Board of Trustees

Joel Morganroth, M.D.
Chair

Dr. Joel Morganroth has been a resident of Sarasota for 10 years residing on Siesta Key with his wife Gail and serves as a Trustee of the Ringling College of Art and Design and the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Foundation. Hailing from Philadelphia, he is an academic cardiologist with his primary research focus on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. He is a specialist in the field of cardiovascular drug development and currently serves as the Chief Cardiac Consultant for ERT, a global clinical research organization that determines the cardiac and pulmonary safety of new drugs as well as patient reported outcomes. Dr. Morganroth’s experience includes memberships on Data Monitoring Committees in clinical trials for the National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Administration and several major Pharmaceutical companies. For over a decade he was a Medical Review Officer/Expert for the Food and Drug Administration and has also served in a similar capacity for Health Canada and has been an advisor to several European regulators. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians, Councils of Clinical Cardiology and Atherosclerosis of the American Heart Association, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, and has served on the editorial boards of several journals. He has published more than 350 articles and over two dozen books.

Teri A Hansen
Vice Chair

Teri A Hansen manages the daily work of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation as its president and CEO. Teri has more than 30 years of experience in philanthropic leadership. Prior to joining the Barancik Foundation, she was president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. During her 13-year tenure the foundation awarded nearly $200 million in grants and initiatives. She was vice president for gift planning and donor relations at The Cleveland Foundation, the oldest and one of the largest community foundations in the United States. Teri volunteers her leadership nationally, statewide, and regionally. Currently, she serves on the Ringling College of Art and Design board as its secretary, the board of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens as its vice chair, the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce board as its vice chair, the board of Southwest Florida YMCA, and is a director on the board of Gulfside Bank.

Ali Bahaj
Trustee

Daniel “Pat” Ball
Trustee

Daniel “Pat” Ball is a third generation Floridian and a Sarasota native. In 1974, he founded Ball Construction, specializing in custom homes and historic preservation projects. Notable projects have included the relocation of the original Asolo Theater, restoration of the Revere Quality House, and window, woodwork and terra cotta restoration of Ca’d’Zan, the John and Mabel Ringling home. Other projects include restoration of historic structures at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center, the Hermitage Artist Retreat and Historic Spanish Point. In 2007 Pat received the Florida AIA Mellon C. Greeley Craftsman Award for implementing the work of the region’s leading architects. Pat is the former chair of the board of Gulf Coast Heritage Association. He is an avid boating enthusiast. Pat and his wife Judy have two children and three grandchildren.

Aaron Bellamy
Trustee

Aaron Bellamy is a Sarasota native who currently serves as the Youth and Family Advocate Manager with the Safe Children Coalition Residential Program.  He was a member of the Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Heritage Association, Inc., the governing body for Historic Spanish Point prior to the campus becoming part of Selby Gardens in May 2020.  He previously served on Selby Gardens’ Advisory Committee, is the past Worshipful Master of Sarasota Masonic Lodge 314, and currently serves on the City of Sarasota Police Advisory Panel.

Morgan Bentley
Trustee

Morgan Bentley is managing partner of the law firm Bentley Goodrich Kison. A highly regarded trial attorney, he focuses the majority of his practice on complex business litigation matters, and his experience extends to real estate disputes, including land use and zoning. Morgan is active in a variety of professional and civic organizations. He is a former president of the Sarasota County Bar Association and a former member of the board of governors of The Florida Bar.

Mary Braxton-Joseph 
Trustee

Mary Braxton-Joseph is an Emmy-award winning journalist and media consultant who has worked in both the United States and South Africa.  Mary has served as Senior Advisor for Media Relations and Public Affairs for the Council on Foundations and Manager of Community Affairs and Editorials for WJLA-TV 7, the ABC network affiliate in Washington, D.C. She has won numerous awards for editorial excellence and television programming. A civic activist, Mary currently serves on the board of Asolo Repertory Theatre as Chair of the Illumination Advisory Committee, which promotes post-show conversations on race, gender, and cultural intersection.

