Women's Resource Center of Sarasota County welcomes Cruz

The Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County (TheWomensResourceCenter.org), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating and empowering women in Sarasota County and enriching their lives, recently welcomed Barbara Cruz as the development director.

A Sarasota County native, Cruz brings over 25 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector to the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County (WRCSC). In her new role, she will be responsible for donor relations, including fundraising, major gifts and planned giving as well as spearheading volunteer recruitment.

Prior to joining the WRCSC, Cruz worked for various other nonprofits in the area. Most recently, she served as the executive director for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation, a national and international nonprofit organization headquartered in Venice, Fla. While there, Cruz managed the day-to-day operations, community relations, volunteer management, marketing and communications, program development and donor development. She lead the nonprofit to the top spot in most funds raised during the 2013 and 2014 Giving Challenge, hosted by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

“Barbara has a wealth of knowledge in the nonprofit arena and the field of fundraising,” said Valerie Goddard, executive director of the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County. “She has a proven fundraising track record, and we know she can help us build upon the foundation of our longtime donors while cultivating new relationships within the community.”

Cruz has assisted on various nonprofit committees and boards. Currently, she is a member of the Cause4Hope gala fundraising committee for the Neuro Challenge Foundation. Cruz has also served six years as a board member with the Venice Chamber of Commerce and was appointed to the Citizens with Disabilities Advisory Board by the Sarasota City Commission in 2010, serving through 2012. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and acted as the chairperson of AFP’s National Philanthropy Day event in 2012.

About the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County

For over 30 years, the countywide not-for-profit agency has provided women with life skills training, career services and scholarships to achieve their highest potential. For more information, visit TheWomensResourceCenter.org or call 941.366.1700.