Scholarships Manager Selected for Sarasota Chamber's Leadership Sarasota

SARASOTA, FL – The Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Scholarships Manager, Kay Carrington, was selected to participate in Leadership Sarasota, a program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. She is one of 53 members of the Class of 2023.

The Leadership Sarasota program is an opportunity for its participants to learn more about our community, develop leadership skills, and network with other leaders across sectors in the region. The program selects those candidates with a demonstrated interest in leadership and welfare of the community.

In her role at the Community Foundation, Carrington, 28, oversees the operations and delivery of the Foundation’s multifaceted scholarships program. From creating applications, interfacing with donors, to ensuring finances are delivered to higher learning institutions, Carrington said she finds the work rewarding.

“I get to see direct impact on individuals—it’s not one of those things that takes time to develop. I get to see that they’re going to college, fulfilling their next goal,” she said.

The Leadership Sarasota program is, for Carrington, a way to improve her own capacity for service. It is an important vehicle for exposure to different facets of the community and how they integrate, as well as opportunities that are available in the area. This she sees as vital, both for the public she serves—primarily learners of all ages—and for the Foundation’s community impact goals more broadly.

“Gaining insights on our area will help me better serve our community,” she said. “I can only help more if I know more about the community.”

Carrington also looks forward to honing her own leadership skills and style through participation in the program.

“I’m a young leader. I need more opportunities to develop as a leader and see different leadership styles. It’s not just learning about this area, but a chance to become a stronger leader, not only in my organization, but in the community,” she said.

Carrington moved to Bradenton from Michigan in 2006 upon her parents’ retirement and attended high school at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Carrington holds a bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Miami, with minor concentrations in Biology, Arabic Studies, and Religious Studies.

As a youngster, Carrington frequently vacationed in Florida. She comes from a four-generation legacy of Sarasota-Manatee residents. Her great-grandparents “were the original snowbirds before World War II,” straddling residency between Lido Key and Michigan. Her grandparents also preceded her parents in retiring in the region.

She has fond memories of family vacations on the Suncoast, from the beaches to the Mixon Fruit Farm, where she would enjoy orange ice cream. Now she looks forward to bringing her experience and leadership to new heights in the hopes of creating more positive impact in the community.

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About the Community Foundation of Sarasota County: The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded in 1979 by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council as a resource for caring individuals and the causes they support, enabling them to make a charitable impact on the community. With assets of $520 million in more than 1,570 charitable funds, the Community Foundation awarded grants and scholarships totaling $27.5 million dollars last year in the areas of education, the arts, health and human services, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Since its founding, the Community Foundation has been able to grant more than $350 million to area nonprofit organizations to our community thanks to the generosity of charitable individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit www.CFSarasota.org or call (941) 955-3000.