast & taps a toe to our fabulous Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 - 3:00 with live Jazz during Sunday Brunch from Noon - 4:00. We offer a diverse chef-prepared menu with a full spread of Brunch delectables + our rotating Chef's Special menu, bottomless Mimosas and a wide selection of craft cocktails. Cask & Ale Liquor Locker owners enjoy the benefit of reservations for tables, holidays or special occasions! Continue the good vibes to make the most of your weekend. Voted Best Cocktails by SRQ Magazine!
Cask & Ale, 1548 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236
The Ringling Museum of Art hosts a significant collection of Creative Prints produced by Japanese artists who believed in the practice of self-designing, self-carving, and self-printing their own work. The Creative Print movement was inspired by early 20th-century European prints that called attention to self-expression and artistic exploration through the medium of woodblock prints.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota
A bi-monthly open jam session for professional and non-professional musicians in the Geldbart Auditorium at the downtown Selby Library. The jam begins at 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm. Event is free and open to all. A viewing audience is welcome and encouraged. Piano, bass and drum are on site. A fun, social and entertaining event. Come, sign up to play or sing, or just come out to watch and enjoy.
Selby Library, 1331 1st St, Sarasota
This promises to be a memorable evening of music that speaks to the heart, the mind and maybe even your feet! Doors open 6:30 pm for dinner and beverage service.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First Street at Cocoanut Ave, Sarasota
Flock to Selby Gardens this summer for our newest exhibition, The High Life: Contemporary Photography and the Birds, running from July 19 to September 14, 2025, at the Downtown Sarasota campus. Organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography and curated by photography experts William Ewing and Danaé Panchaud, the exhibition features some 70 works by more than 50 photographers from around the world. The works are presented in the galleries of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts and outside throughout the gardens, where art mirrors nature in unique and unexpected ways.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Selby Gardens is excited to collaborate with Artist-in-Residence Patti Smith on this exhibition at the Historic Spanish Point campus. The exhibition features a selection of photographs taken by the famed poet and musician that offers an intimate view of her life on and off the road. The photographs are taken from Smith’s recently published, New York Times bestselling publication, A Book of Days. Inspired by the popularity of her Instagram account, where she began posting photographs back in 2018, this beautiful book offers a window into her world and illustrates her unique aesthetic.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Historic Spanish Point, 401 N Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229
Treat yourself to a peaceful mind and body yoga experience at the beautiful Selby Garden Downtown Sarasota campus. This class will focus on alignment, breathing techniques, and relaxation. Open to all skill levels. Must be age 18 or older. Hosted Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
The Sarasota Art Museum partners with the Jazz Club of Sarasota to present live jazz on the second Thursday of every month on the Marcy and Michael Klein Plaza. Enjoy a beverage or food in the Bistro and extended hours in the galleries and shops! Concert begins 5:30 pm.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
Joseph’s Coat: A Skyspace by James Turrell (2011) is a triumph of technology, engineering, and aesthetics. The Skyspace, created by internationally-renowned artist James Turrell, is a gathering place for contemplation and offers a unique experience. At sunset, a sophisticated system of LED lights is employed to change the color of the space. In doing so, the artist changes the context in which we view the sky through the 24 foot aperture in the ceiling, affecting our perception of the natural environment and the surroundings. As we gaze up at the sky we are invited to contemplate light, perception, and experience!
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
ArtCenter Sarasota continues its Centennial Season with Medium Mutiny, a juried exhibition selected by Ed Swan Jr. that celebrates boundary-pushing works challenging tradition through bold experimentation in form, material, and concept. Solo exhibitions include Living by the Water by Cat Tesla, whose serene, abstract paintings reflect a journey of healing and transformation inspired by Florida's landscapes. A new body of work by Anja Palombo, blending her deep love of nature and art history into expressive visual narratives. In Architect as Artist, co-curated by Morris Hylton III, Sarasota-based architects including Carl Abbott, Jerry Sparkman, and Javi Suárez present multidisciplinary works that blur the line between design and fine art. This group exhibition honors Sarasota's architectural legacy and highlights the creative synergy between structure, space, and artistic vision.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
A huge influence of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a legend in her time, adding fierce guitar and swing to traditional gospel music, becoming the Mother of Rock n Roll. Marie and Rosetta chronicles her first rehearsal with a young protégée, Marie Knight, as they prepare to embark on a tour that would establish them as one of the great duos in music history.
Asolo Repertory Theatre , 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
In celebration of our Centennial, ArtCenter Sarasota proudly presents the North County Spring Art Show, featuring artwork from over 1,500 K-12 students in Sarasota's public and charter schools. Organized by Angela Hartvigsen and Debra Markley, this cherished annual tradition showcases the creativity of young artists, many exhibiting in a gallery for the first time. The exhibition includes special award ceremonies for both elementary and high school students, with over $20,000 in scholarships and prizes. It's a joyful reminder that the future of art is already in motion.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
This beloved classic has delighted audiences across the globe for over six decades. Tevye, the village milkman, is trying to provide his wife and their five daughters with a life filled with prosperity, faith, and tradition. But a revolution is on the horizon and everything they have come to cherish hangs in the balance. One of the most beloved musicals of all times makes its long-awaited debut on the Asolo Rep stage.
Asolo Repertory Theatre , 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
Set in ancient Athens, A Midsummer Night's Dream weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of intertwining worlds - courtly, rustic, and magical. As Duke Theseus and Hippolyta prepare for their royal wedding, four young lovers flee into an enchanted forest, where a troupe of amateur actors is also rehearsing a play for the occasion. Unbeknownst to them all, the forest is alive with fairies who meddle, manipulate, and stir chaos of their own. Love turns dark, identities blur, and the lines between reality and illusion dissolve in this heady, dreamlike comedy exploring desire, transformation, and the delirium of bliss.
FSU/Asolo Conservatory, 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The legendary Beaux Arts Ball is back! This Centennial revival will be a spectacular evening of creativity, performance, and celebration in an event worthy of 100 years.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
ArtCenter Sarasota continues its Centennial Season with a powerful lineup of exhibitions that celebrate storytelling, performance, and community. Art of the Spectacle, juried by Maria Schaedler-Luera, invites bold and theatrical works inspired by fashion, circus, and stagecraft. In the solo exhibition At Home Anywhere, Bahamian artist Kendra Frorup explores themes of belonging, transformation, and cultural memory through sculptural forms rich in narrative and material symbolism. Herion Park's deeply personal installation pays tribute to her mother's unconditional love, using textiles, organic materials, and cast forms to reflect universal emotions of connection and healing. In Across Generations: Rooted in Community, co-curated by Paul Toliver, Newtown and Overtown artists come together in a group exhibition that honors the enduring impact of Sarasota's historically Black neighborhoods on the city's creative identity. Together, these exhibitions offer a vibrant, emotional, and visually striking reflection on heritage, expression, and the power of art to unite.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
SRQ DAILY is a daily e-newsletter produced by SRQ MEDIA. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. The views expressed by individuals are their own, and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. SRQ DAILY includes content excerpted from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Robinson Valverde at 941-365-7702 x703 or via email |
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