EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine February 2019 | Page 29

These are only some of the benefits of arts and culture to
our communities. Cultural organizations celebrate the diversity
of Florida, as demonstrated by next month’s Nowruz Festival
presented by the Iranian American Society of Daytona Beach. Arts
and culture contribute to the wellbeing of our veterans, providing
enhanced healthcare opportunities through initiatives such as
the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces Military
Healing Arts Network. Recently, Florida artists volunteered
their time and talents to relief efforts for Hurricane Michael,
performing and bringing arts therapy to families in shelters.
As the Division of Cultural Affairs moves into the final year
of our current strategic plan, we remain committed to advancing
arts and cultural activity across the state, demonstrating
leadership by bringing the cultural community together and
providing meaningful professional development and capacity
building training to individual artists and those working in
cultural organizations. As we move forward in creating our next
five-year strategic plan, we remain determined to diligently
increase access to arts and culture for all Floridians as well as
encouraging diversity in programming and audiences, including
those currently underserved such as veterans and members of
the disability community. We look forward to expanding and
fostering new partnerships with non-traditional partners in the
business community.
I challenge you to join us in harnessing the power of arts and
culture to enhance and expand these benefits to your community.
An investment in arts and culture will not only increase your own
THOMAS
LoBASSO, Ed.D.
PRESIDENT
D AY TO N A S TAT E C O L L E G E
quality of life, but will also help make the Daytona Beach area
and Volusia County more attractive to residents and visitors.
Now more than ever, the value of arts and culture is evident.
The Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs
encourages you to support the dozens of arts and cultural
organizations in the Daytona region. By supporting your
community’s artists and cultural organizations, the road ahead
leads to a brighter future. Together we can make the Daytona
Beach region and all of Florida a better place to live, work
and play.
Sandy Shaughnessy is the director of the Florida
Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs,
administering various programs, special events, and
initiatives. Prior to joining the Division of Cultural
Affairs, Sandy served as Box Office Manager for Old
School Square Cultural Arts Center in Delray Beach
and as Director/Treasurer of Box Office Operations
for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in
Tampa. She is a member of the board of the National
Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the board of
South Arts, the regional arts agency and has served
as a grant panelist for the National Endowment for
the Arts and other State Arts Agencies.
DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE
SETTING THE PACE.
Tom LoBasso, has made notable advancements including
its new Student Center. Men’s/women’s cross-country
and soccer teams and facilities have been added, as has
an enterprise resource management system, enhancing
business operations and better serving students. New
local industry programs include A.S. degrees in Broadcast
Television Production and Database Technology, an
Additive Manufacturing specialization within Engineering
Technology, a Hospitality concentration within Supervision/
Management bachelor’s degree, and certificate programs in
Phlebotomy, Project Management and Hospitality
Beverage Science.
He holds a Ed.D in Leadership from UCF, is past-president
of the Florida College System Council of Presidents, and
currently serves on the boards of Team Volusia, Career
Source Flagler Volusia, and the Daytona Regional Chamber
of Commerce.
INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT
TEAMVOLUSIAEDC.COM
386.265.6332
FEBRUARY 2019 | 29 |