Living Arts Festival Sarasota

An actual, living, breathing farm boy from Ohio, 
Jeffery Kin came to Sarasota in 1991 after receiving his 
BFA in Performing Arts and enjoying some years as a performer in NYC. Quickly establishing himself as a 
go-to talent for the region’s theatre organizations, he 
would eventually go on to lead The Players Theatre as 
their Producing Artistic Director. For 15 years, Kin led 
the organization through acclaimed seasons, coordinated and implemented year-round programming, helped boost its donor and patron base, and altogether
 served as the smiling, enthusiastic face of the 
organization to the arts-loving Sarasota region. As a well-loved, energetic collaborator with a limitless 
can-do attitude, he was a natural choice to lead 
Sarasota Rising’s formation, stewarding it from 
conception to the launch of its marquee festival in 2024.

Jeffery says: “Everyone always tells me that I have ‘expectant father’ energy when they see me work. I think it’s because I really give everything I have to make sure me and my team are prepared for anything. I think it’s also because I’m as comfortable swinging a hammer as I am engaging with donors.”

Originally from Newport, Rhode Island, Sandi served as an executive at a network-affiliated television station before pursuing new opportunities along the cultural west coast of Florida. She quickly established herself as a digital and television manager at the Herald Tribune, a position she held under the ownership of the renowned New York Times.

Sandi’s exceptional skills and dedication to her work did not go unnoticed, as she was honored with the elite President Club status during her tenure at Comcast Spotlight. Her outstanding business development and growth contributions set her apart from her peers.

In addition to her professional business experience, Sandi has performed on many stages, including those in the Sarasota area. She has been a member of Actor’s Equity Association for 45 years.

President and Founder of one of the world’s finest classical artist management firms, New Century Artists, Scott George brought the finest American talents to the concert and opera stages of the world.

Upon moving to Sarasota from New York in 1998, he produced “The Grand Finale” for the Sarasota Opera starring Barbara Cook, which netted 1.3 million dollars, followed by two consecutive galas for the Asolo Theatre Company featuring Broadway stars Rebecca Luker, Davis Gaines and Howard McGillin. On October 6, 2006, he produced the Opening Gala for the historic 1789 Asolo Theatre at the Ringling Museum– starring Met diva Susan Graham. In 2010, he chaired the American Cancer Society’s “Cattle Baron’s Ball” in Sarasota,. He was Chief Development Officer for CAN, and after a sojourn in Vero Beach, returned to his real home, Sarasota.

As the founder of Cool Today and current Vice President of Business Development for the Wrench Group, Jaime has the kind of entrepreneurial energy and business acumen Sarasota Rising needs to make sure the numbers all add up. Now, he will use that skill set to make sure our arts festival leads to meaningful economic uplift for area businesses.

Drew Deininger has been an integral part of Sarasota Rising since its inception, bringing over 15 years of experience and passion for the arts to the organization. A seasoned stage and film actor, Drew made his local debut as a singing, dancing zombie at the Players Theatre, showcasing his unique blend of talent and enthusiasm. Beyond performing, he has also contributed his expertise behind the scenes, managing both stage and house operations.

As a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, Drew’s professional acting career includes a notable debut as an actor and technical advisor in the Kevin Bacon film Taking Chance. His deep understanding of the entertainment industry, both on and off the stage, adds a valuable perspective to Sarasota Rising.

In addition to his artistic contributions, Drew brings a wealth of business acumen to the organization. Before retiring, he served as Director of a Fortune 500 business unit, where he managed a $33 million annual budget and led a team of 249 employees in a 24/7 operation. His leadership experience and strategic insight are instrumental in supporting Sarasota Rising’s mission and growth.

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Bill Sarazen brings over 40 years of educational expertise and a lifelong dedication to the Florida Gulf Coast theater community to our board.

With a strong background in education and music, Bill spent four decades teaching and innovating within Sarasota County Schools. During his tenure, he championed arts access by creating a self-sustaining elementary theater arts program that operated at minimal cost to the district. He also led impactful scholarship initiatives and spearheaded instructional technology development for his fellow educators.

Beyond the classroom, Bill has been a cornerstone of local theater. For 30 years, he has been an integral part of the Sarasota Players, where he served on the Board of Directors, performed in beloved roles like Uncle Fester in The Addams Family Musical, and launched the organization’s first summer workshop for children. His commitment to youth arts also extends to the Venice Theatre, where he served as the inaugural director of the Theater for Young People educational program.

An active performer and advocate, Bill has graced stages across the region, including those of the Golden Apple Dinner Theater and the Manatee Players. He continues his community leadership today by serving on the Board of Directors for Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota.

Robyn Marie Holl brings a rare blend of artistic vision and hands-on community leadership to the Sarasota Rising board. As a talented painter, seasoned curator, and passionate advocate for local creativity, she understands both what it takes to bring people together through art and what it means to give artists a place to thrive.

