wcw DEC 2021

you’re news
Accolades
■ Elizabeth Yoder of Yoder’s
Southern Creamery in Sarasota
won first place at a nation-wide ice
cream competition hosted by the
North American Ice Cream Association.
Elizabeth develops all of
Elizabeth Yoder
their new ice cream recipes and is
self-taught, but very knowledgeable
with how to hit the right notes with
each flavor.
Yoder’s Southern Creamery
makes old-fashioned premium
ice cream here in Sarasota. They
have over 70 flavors of ice cream
from White Chocolate Raspberry to
Cookie Butter Crunch.
You can find Yoder’s Southern
Creamery ice cream at scoop shops
all around the state of Florida, but
if you want to take some home,
you can pick up a pint or half gallon
at any of the Detwiler’s Farm Market
locations.
Their newest creation is a
creamy, dairy-free lineup. They
submitted one of their flavors
- Peanut Butter Brownie - to an ice
cream competition hosted by the
North American Ice Cream Association
and won first place.
As part of the same competition,
their Vanilla ice cream was sent to
Cornell University to be evaluated
by their ice cream and dairy experts,
along with other Vanilla flavors from
ice cream makers around the country.
Again, their flavor was awarded
the highest prize - a Blue Ribbon
Award for Excellence. More info at
www.yoderssoutherncreamery.com.
■ Julia DeCastro, a Sarasota-based
realtor, has been selected
as broker associate by The Ronto
Group for the
new Rosewood
Residences
Lido Key project
in Sarasota.
The 65-unit,
ultra-luxury
condominium
is a joint effort
of The Ronto
Julia DeCastro
Group, a Naples-based
luxury developer, and
Wheelock Street Capital, a prominent
real estate investment firm.
Construction will be completed in
2025; sales reservations begin in
December 2021.
DeCastro has been in the regional
real estate community for more
than 18 years, Her career highlights
include director-level positions
with Taubman (The Mall at University
Town Center) and Lakewood
Ranch Commercial Realty. She also
served as a regional sales director
for two development companies,
and was the director of leasing,
marketing, and land sales for Lakewood
Ranch. DeCastro also offers
expertise in luxury-branded new
construction condominium sales.
She represented The Ritz-Carlton
Residences, Sarasota, and successfully
sold and closed 73 condominium
residences priced from $2 to $10
million and valued at $285 million
in revenue. DeCastro was the
recipient of the Michael Saunders &
Company’s 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Top Achievement Award and was
the top agent in sales volume for the
company’s new homes division in
2020. Contact Julia DeCastro at 941-
812-5176 or julia@rontorealty.com.
■ The Venice Symphony has
named Holly Anderson as Director
of Philanthropy for the organization.
Anderson
will lead
efforts on donor
cultivation and
stewardship,
building strategic
business
and community
partnerships,
fundraising
Holly Anderson
campaigns,
event planning and securing grants.
She will also serve as liaison to The
Venice Symphony Chair Society.
“I am excited to join The Venice
Symphony at a time when the organization
has a boundless potential
for growth and influence,” said
Anderson. “Masterful art elevates
a community and has the power to
move an individual and to connect
people. It is a privilege to work with
such passionate and committed
patrons, board members and staff.”
Anderson comes to the Symphony
after a long career with Sarasota
County Public Libraries where she
served as Library System Coordinator
and then as branch manager at
the North Port Public Library. Prior
to that she worked for the United
Way of Sarasota County and other
non-profit organizations.
Anderson has a Bachelor of
Arts Degree from Brigham Young
University and a Master’s Degree
in Education Administration, also
from BYU. She recently received
certification in Data Analytics from
Google and IBM. “We are thrilled
to have Holly join The Venice
Symphony leadership team in this
key position,” said Christine Kasten,
President and CEO of the Symphony.
“She brings extensive development
experience and a strong commitment
to our community and has
embraced the mission and vision of
the Symphony. Holly has already
established relationships with our
patrons and created new opportunities
for The Venice Symphony to
partner with businesses and other
organizations.”
■ Janice Newman has taken on
the responsibilities of the president
of Women Contemporary Artists.
She is an artist and art educator
from Rhode Island
who moved
to Sarasota in
2016. She taught
for 40 years
in public and
private schools,
as well as at
the prestigious
Rhode Island
Janice Newman
School of Design.
Janice has served as a past
President of the Association for
Childhood Education International
in RI, and on many boards and
committees promoting the arts.
As a painter, she is best known for
capturing light and color in both
natural and figurative forms. Her
painting “Carnival Lights: The
Zipper” was awarded First Place in
WCA’s 2018 annual exhibit.
Women Contemporary Artists is
a local organization of 100+ professional
women actively engaged in
the visual fine arts. WCA’s mission
is to provide visibility, encouragement
and inspiration to women
artists. Each year WCA welcomes
women artists in the Gulf Coast
community who wish to join the
organization. Membership to the
group opens up on January 1, 2022
and runs through December 31,
2022. For information regarding
membership go to www.womencontemporaryartists.com
and click
on Memberships.
