Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is pleased to welcome ten members to the Voting Board of Directors. GFA warmly welcomes Cindy Banua, Sean Patrick Bevil, Kimberli Cummings, Eileen Goldenberg, Rebecca Hagen, Charlie Kemmerer, Jacob Labutka, Maxine Stull and Jenn Versaggi to its esteemed Board of Directors. Eric Page was elected to a second term on the Board. Cindy will serve as Board Secretary this year.
Let’s take a closer look at the accomplished individuals who have joined the Board or been elected to officer positions:
Cindy Banua – New Board Member and incoming Secretary:
As a (architectrual/interior) designer, Cindy manages all aspects of projects from documentation to installation and has worked with Art programs and galleries. As Co-chair, she grew her understanding of the planning, logistics and funding required for large scale arts projects.
Sean Patrick Bevil – New Board Member:
Sean is an attorney with Shumaker, but its his love of the arts that bring him to GFA. As musician (piano, singing), Sean appreciates the value that art can bring to enrich a person’s life. He is drawn to GFA because he wished to support the Tampa Bay area’s artists and to provide our local community with a vital cultural asset in the annual festival.
Kimberli Cummings – New Board Member:
Kimberli is an award-winning studio artist (ceramics), and was a Local Artist Spotlight featured artist at the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. Community engagement is most important to Kimberli, and she has spent her life connecting with people in the arts and local politics. I enjoy reaching out to elected officials for help and guidance when the need calls. Kimberli earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of South Florida, she performed in sitcoms, commercials, theatre productions, and taught acting for several years before leaning heavily into clay in 1991.
Eileen Goldenberg – New Board Member
A practicing artist, Eileen has attended the festival since the ’70’s, and purchased her very first artwork there. She has created public art pieces and donated many works for charity auctions.She has written and illustrated a children’s book and illustrated three others. Eileen donates more than her talent, she donates time by working with Equality Florida, Planned Parenthood, Tampa Aids Network, St. Joseph’s Hospital and many others. She feels privileged to be able to give back to the community.
Rebecca Hagen – New Board Member:
Rebecca is a professional graphic designer, former college professor and published author. She has been a GFA volunteer since 2018 when she helped the Load-In/Load Out team with the Artist Information Packet. She designed and built the new GFA website, which was launched ahead of the 54th Annual Festival. When she isn’t at her computer working on client projects, Rebecca dabbles in photography, drawing (pastel), calligraphy, watercolor painting and paper crafts.
Charlie Kemmerer – New Board Member:
Charlie is the President of CRMPlus Consulting, Inc,, a business consulting firm specializing in Client Resource Management. For the past year he served as a member of the Development, Marketing, and the Unofficial Technology committees as well as serving as the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Collectors Krewe committee and Board advisor. Charlie is passionate about the festival’s commitment to promoting and celebrating the arts in our community.
Jacob Labutka – New Board Member:
Jacob Labutka s planning manager for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and brings extensive grant writing skills to GFA. Jacob is a long-time volunteer, sharing his talents and enthusiasm with the Planning Committee and Artist Hospitality. He looks forward to serving on the board with the organization that has deepened his passion for fostering a local culture that values and supports artists.
Eric Page – Re-Elected Board Member:
Eric Page is an attorney at Shutts & Bowen, LLP in Tampa. His love of the arts comes from growing up in a home where the arts, in many different forms, played a major part in family life. A returning board member, Eric attended his first festival in 2004. He’s been attending and making art purchases ever since, Eric has been a member of the Collector’s Krewe and currently heads GFA’s Development Committee.
Maxine Stull – New Board Member:
Maxine Stull is a third-generation Tampa native and real-estate professional, and she knows that a community’s cultural offerings are a key element to a community’s desirability. Maxine has watched GFA grow from a sidewalk art show in the 1970s to the vibrant cultural festival it is today. With her extensive connections, she is excited to work with the Development Committee to bring in new avenues of support for GFA.
Jenn Versaggi – New Board Member:
An insurance industry professional, Jennifer Versaggi is a long-time volunteer with GFA and was a Co-Chair of the 54th Annual Festival. Her professional and volunteer activities have given her extensive experience in fundraising and risk management. She has worked with, and lead, the GFA Load-in/Load out committee since 2018, and will be working with the Development Committee going into our 55th year.
GFA would also like to express its heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing leadership, who have played pivotal roles in GFA’s achievements.
Karen Price, outgoing President; Jeff Nader, outgoing Vice President (now President); and Sandra Sroka, outgoing Treasurer, have provided dynamic and committed leadership to the organization. The Festival Co-Chairs, Adam Nichols, and Cindy Banua and Jenn Versaggi, deserve special recognition for their passion and dedication in making GFA 54 a record-breaking year.
The flavor and success of the 54th Annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts were captured in our Festival Recap Video. View the video on our YouTube channel.