Ariane Dart
Trustee

Ariane Dart has been active at Selby Gardens since becoming a member in 2011. Her support was instrumental in building the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden. In addition, she has been a regular Orchid Ball sponsor, Series sponsor and chair for Lunch in the Gardens, and provided consistent support for all of the Jean & Alfred Goldstein Art Exhibition Series. A philanthropist in every sense of the word, Ariane supports and has served on the boards of Forty Carrots Family Center, Out-of-Door Academy, Sarasota Memorial Health Care Foundation, and other community organizations.

Hosana Fieber
Trustee

Hosana Fieber is an executive who serves as the CEO of Tervis, a national drinkware company. Prior to being named CEO in 2023, Fieber held other positions within the company such as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. With a strong background in finance and accounting, before she began her career at Tervis, Hosana worked in public accounting, her latest experience at Dixon-Hughes in Charlotte, NC. Hosana currently serves as a board member for the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation.

Renée James Gilmore
Trustee

Renée James Gilmore is the Executive Producer of Empowering Voices on ABC7 and a fourth generation Sarasotan. She owns Saja Group, LLC and makes it her mission to help communities and businesses benefit from inclusion and cultural diversity. She has worked in public and private sectors leading national multibillion-dollar business initiatives and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for achievements in capacity-building and innovative programming.  As the chairwoman of the citizens advisory board at Sarasota National Cemetery, she works with other volunteers to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by U.S. military troops who died for the freedoms Americans enjoy. 

Jean Weidner Goldstein
Trustee

Jean Weidner Goldstein is a former principal dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet. A native of South Africa, Jean founded Sarasota Ballet and co-founded Designing Women Boutique. Jean and her late husband, Al, are major donors to the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden and the founders of the Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Jean helped found the Lunch in the Gardens series and served on the Selby Gardens Advisory Committee.

Marcy Klein
Trustee

Marcy Klein and her husband, Michael, moved to Florida in 2010. Marcy directs her energy, with her family, through non-profit organizations focused on medical research, education, feeding the hungry, and the environment. She is passionate about nature, golf, crafting, and photography. Before moving to Florida, Marcy owned and operated a small business for 17 years.

Katherine A. Martucci
Trustee

Katherine A. Martucci and her husband, Frank, are avid art collectors. They collect 19th century American landscape paintings and have donated many of their art works to several major museums. Katherine has served on the Executive Committee of the Garden Club of America, as well as other philanthropic boards and not for profit organizations. Katherine is a graduate of William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa where she received a BA in Elementary Education and an honorary doctorate degree. She taught school for several years in Iowa and in New York City before retiring to raise her family. While raising her children she co-founded “The Country Life”, an antiques business focusing on American country furniture. She also continues with her volunteer commitments and serves on the Advisory Board of the Northeast Community Center in Millerton, NY, as well as the board of Children First in Sarasota, Florida. Katherine and her husband recently became Florida residents and they live on Longboat Key. Their summers are spent in upstate New York. Katherine enjoys gardening, travel, tennis and bridge and most especially her five beautiful grandchildren.

Cornelia Matson
Trustee

Cornelia Matson moved to Sarasota with her husband, Dick, in 1983 after raising three children in New York City. She has a long history with Selby Gardens, serving as the 1984-5 Orchid Ball Chair and Patron Chair years following. She was a board member of the Associates and is a longtime Gardens member. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Cornelia earned her BA in Music at Sweet Briar College and had a career in fundraising prior to moving to Sarasota where she established a French furniture import shop and later a vineyard in France.

Marianne McComb
Trustee

Marianne McComb holds a master’s degree in Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. McComb had a successful career in children’s book publishing before becoming a Master Gardener.  

