Community Foundation of Sarasota County Appoints Education Officer

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has appointed an Education Officer of Community Impact, a new role designed to further develop and enhance the foundation’s support for educational opportunities across the community. 
 
Nicole Light, a former Sarasota County Schools teacher, will oversee the education-based projects and initiatives that the Community Foundation supports, particularly our two-generation approach to Sarasota County efforts for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, an initiative to improve school readiness and literacy and to prevent summer learning loss. Light will work closely with Kirsten Russell, Vice President of Community Impact.
 
Light has spent the last 18 years of her professional career as a high school English teacher in both Manatee and Sarasota County Schools, with her most recent teaching experience at Pine View School, where she spent 15 years teaching 10th grade Honors English and Advanced Placement Literature.
 
Light holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from the University of Connecticut and received her Master’s in English Education at the University of South Florida. Currently, she serves as a mentor for the Future Leaders Academy with UnidosNow, where she helps guide seniors in area high schools as they progress through the college application process.
 
“As a former educator who benefitted firsthand from the generosity and vision of the Community Foundation, I am thrilled to be a member of the Community Impact team that helps bring that support and opportunity to teachers, schools, and most importantly, students,” says Light. “I am looking forward to building upon our meaningful connections and relationships with local schools and the community to empower the next generation of leaders and innovators.”