She holds an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and a BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Her work, characterized by vivid color and movement, has been exhibited across the country and internationally. Since April 2022, Robyn has served as Cultural Curator at Sarasota’s Art Ovation Hotel, designing immersive arts experiences from the ground up. She manages a rotating roster of resident and featured artists, curates exhibitions, and builds lasting relationships with community leaders and creatives across the region. The role embodies the heart of Sarasota Rising—uniting artists, audiences, and the wider community in a shared celebration of the arts.

Robyn’s experience extends well beyond Florida. She spent nearly four years as a Visual Arts Program Coordinator in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading creative workshops for young people and forging partnerships with schools and universities. Robyn’s own journey and creations have been featured in multiple publications.

We’re thrilled to welcome Robyn Holl to the Sarasota Rising team, where her creativity and dedication will help our Cultural Coast shine year-round.

Lynne Bernfield, MA, LMFT, is a celebrated psychotherapist, author, playwright, and longtime champion of creative life who brings decades of experience to the organization’s mission of strengthening theatre, music, dance, and visual arts across the Cultural Coast. Her career spans more than 40 years as a licensed psychotherapist, first in California beginning in 1982 and in Florida since 1995. She founded The Writers and Artists Institute in Studio City, California, where she worked with actors, musicians, dancers, and writers navigating the emotional demands of creative careers. From 2010 to 2024, she created and hosted the “Anatomy of an Artist” podcast, interviewing hundreds of people who make a living and a life with art.

Her creative work runs just as deep. She is the author of “When You Can You Will” (Berkley/Putnam) and the mystery “Mahjongg and Murder,” a playwright of two original one-woman shows, and a singer-songwriter. A familiar face in the community, Lynne has appeared on MySuncoast TV and served on the board of Sarasota Jewish Theatre and the advisory board of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.

“I have spent my life among artists, and I know how much a thriving arts community depends on the people who support it,” said Lynne Bernfield. “Joining Sarasota Rising is a joy. I look forward to helping our organizations reach new audiences and to helping young people discover the arts.”

Diane Cepeda is a communications and theatre arts graduate from Heidelberg College in Ohio. Since moving to Sarasota in 2017, she has collaborated with numerous arts organizations throughout the area as a production manager, stage manager, and director. Diane is excited to bring her passion and experience to her new role with Sarasota Rising.

Tamara is so excited to join Sarasota Rising, where she can utilize her entrepreneurial skills and background as a professional youth educator. Tamara’s has 20 years of experience as the business owner and Children’s Theatre Program Director with Drama Kids of Manasota. Tamara served over 350 students per year throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties and earned the $150K Achievement Award multiple years in a row with Drama Kids International. In addition, Drama Kids of Manasota was voted Reader’s Choice for Best After-School Program by Florida Family Magazine. Tamara is also a local actress and resource teacher who loves working with young people. She has additional experience as a Thespians Adjudicator, “Embracing our Differences” volunteer, and was Fruitville Elementary’s PTO Volunteer Coordinator. Finally, Tamara enjoyed being an active Big Sister of Big Brothers/ Big Sisters for seven years, and a volunteer “Big Buddy” for The Mark Wandall Foundation. Prior to moving to Sarasota, Tamara worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, West Africa, where she met her husband, Mike. She looks forward to bringing her knowledge of the arts, youth organizations and the education community together at Sarasota Rising.

Sonja Shea is a New Jersey transplant who has been in Sarasota for over twenty years now. She is a decorated student with a BA from the University of South Florida, a master’s in museum studies from John Hopkins University, and a completed graduate certificate from Wesleyan University’s Institute of Curatorial Practice in Performance program. Sonja’s vast experience in the arts in her fifteen years at The Ringling Museum ranges from beginning as a part-time Accounting Assistant to Assistant Performance Producer.

She has curated and produced performance programs and art exhibitions for the museum, assisted with all creative and program planning for the performance season at the Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, and created and implemented performance related community engagement programming, to name but a few of her accomplishments. Her passion for utilizing the arts as an agent for social change and her love for performance pervades all the work she does.

For 20 years, Vern produced community festivals and assisted with major events such as the Super Bowl and Grand Prix, for the cities of Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona. In 2006, Vern became a faculty associate at Arizona State University teaching special event courses in a certificate program he co-created while completing doctoral studies in community development and resources. By 2014, Dr. Biaett found himself at High Point University in North Carolina creating a Bachelor of Arts degree as an assistant professor and founding chair of the event management department. His academic work includes several publications and international conference presentations.

As a 30-year active member of the International Festivals & Events Association, Vern earned status as a Certified Festival and Event Executive, was a founder and past-president of the Arizona Festivals & Events Association chapter, and served on the IFEA President’s Council and Foundation. Throughout his career, Vern has consulted with a variety of event organizations including numerous cities, as well as most notably, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, North Carolina Folk Festival, and the Riverside, Scottsdale, and John Coltrane jazz festivals.