Community Day School Announces 2021-2022 Board of Trustees

February 8, 2022 – Sarasota

Hershorin Schiff Community Day School recently announced its 2021-2022 board of trustees, a committed group of leaders who continue to guide the school after its success moving onto its new campus. Joining the board this year are Lori Dorman, Esq., Rick Siegel, Melissa Walsh, and Fred Starling.

Both Dorman and Starling played crucial roles in the acquisition and construction of Community Day School’s new 8.8-acre campus. As a business, contract, and real estate attorney, Dorman provided legal support and facilitated the purchase of the campus. She practices with Persson, Cohen & Mooney, P.A. Dorman’s community involvement includes time as the director and president of the Manatee County Bar Association, chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the MCBA, serving as a judge for the Manatee County Teen Court, and a tenure as the president of the Library Foundation.

Fred Starling, CEO of the Starling Group, oversaw both the new construction of two state-of-the-art academic buildings and the renovation of several facilities already in existence on the new campus in less than a year’s time. In addition to his work in construction, Starling is a two-term former president of the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange and has consulted with private and public organizations regarding development for decades. ​​About the rapid timeline for the school’s new campus, Starling said: “When Mitch [Blumenthal, chair of the board of trustees] reached out to me regarding a new campus on the Wilkinson Road property around June of 2020 and asked if we could design, permit, build and have them in for the 2021 school year, I said “yes, provided you make decisions in a timely basis.” Mitch and his committee did just that! So, with the assistance of the design professionals, subcontractors, vendors, and my team, we finished the project ahead of schedule and on budget.”

Trustees Rick Siegel and Melissa Walsh will support Community Day School’s finance committee. Siegel is a partner with Med Advisory Partners. As an expert in performance coaching and strategy, he will be spearheading a committee for the school’s strategic plan. Siegel also serves on the board of trustees for Kennesaw State University, the executive committee for the American Heart Association Heart Walk Manasota and is a small business mentor through SCORE.

Melissa Walsh, CFP, CFA, AIF, is a former principal senior wealth advisor now in private practice. She earned her BA from the University of Michigan and has been in the financial services industry since 2008. Walsh brings her fiscal career expertise to the board, as well as her personal connection as a Community Day School parent.

The board is entrusted with the responsibility of creating school policies, as well as financial and strategic planning for long-term success as the school is in its second year of the Owning Our Future campaign.

“After the unprecedented progress for Community Day, it is especially gratifying to work with these visionary leaders as we continue to ensure our school’s bright future,” said Blumenthal.

Returning board members are Vice President Rachel Saltzberg, Treasurer Robert Landman, and Secretary Stacey Edelman, as well as Andrew Cohen, Gregory Farrington, Ph.D, Rabbi Elaine Glickman, Dr. Wendy Katz, Lillian Lincoln Lambert, Betty Rosenthal, Barbara Rodkin, and Lifetime Member Richard Hershorin.

Community Day School opened its new campus, with record enrollment, on August 16, 2021. To learn more about Community Day School, visit communityday.org or call (941) 552-2770.