The people behind the doors.

Lana served on the ALSO Youth Board for six years, finishing her term in 2022. Since then she has stayed an active volunteer on our committees, helping plan events like our annual Inclusive Prom and our Art Exhibit and Auction.

Lana spent more than 20 years as a manager for Sarasota County Government before retiring in 2019. Outside of volunteering and work, Lana shares her time with her wife, Bonnie.

Renee grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and Birmingham, Alabama, but Sarasota was the place she wanted to come back to during the pandemic, with her wife and her dogs at her side.

She earned her master's degree in urban planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has used it to build a career as a strategist for a startup that uses artificial intelligence to improve transit systems.

Renee travels often for work, but she still makes volunteering for ALSO Youth a priority. When she is not traveling or volunteering, you will most likely find her birding, riding her bike around the city, or reading mysteries in her pool.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Auburn University and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Minnesota.

After an early career as an actor and stage manager in New York, Mark started a new adventure in nonprofit management and fundraising, with roles at Miami City Ballet, Arizona Theatre Company, and Miami Dade College. Today he helps nonprofits plan how to fund their missions.

Mark moved to Sarasota in 2021 with his husband, John, and their husky, Dash. His past board service includes New World School of the Arts, Philanthropy Miami, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Matthew has lived in Sarasota since 2021 and is proud to be part of the fourth generation of his family to come to Sarasota, a tradition of almost 50 years. He is originally from the Midwest: born in Iowa and raised in Chicago.

Today Matthew is an advisor, investor, and educator for food and beverage start-ups, venture capital firms, and university students. Before semi-retiring, he had a long international career with the Coca-Cola Company, working in more than 20 countries in mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, research and development, and finance. Most recently he was SVP of Emerging Growth, a group he created and founded in Tokyo, Japan.

In his free time, Matthew is an avid runner and traveler, and a proud fan of Duke University basketball (his alma mater). He also holds an MBA from the University of South Carolina.

Mike is a man of the world. He started life on the west coast of the U.S., then went to Germany while serving in the Army.

He earned his bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Seton Hall in New Jersey, then his MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix. His career took him to companies in Connecticut, New York, and Florida, working in IT auditing, project management, and data privacy.

Mike was thrilled to finish his career in Florida and retire in Sarasota in 2021. He started volunteering with ALSO Youth in 2022 and joined the board in 2023.

Steve owns GBF Fitness in Sarasota, where he works as an ISSA-certified personal trainer and nutritionist and an ICF-certified life coach. Inspired by his own journey of losing more than 100 pounds and staying sober for the long term, his mission is to help people see that fitness can be supportive, inclusive, and even fun.

Steve is passionate about creating spaces where LGBTQ+ people feel safe, seen, and empowered to care for their health. He believes strong communities are built by lifting one another up, which is why he is proud to serve on the ALSO Youth Board of Directors.

When he is not coaching clients, you will usually find him playing with his dog, Remy, traveling with his husband, Scott, working out, or taking on new adventures around Florida and beyond.

Caitlin is the Operations Manager at the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, where they love building the systems and processes that help organizations thrive and stay focused on their mission. Their background includes roles with Florida State Parks, Lee County Parks and Recreation, and ALSO Youth.

A lifelong Floridian, Caitlin grew up in Central Florida, went to college in Fort Myers, worked all over the state, and now proudly calls Sarasota home. Outside of work, they enjoy hiking, painting, studying entomology, learning new words, and volunteering with ALSO Youth.

Caitlin is honored to serve on the board after experiencing firsthand the life-changing impact of finding community through ALSO Youth. With a lifelong passion for working with youth, they are committed to making sure LGBTQ+ young people have the resources, support, and sense of belonging every person deserves.

Leanndra is an educator, author, advocate, and the founder of Exclusive Insights, where she helps families navigate school systems and get the resources their children need to thrive.

She earned a BA in Elementary Education and a BA in Special Education from Goshen College, and an MA in Educational Leadership from Wright State University.

Leanndra has called Sarasota home for the past five years, but her grandparents bought property here more than 30 years ago, so Sarasota was her second home growing up. It was always her dream to raise her own family here.

Leanndra is passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces where every young person feels seen, supported, and empowered. She is honored to serve on the ALSO Youth Board.

For Seth, ALSO Youth's mission is personal. Growing up as an LGBTQ+ teen in a small Southern community, he knows how important it is to feel like you belong. The adults who supported and included him during those years inspired him to be that person for someone else, helping young people feel seen, find their place, and recognize all they have to offer the world.

Seth moved to Sarasota in 2016 to work in communications for Sarasota County Government. His career has spanned television news, NASA public affairs, local government, and media technology. He brings his experience in storytelling, marketing and communications to the board.

Outside of work, Seth loves traveling, trying new cuisines, Sarasota's beaches, and the local arts scene. He's especially fond of the Sarasota Ballet and rarely misses a performance.