Keith Monda
Trustee

Keith Monda is the former President & COO of Coach Inc. where he spent many years in senior management positions.  Prior to that, he held senior leadership positions at The Timberland Company, J. Crew Group, Inc., and Pfizer Inc. Since retiring, Keith has focused his time on philanthropic and nonprofit leadership roles and service. 
Keith is immediate past chair of both The Ohio State University Foundation’s Board of Directors and Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 40 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other agencies. Active in Sarasota, he is past chair of the Board of Trustees of New College of Florida and serves as a member of the boards of All Faiths Food Bank and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.  Keith also helped establish All Faith’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which distributes meals and snacks during summer and KidsSWIM, a program that provides swimming lessons for over 2,600 second graders each year.   A long-time believer in early education, he helped initiate a Reading Recovery program in the school system for first graders that are not reading at level. Keith also has a serious interest in social entrepreneurship. He is the principal investor in startup venture Aleph Sciences Inc. (reducing greenhouse gasses). Keith earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from The Ohio State University.

Michael Quillen
Trustee

As the President of a locally owned group of nine restaurants and a legendary local tavern, Michael Quillen is involved in every aspect of their operation. The original Gecko’s Grill & Pub opened its flagship restaurant in 1992, and in its decades of stimulating the Sarasota and Manatee County economies, has seen its share of industry ups and downs. Quillen, and his business partner, Mike Gowan, still operate their stores with a hands-on approach, having worked in every area of a restaurant themselves. Their Polished Casual and Better Burger concepts join two waterfront seafood restaurants to complete the Gecko’s Hospitality Group family.
With a team of over 650 employees and very little turnover in management, Quillen’s philosophy for his business always comes back to the Hospitality quotient. Classically trained in a variety of corporate (Steak & Ale Corporation), franchise and family-owned boutique restaurants, Quillen’s expertise in restaurant management combines a tough work ethic, strong business acumen, and a healthy dose of elbow grease. This robust operating style enables his businesses to not only thrive during the tough times, but consistently earn “Best Of” awards in multiple categories with his guests.

Audrey Robbins
Trustee

Audrey Robbins has been a resident of Sarasota since 1999, when she accepted a position as Math Department chair at the Out-of-Door Academy. Since her retirement, she has been active in local nonprofit arts organizations, including The Sarasota Ballet, Perlman Music Program / Suncoast, and Asolo Repertory Theatre along with Selby Gardens. Audrey is a graduate of Smith College and has ABD at the Colorado School of Mines in applied mathematics. Originally from Denver, Colorado, she has lived in Key West as well as St. Eustatius, Netherland Antilles, and St. Maarten. She is the proud mother of Callan Malone (b. 1997) and Trey Malone (1991-2012) and step-mother of Rebekah Leopold (b. 1993) and Michael Leopold (b. 1995). Married to Harry Leopold, she enjoys an active life of sport and service. 

Jeannie Russell
Trustee

Jeannie Russell, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, moved to Sarasota with her husband Tom 30 years ago from Far Hills, New Jersey. She holds a B.A. in history from New York University. Jeannie has mentored children through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization, is committed to community volunteerism, and continues to support numerous philanthropic causes.
She is currently President-Elect of the Founders Garden Club of Sarasota, has served on numerous committees of the Garden Club of America and is a member of the Flower Committee of the Church of The Redeemer, Sarasota. She has also served as a member of the Selby Advisory Board.
Jeannie takes pleasure in spending time with her husband and daughter Avery at their summer home on Cape Cod and enjoys gardening, floral design, reading and boating.

Richard L. Sandor (Ph.D., Dr. sc. h. c.)
Trustee

Richard L. Sandor (Ph.D., Dr. sc. h. c.) is an entrepreneur and economist who invents markets. He is currently, Chairman and CEO of Environmental Financial Products (EFP).  Among Dr. Sandor’s academic roles, he is currently the Aaron Director Lecturer in Law and Economics at the University of Chicago Law School and an honorary Professor at the School of Economics at Fudan University and the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Sandor is a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Financial Stability, a member of the Advisory Board of the Digital Dollar Project and a senior Fellow of the Milken Institute. His civic honors include recognition from the City of Chicago as the “Father of Financial Futures,” and “Hero of the Planet” by TIME Magazine. In October 2013, Dr. Sandor was awarded the title of Chevalier dans la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) in France, for his accomplishments in the field of environmental finance and carbon trading.

