Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) is pleased to announce the election of its 2026-2027 Board of Directors, including the re-election of Anand Pallegar as Chair and Rose-Anne Frano as Vice Chair, and the addition of three new board members. The Foundation also announces that President | CEO Phillip Lanham has renewed his contract through 2031.
Pallegar and Frano were elected to serve a one-year term as officers beginning July 1, 2026. The Board also welcomed new board members Jaime DiDomenico, Will Dolan, and Emily Walsh, each for a three-year term.
Jaime DiDomenico is a CPA and business leader who built his career in the HVAC and plumbing industry, scaling multiple service companies and transforming a small Sarasota firm into CoolToday and its affiliated brands. Under his leadership, the company grew to more than 500 employees and $85M in revenue, expanded into plumbing and electrical services, and was ultimately sold to Wrench Group, where he remains an executive and shareholder. A longtime Gulf Coast resident, DiDomenico is deeply involved in regional civic leadership, serving on multiple boards including the State College of Florida, and is recognized for his practical leadership style and strong commitment to community impact.
Will Dolan is a fintech executive and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience building and scaling financial services companies. He is co-founder and President of TAPP Engine, a fintech platform serving wealth management, banking, and AI-enabled financial solutions, and co-founder and Managing Partner of Suncoast Venture Studio, which develops and launches technology companies in the Sarasota region. Earlier in his career, Dolan served as CEO of Financeware, a PE-held portfolio of financial services companies, and spent 15 years at Fidelity Investments in senior leadership roles spanning brokerage products, institutional and international markets, and a commercial software subsidiary. He holds an MBA from Babson College and a BS in Engineering from Tufts University, and is a Chapter Chair of the Young Presidents' Organization in Sarasota. Will is widely regarded for his strategic insight, entrepreneurial mindset, and commitment to advancing innovation and economic growth.
Emily Walsh is President of the Observer Media Group, a family-owned multimedia company publishing newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms across Florida. A fourth-generation newspaper leader, she has built broad expertise in media, digital strategy, and audience engagement through leadership roles including Publisher, Chief Digital Officer, and Social Editor. Walsh is a prominent civic and industry leader, serving on boards such as the Florida Press Association and the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, and is recognized for her influence in both the media landscape and the region's community development.
"Community foundations are at their best when they bring together people with different perspectives, experiences, and capabilities in service of a shared future. Emily, Jaime, and Will each bring valuable expertise and a deep commitment to this region. Alongside Phillip's continued leadership, they strengthen our ability to convene, invest, and help address the opportunities and challenges that will shape our community for years to come."
Alongside Gulf Coast's Leadership Team, the Board celebrated outgoing members Anne Essner, Pete Petersen, and Susan Sofia following their respective terms.
Lanham's contract renewal extends his service through 2031, effective July 1, 2026. Building on more than $650 million in community impact, generated together with our donors, Gulf Coast enters this next chapter focused on the priorities at the heart of its 2024-2027 strategic plan: deepening impact in affordable housing, mental health and crisis support, and water quality; strengthening relationships with donors and partners; and building the infrastructure needed to sustain that work for years to come.
“The work of a community foundation is grounded in partnership, with donors, with community members, with the people navigating real challenges every day,” said Lanham. “At its core, that means meeting urgent needs, especially in times of crisis, and I'm grateful to continue doing that in a community my family and I care deeply about.”
The members of Gulf Coast Community Foundation's Board of Directors for the foundation's 2026-2027 fiscal year are:
- Jaime DiDomenico
- Will Dolan
- Ping Faulhaber
- Rose-Anne Frano
- John Giglio
- David Green
- Rod Hershberger
- Keith Johnson
- Phillip Lanham
- Deb Kabinoff
- Frank Martucci
- Elizabeth Moore
- Gail Morganroth
- Anand Pallegar
- David Sessions
- Peter Soderberg
- Emily Walsh
