PHOTOS: Melissa Parker, SDMC Communications Department

Dr. Laurie Breslin is closing out her first school year as superintendent with a clear sense of purpose. In this conversation with NEXTGEN Family Magazine, she talks about her own journey into education, what she looks for in strong schools, and why preparing students for what comes after graduation remains central to the work ahead. 

NG: You‘ve shared that you didn‘…

WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

Karen Corbin’s journey into Bradenton’s nonprofit world started with a knock on the door. A neighbor had smelled a possible gas leak outside Karen’s house. They got talking, and Karen explained her current situation. She’d recently moved to Florida from Connecticut and was looking for work.

She’d met the right neighbor. The woman worked for the Selby Foundation in Sarasota and offered to help …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

If you believe that everything happens for a reason, then it’s clear that for the past 11 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County’s (BGCMC) CEO, Dawn Stanhope, is exactly where she is meant to be.    

“We did not have Boys & Clubs where I grew up, so I was not part of the organization as a kid and wasn’t familiar with it as …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

Manatee Education Foundation (MEF) President Mary Glass knows that when it comes to leadership transitions, timing is everything. 

“I’ve been quietly interviewing for my replacement for years,” she said. “From the moment Kathy Price expressed interest, we started chatting, and when the time was right, I knew I had found the right person.”   

The Manatee Schools Foundation was established as part of the Manatee County …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

Leah Brown’s journey has taken her from Hometown Queen to Community Champion. Long before she was the visionary behind some of the Southeast Region’s most vibrant celebrations, she was a proud Manatee High School Hurricane—Homecoming Queen, Class of 1997—with a heart for service and a natural flair for bringing people together. Her love for community and tradition was already shining through, especially after high school. …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

As I reached out to family, friends, and colleagues for a quote about Eleni Sokos for this article, it became clear very quickly that she is well respected and loved in our community, and the passion in the quotes I received left me feeling like I couldn’t have said it better myself.

It was a gorgeous day on St. Armands Circle when I sat down …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

When I sat down to chat with Maribeth Phillips, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee (MOW), she was in the midst of handling their Stuff The Bus event, providing meals and supplies for our community after two back-to-back devastating hurricanes, prepping (and promoting on The Suncoast View television show) for their annual fundraiser Empty Bowls in Lakewood Ranch,  gathering wrapping paper …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

The Honorable Shirley Groover Bryant, Mayor of Palmetto, has called the city home her entire life. As the youngest of six, Mayor Shirley, as most locals call her, spent much of her childhood helping in the family business, Groover’s Grocery, and now has her office near to the home where she was born and raised.  

She graduated from Palmetto High School and Manatee Community College …

WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst 

On her 19th birthday, Veronica Thames (then Veronica Lequeux) boarded a plane and reluctantly said goodbye to her old life. Tears flowed in this movie-like scene, with her friends and boyfriend waving her off at the bottom of the escalator. She traded the cool winter of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires for the comparably sleepy town of Boca Raton, Florida, in sauna-like July. It was …

WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst

Station Manager Charles Clapsaddle, along with his Manatee Education Television (METV) staff and board members, have created a legacy here in Manatee County that will transcend time. 

Before moving to Bradenton, Charles lived in Washington, DC, where he worked as a television production manager for the US Army. “My 11-year career working with the Army was very rewarding,” said Charles. “It gave me the opportunity …

WORDS: Gabrielle Versmessen

First opening its doors in 1989, Pace Center for Girls was established in Manatee County and has since served over 1,500 girls locally. They provide holistic social, academic, and career-building services for middle and high-school-aged girls who have fallen behind in their academics for a myriad of reasons. 

Their first facility was located on Manatee Avenue with two portables in the back. Then, in 1995, they built …

MAIN PICTURE: Wendy Dewhurst

I became a member of the Manatee County community on July 3rd, my first day of work as superintendent of schools. It has been a wonderful three months. The warm welcome I received has made the professional and personal transition much easier, and I believe it’s also one reason Manatee County is growing so much—this is a wonderful place for families to live, learn, …

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

From being a guitarist in a moderately successful punk rock band in England to becoming the Chief Executive Officer of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Andrew Sandall has had quite the assorted road to his current role. 

Beginning his museum journey in 1992, Andrew started as a curatorial assistant at his local history museum in Boston, England. At that time, he had no …

A Lasting Legacy!

By almost any conceivable standard a school district can be measured, Superintendent Saunders’ five-year tenure as superintendent has been a rousing success. 

Since being sworn in as superintendent on June 26, 2018, she has been a difference-maker. 

Leadership in a Crisis 

When the COVID-19 global pandemic broke out in early 2020, Ms. Saunders presided over one of the most challenging periods in the school district’s history.  

Working …