Bruce E. Sorensen
Trustee

Bruce is a Managing Director of Robert W. Baird & Co. Bruce brings more than 30 years of industry experience to Baird. Over the course of his career, he has developed expertise in many areas of public finance, including local government, economic development, sales tax, Charter School, project revenue, New Markets Tax Credit, and charter school finance. In 2007, he established Piper Jaffray’s charter school finance business and served for over 10 years as the senior banker of the department. Bruce has served as the senior banker on hundreds of financings nationwide and raised billions of dollars for projects including schools, sports arenas, energy systems, non-profits, government buildings, and small business loan funds. He attended the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota and earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1989 from St. Cloud State University.

Margaret Wise

Trustee

Margaret Wise, a Mississippi native, is a cofounder of Designing Women Boutique and has served in leadership positions on numerous boards throughout Sarasota, along with her husband, Bill. Her service work includes leadership positions with the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Sarasota Opera, United Way, Asolo Theater, Historic Spanish Point and Suncoast Communities Blood Bank. Wise helped found the Lunch in the Gardens lecture series at Selby Gardens and has also received numerous awards for her community volunteerism. Awards include the Golden Gavel from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the Girls Inc., “She Knows Where She is Going” award and she is a member of the Hall of Fame of the Sarasota Video Archives. Wise also served on the State of Florida’s arts council for eight years as appointed by the governor of Florida.

Jennifer O. Rominiecki
President & CEO

Jennifer O. Rominiecki began her tenure as President and Chief Executive Officer of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in February 2015. Since she arrived, she repositioned the institution as The Living Museum®, securing a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Enacting this new operating model has yielded increases of 170% in membership and 141% in overall earned revenues. Rominiecki has also overseen the creation and execution of a five-year Strategic Plan, a new three-year Strategic Plan, as well as an innovative Master Site Plan for which more than $57 million has been raised.  Phase One of the Master Site Plan opened to the public in January 2024, creating the first net positive energy botanical garden complex in the world.

In May 2020, she oversaw the adoption of Historic Spanish Point as a companion campus to Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota location to form one organization with two bayfront sanctuaries connecting people to air plants of the world, native nature, and regional history.

She possesses twenty years of experience at major New York City cultural institutions. Rominiecki served The New York Botanical Garden for 15 years in increasing roles of responsibility. As the Garden’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Special Assistant to the President, she was involved in many aspects of the organization’s management, including oversight of the Garden’s seven-year campaign to raise $479 million. Earlier in her career, Rominiecki held key positions at The Metropolitan Opera and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art History and English from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Art History. Rominiecki also completed the Women’s Leadership Forum at Harvard Business School in June 2017, is a member of Leadership Florida Cornerstone Class XXXVI, and is a member of the International Women’s Forum Florida Suncoast Chapter. Rominiecki is the former Chair of the Board of VISIT FLORIDA. She currently serves on the Boards of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, as well as the Southeast Advisory Council of Lafayette College. 

During Rominiecki’s tenure, she and Selby Gardens have received numerous awards. Most recently, Selby Gardens was selected for TIME’s annual list of the World’s Greatest Places for 2024. In addition, Visit Sarasota named Rominiecki the 2024 Voice of Sarasota; the Business and Professional Women of North Sarasota named Rominiecki a Woman of the Year for 2024; and the Climate Adaptation Center named Rominiecki a Climate Champion and presented her with a 2024 Climate Champion Beacon Award. In 2023, Florida Trend Magazine named Rominiecki to the Florida 500, a list of Florida’s most influential business leaders representing 500 candidates across major industries.  The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce named Selby Gardens the Woman Led Business of the Year in 2021 and the Small Business of the Year in 2019.  In 2019, Rominiecki was named a Businesswoman of the Year Honoree by Tampa Bay Business Journal. In 2017, she was honored with the AJC Civic Achievement Award and the Leadership Award for Arts Management from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. She has also received SRQ Magazine’s Women in Business “Hear Me Roar” Leadership Award in 2016.

Rominiecki lives in Sarasota with her husband, Robert, and their two boys.