■ JMX Brands, the parent company
to the largest online store of
Amish furniture at www.dutchcrafters.com,
has hired Leslie Heller
as the inaugural
human resource
manager. The
Sarasota-based
business has
added over 20
full-time positions
in the past
year, growing
to 67 full-time
Leslie Heller
employees.
Heller brings a wealth of experience
to the company, previously
working in human resources
management at Lowe’s, Gold
Coast Eagle Distributing, Conway
Department Stores and others. As
human resource manager, Heller
works alongside CEO Jim Miller
and Business Manager Doug Tuck
to shape policy, develop talent, and
enhance company culture.
“I view human resources as an
enhancer of the human dimension
of JMX Brands, good for employees
and good for the company overall,”
said Miller. “HR should enhance
culture and engagement, strengthen
our talent pipeline, encourage
synergistic connections, and help
to keep us working productively
toward our mission.”
Heller holds a Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration
from DeVry University, a Master
of Human Resource Management
from Keller Graduate School of
Management, and is a member of
the Society of Human Resources
Management (SHRM).
Board News
■ JFCS of the Suncoast has
installed five new members to its
Board of Directors: Dr. Stacie Herrera,
Attorney Eric Kaplan, Major
Brian Meinberg, Jay Steele and
Attorney William A. Sterbinsky.
Dr. Stacie Herrera is a Florida
licensed school psychologist and the
owner of Herrera Psychology and
Telement. She has presented nationally
on topics related to gifted students
and internationally on engagement
strategies for neurodivergent
learners. Dr. Herrera currently serves
on the Board of Genius School U.S.,
the SRQ Strong Hispanic Outreach
Media Team, and on the panel for
events sponsored by the Education
Foundation of Sarasota County and
Here4Youth. She previously served
on the Manasota Board of the Family
Network on Disabilities. Dr. Herrera
holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology
and Russian studies from
Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA)
and a Doctor of Psychology degree
from Argosy University (Sarasota,
FL). She also speaks conversational
Spanish and Russian.
Attorney Eric Kaplan is a tax and
business consultant and the CEO of
Bristol Consultants. Attorney Kaplan
is also a trustee for the Louis and
Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust.
He currently serves on the Board of
the American Skin Association, Boys
and Girls Club, the Sarasota Memorial
Healthcare Foundation, the Forty
Carrots Family Center, the Sarasota
Private Trust Company and Goodwill
Industries. Eric holds a Juris Doctorate
and a Master of Laws from New
York Law School. He is a certified
public accountant in New York State.
Major Brian Meinberg is a 17-year
corrections and law enforcement
officer who serves as the Courts and
Corrections Division Commander
at the Sarasota County Sheriff’s
Office for Sheriff Kurt A Hoffman.
He oversees the strategic planning
and budget for the Sarasota County
Sheriff’s Office Inmate Welfare
Fund Board, and is a former board
member for the Sarasota County
Probationary Advisory Board. He is
also currently a board member for
First Step of Sarasota.
Major Meinberg holds a Bachelor
of Science degree in business administration
from the New York Institute
of Technology (Old Westbury, NY)
and a Master of Public Administration
degree from Florida Gulf Coast
University (Ft. Meyers, FL). He is also
a graduate of the Southern Police Institute
Command School of the University
of Louisville (2013), the Florida
Sheriff’s Association Commanders
Academy (2015), Leadership Sarasota
(2017) and the FBI Florida Executive
Development Seminar (2019).
William A. Sterbinsky, Esq:
Attorney William A. Sterbinsky is a
Marine Corps veteran who specializes
in Florida workers’ compensation,
VA claims, social security
income, social security disability and
personal injury/medical malpractice
law. He is the co-founder and
Board member for SRQ VETS, a
Board member for Vets2Success and
Manasota Veterans, and an advisory
council member for United Way
MISSION UNITED.
Sterbinsky holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in history from the University
of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
and a Juris Doctorate degree, a pro
bono certificate and an advanced
legal research, writing and drafting
certificate from the Florida Coastal
School of Law, (Jacksonville, FL)
and a Veterans Affairs accreditation.
He is the recipient of the Goodwill
Community Ambassador of the Year
Award (2017) and the Sarasota County
Veterans of the Year Award (2018).
Jay Steele is a certified school
psychologist (Pennsylvania and
New Jersey), a crisis counselor,
and a psychological test writer and
consultant for Educational Testing
Services. He is a mentor and an advisory
board member for Compeer
International and an advisory board
member for the 12th Circuit, Guardian
Ad Litem program. Mr. Steele
also volunteers at the Sarasota
Institute of Life Long Learning.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree
from Pennsylvania State University
(Centre County, PA), a Masters of Education
degree from Temple University
(Philadelphia, PA) and a second
Master’s degree equivalent from Rider
College (Lawrence Township, NJ).
For more information, visit
https://JFCS-Cares.org/ or call (941)
366-2224.
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14 WEST COAST WOMAN DECEMBER 2021