Borgia promoted, while Martin Brown named CFO and Joslin added as philanthropic adviser
This week, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast), based in Venice, announced the promotion of Kelly Borgia to director of brand engagement; the selection of Carol Martin Brown, a CPA, as chief financial officer; and the addition of Emily Joslin as philanthropic adviser.
“Kelly, Carol, and Emily bring unique strengths and community insight to fuel exceptional donor experiences and deepened community impact,” Gulf Coast President and CEO Phillip Lanham said in a news release. “I am excited about our team members in their new roles at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, as the qualities and experiences that Kelly, Carol, and Emily bring will benefit our community and Foundation for years to come,” he added. “With our dynamic and dedicated team, we are fully prepared to deliver outstanding support to our donors and the community we serve.”
Borgia joined Gulf Coast in 2018 after working for 10 years at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota as its production stage manager, the release notes. “In her six-plus-year career at Gulf Coast,” Borgia has served as a philanthropic administrator on the Philanthropy Team and strategic engagement manager on the Brand Strategy and Experience Team, the release continues. “In her new role, Borgia will oversee Gulf Coast’s strategic communication efforts, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s goals and enhancing brand visibility and loyalty. She will manage partnerships, coordinate major grants, and lead event planning,” the release points out.
“From establishing impactful relationships with our phenomenal donors, to playing a significant role on the Brand Strategy and Experience Team, I am thrilled Gulf Coast has given me this opportunity, recognizing my commitment to our mission to transform our region through bold and proactive philanthropy,” said Borgia in the release. “Gulf Coast invests in continuing education and encourages professional growth for its employees, and that is an invaluable investment for emerging leaders,” she added.
Martin Brown joins Gulf Coast with 30 years of financial leadership experience in the social sector and investments industry, most recently having spent six years at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg as its chief financial and administrative officer,” the release notes. Prior to that, she served as the chief financial officer for innovative education at the University of South Florida, and as CFO for Transamerica Fund Advisors and The New Teacher Project, a national nonprofit based in Brooklyn, the release says.
Early in her career, the release continues, Martin Brown “worked in Big Four accounting at Ernst & Young in New York,” dealing with financial service clients, and in financial management roles at Morgan Stanley Trust Co. and J.P. Morgan Chase Investor Services, the release adds. “She is passionate about Gulf Coast’s mission-driven work and making a meaningful impact in the community,” the release says. In her new role, Martin Brown will work with the board and staff “to create and monitor policies that strengthen Gulf Coast, its investment portfolio, its spending, and its internal controls, providing key information” to guide Gulf Coast’s future, the release notes.
Joslin joined Gulf Coast this month after serving as associate director of development for the Circle Program at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, “overseeing the museum’s highest level of membership, developing relationships with donors, and offering unique stewardship experiences” over the past two years, the release points out.
A senior-level executive with 25-plus years of experience in finance, philanthropy, marketing, and media, “she works directly with donors to realize their philanthropic goals and maximize their impact” in her Gulf Coast philanthropic adviser role, the release adds.
Before moving to Sarasota, Joslin worked in New York City, “leading marketing strategies and creating bespoke programs for ultra-high-net-worth clients at UBS Financial Services, Barclays PLC, and Lehman Brothers,” the release points out.
“She also founded her own children’s philanthropy program, Compass Kids,” which engaged more than 200 children and raised more than $250,000 for local organizations serving children and animals in New York, the release says. That led the Robin Hood Foundation, New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization, to consult with her to create Robin Hood Kids, the release notes. “Robin Hood Kids is a unique philanthropy program” for families with children ages 4 to 12 that is operating successfully as a part of Robin Hood’s Family philanthropy offerings, the release adds.
“Joslin’s extensive experience working with philanthropists and her ability to create unique opportunities that speak directly to their passions make her an exciting fit for the Gulf Coast team and its donors,” the release says.