| Board
Members - List |
| Chairman:
David Beaton |
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David Beaton, Chairman of the WSLR Board.
David currently works as an adjunct Professor in Film
at Manatee Community College. He is the founder of Media
Process Group, a Chicago video production company, a
former member of IBEW Local 1220, and has been a college
and NPR board operator at Michigan State University,
Western Michigan University and the College of William
and Mary.
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Vice-Chairman:
Jason Boehk
Jason Boehk, WSLR
Board Member. Jason has a B.A. in History from Brown
University (1991). His professional experience includes
energy conservation auditing, environmental media
production, and political campaign management.
A volunteer environmental
health advocate, Boehk founded the Florida Alliance
for Safe Foods, a grassroots advocacy organization
that educates consumers on the hazards of genetically
engineered foods.
In 2002, alarmed about
our increasingly imperiled civil liberties, Boehk
initiated a community effort in Sarasota to have the
city government pass a resolution opposing portions
of the so-called "USA PATRIOT Act."
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| The
multipartisan coalition succeeded, and on October 20,
2003, the City of Sarasota became the 181st jurisdiction
in the US to approve such a resolution. Boehk's grassroots
activism continues, and he believes that WSLR will play
a vital role in improving our community and giving a voice
to our people. |
|
Station Manager: Arlene Sweeting |
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Arlene Sweeting, Station Manager. Arlene taught public
school for 7 years in Manatee County and was a Candidate
for the Florida State House of Representatives in 2000
and 2002, receiving the endorsement of the Sierra Club,
the local Green Party, the Florida League of Conservation
Voters, the Manatee Education Association, and the Florida
Consumer Action Network. She has served as County Chair
of the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition
Committee and was appointed to serve on the Steering
Committee of the County’s Visioning Process. She
is co-owner and manager of Fogartyville Café.
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| Board
Member: Amy Dawn |
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Amy Dawn is a Florida native and
has resided in Sarasota for the past four years. While
setting roots in Sarasota she became a radioactive volunteer/fundraiser
for WMNF, Tampa. Now established with WSLR, Amy Dawn
has been co-host of “Rise Up and Shine”
with her partner, Greg, for over a year. “I firmly
believe volunteerism is the key component of change
in our communities and in our world. I encourage all
people to connect with what is important to them, and
express it.”
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Amy
Dawn is currently employed with Whole Foods Market,
Sarasota, and hobbies include being a racing team member
of “Stiletto” Catamarans.
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Board Member: Sarah Kell |
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Sarah
Kell, WSLR Board Member. Sarah is a recent graduate
of New College of Florida and is currently pursuing
graduate studies at the University of South Florida
in Nonprofit Management. She currently works with the
Florida Community Loan Fund. She also does side work
for the American Forum, a media reform organization
out of DC. |
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| Board
Member: Gary Olson |
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Gary Olson was born in Chicago and spent his entire life
in Illinois and Wisconsin until 1997 when he began retirement
and achieved his dream of escaping the cold and living
in Florida. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
Communications and a Master of Science degree in Radio
and Television from the University of Illinois.
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| During and after
college Gary worked for 3 major universities and 2 television
stations producing, directing and performing facilities
planning and program development functions prior to switching
into sales of television components. |
| He
then moved into positions in marketing and sales management
with Sony, Panasonic and NEC. After working for these
leading corporations he formed his own company to act
as a sales rep selling video products to business, educational,
medical and CATV customers in 7 Midwestern states.
Gary currently plans events for a
local boys shelter, teaches computer classes, acts as
treasurer for his homeowners association, plays Senior
Softball and commodores the Sarasota Boat Club in addition
to working with WSLR. |
| Board Member:
Catherine McCarthy |
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Catherine
McCarthy, was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and have
lived in Florida for ten years. I study British and
American literature at New College of Florida. I have
been a dj at WPRK in Winter Park and last fall on WSLR
(I studied in Florence, Italy for the spring term).
I have been writing for the St. Petersburg Times for
four years and interned twice there, including this
summer, and at the Weekly Planet and Raymond James Bank.
I have been on staff of New College's paper two of the
three semesters I have been on campus and receive the
St. Petersburg Times Career Journalism Scholarship.
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| I feel
my commitment to public accessibility to information is
why I am so drawn to WSLR's mission. I think New College's
participation in the growth and maintenance of WSLR is
vital to its success. New College is a vital part of the
Sarasota community and I want to see students taking an
active role in the station each semester. |
| Board
Member: Tomara Kafka |
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Tomara Kafka
has lived in the Sarasota area for more than 35 years.
She has been a professional writer and editor for 25
years and worked in a variety of communications such
as journalist, photojournalist, managing editor, non-fiction
book editor, and communications coordinator for both
the City of Sarasota and Sarasota County Government.
Tomara currently works as a freelance
storyteller and is an adjunct English professor for
Manatee Community College. She is working toward a master’s
degree in Creative Writing from the University of South
Florida, Tampa. Her bachelor’s degree is in writing
from Eckerd College, in St. Petersburg. |
| Tomara's
avocations are civic activism, songwriting, and fiction
writing. She has served on the board of directors of
the Bayou Oaks Neighborhood Association for eight years.
She is currently working on a novel and has had two
short stories published, one awarded second place in
a regional short story contest. She has published several
poems, and she writes songs some of which are performed
by Radio-Free Carmela and the Transmitters.
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| Julie Morris is
the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at New
College of Florida. She divides her time between general
academic administration and work at the New College's
Environmental Studies Program, where she has coordinated
and directed programs since 1981. Julie lives within walking
distance of WSLR, and has been active in local community
councils and advisory boards since the late 1970’s.
She is married to Jono Miller, and they have a college-aged
son, Corley. Julie has explored most of the south west
Florida coasts and rivers by canoe, and relaxes by watching
birds and studying local plants. |
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