She succeeds Mark Cunningham, who resigned in 2025
As he had indicated he would ahead of their regular meeting this week, Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis asked for board affirmation of his appointment of Nicole Rissler, director of the county’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department, as assistant county administrator.
She will replace Mark Cunningham, who resigned in July 2025 after the commissioners had dealt for months with residents’ complaints about the years-long inattention to necessary stormwater maintenance. Cunningham oversaw the stormwater work as part of his county responsibilities.
After Lewis made his remark about Rissler during the Jan. 27 County Commission meeting, Chair Ron Cutsinger said he saw Commissioner Teresa Mast “quickly reaching her hand out there to get on the button,” referring to the microphone system the board uses. He proceeded to call on her.
Mast told her colleagues, “Not only am I excited about this, I’m excited to just have another female on the second floor when we actually get there. I’m tired of being outweighed here by gentlemen.”
She was referring to the delay in the completion of the new County Administration Center underway at 1 Apex Road, just north of the Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Management Project.
Then Mast pointed out to the people present in the Commission Chambers and “those that are listening: If you have the incredible privilege of meeting Nicole Rissler, please take the opportunity to [do so]. She is an incredible, highly qualified, hardworking individual. I am proud for her, because of how she always carries herself professionally, but [also because of] her passion and her energy. I dare anybody to keep up with her,” Mast continued of Rissler. “Wear your sneakers.”
Mast added, “She really brings a high level of performance that she expects from herself and everybody that surrounds her. I’m very excited to make the motion to affirm her as our next assistant administrator.”
Cutsinger jokingly asked the clerk to the board whether she “got that whole motion there?” prompting laughter.
Commissioner Mark Smith seconded the motion. His only hesitation in doing so, he said, is “that [Rissler’s] done such a great job —”
“You don’t want to lose her,” Mast interjected.
“I don’t want to lose here in [Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources],” Smith continued.
“My understanding,” Smith said, was that Lewis had “some great in-house candidates and outside that interviewed. But I wholeheartedly agree that Nicole will do a great job.”
“Ditto,” Commissioner Joe Neunder added.
Then Cutsinger said, “I think Nicole realizes that she has the full faith [and] confidence of this board, and we’re very happy to see this promotion and looking forward to working together.”
The board vote was unanimous in affirming Lewis’ decision.
That afternoon, as Rissler stepped to the podium in the Commission Chambers of the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice, for a presentation, Cutsinger took the opportunity to congratulate her.
She thanked him and then began her remarks, noting that she would be director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources “for a few more hours.”
Later during the same presentation, Commissioner Neunder indicated that she would remain in that capacity until 4 p.m. on Jan. 27.
‘Significant initiatives’
Shortly after the board vote to affirm Rissler’s appointment, staff issued a press release with the news.
“Rissler brings more than two decades of public sector and nonprofit leadership experience” to her new position with Sarasota County Government, the release said.
She has served as director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources since November 2018. She succeeded Carolyn Brown, who left Sarasota County Government to take a position with the Town of Longboat Key. Rissler had been the deputy director of that department since May 2016. When she began that role, Brown said of Rissler in a news release, “She is well known throughout the community and has a passion for parks. We welcome the opportunity to work with a professional who is bringing with her so many years of experience that have been invested into this community.”
During Rissler’s leadership of Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources, the Jan. 27 release pointed out, that department received national recognition. In late October 2023, Lewis recognized the department’s staff for earning national reaccreditation.
The release further noted, Rissler “has assisted the County Administrator with a variety of other significant initiatives.”
One of the projects — whose completion came on a shorter timeline than anticipated — was the North Extension of The Legacy Trail from Palmer Ranch to downtown Sarasota. During the March 3, 2022 celebration of the opening of the final segment, Rissler pointed out that staff was “two years and nine months ahead of the original schedule.” She added at one point during the ceremony that finishing up more than three years ahead of time would be characterized as “probably a personal best for most people in a race.”
In the county news release, County Administrator Lewis said, “Nicole’s passion for public service makes her the right fit for our team.” He added, “She is an innovative leader who is always looking for ways to be better.”