All Faiths Food Bank announces 2025 board of directors

All Faiths Food Bank, the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, has named a new board chair and four new members to its volunteer leadership team. The 2025 board of directors will help support and guide the organization’s operations and continue its decades-long mission to end hunger.

The officers are Patricia Courtois, chair; Dr. LaShawn Frost, vice chair; Rich Cautero, treasurer; and Mitch Olan, secretary. New members are Dr. Rose Báez, Susan Holik, Lisa Krouse and Bill Seider. They join continuing directors Ron Jadin, Lisa Keverian-Press and David Nichols, and board emeritus Keith Monda. Last month, Dennis Doughty, Ben Hanan, Bart Lowther, Terri Vitale and Elton White completed their terms.

Courtois – who has been involved with All Faiths for more than 20 years, including spearheading the creation of an award-winning marketing campaign in 2004 – has led brand communications, community relations and corporate philanthropy for some of America's largest consumer brands in her roles with Sara Lee Corporation and Tropicana, as well as during her ownership of Clarke Advertising and C-Suite Communications. She is currently on the boards of HCA Doctors Hospital of Sarasota and Florida Studio Theatre, and is past chair of Senior Friendship Centers. Courtois has also served on the American Association of Advertising Agencies Florida Board of Governors and on its Women CEO Forum, as well as on the boards of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Sarasota County, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota County Tourism and Economic Development Board, and as past chair of the Leadership Council of the United Way Women’s Initiative.

Dr. Báez is the lead physician for Conviva Health in Venice. Previous positions include chief medical and compliance officer for Elite Health Medical Group, and internal medicine physician for Gulf Coast Medical Group. Prior to her career in healthcare, she pursued ballet, combining her passions for dance and helping people to found a nonprofit focused on making ballet accessible to underserved youth. She also sat on the board for another ballet nonprofit dedicated to nurturing Hispanic talent. Dr. Báez lectures extensively on the importance of wellness in preventing and treating disease.

Holik, who has decades of legal experience, served as general counsel for Great Elms Solutions and as vice president and chief privacy officer for Fannie Mae. In the ‘90s, she was chief counsel of the National Labor Relations Board. From 2014-2016, she served as chair of the Progressive Women of Southwest Florida, and was a member of the committee supporting John’s Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Holik is an active supporter of Planned Parenthood and a member of Impact 100 SRQ.

Most recently, Krouse was CEO of the EDC of Sarasota County. Prior to that, she worked at FCCI Insurance Group, holding numerous roles, including chief administrative officer. Following her retirement, she transitioned to an independent board member in 2020. Krouse broke barriers in 2015 by becoming one of only a handful of women to be appointed chair of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce since its founding more than 100 years ago. In 2016, she was the first woman named to the FCCI Board of Directors. She has also sat on the boards for Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, CareerSource Suncoast and Sarasota Teen Court, and USF Sarasota-Manatee. Last year, Krouse served as chair for AFFB’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which raises funds to provide meals for local children when school is out.

Prior to his retirement this past summer, Seider was an attorney for Williams Parker Attorneys at Law, a firm he joined in 1980 after serving as a law clerk to Florida Supreme Court Justice Ben F. Overton. He was a board-certified specialist in real estate and condominium and planned development law. Seider’s community involvements include the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Resurrection House, Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Senior Friendship Centers. He has been a major donor to AFFB for more than 25 years, and regularly volunteers at its mobile food distributions.

"As our focus continues to expand from providing nutritional assistance to our neighbors in need to working to eradicate the root causes of hunger, having strong, visionary leaders with diverse backgrounds and life experiences is essential to guiding our efforts," said Nelle S. Miller, president & CEO of All Faiths. "We are pleased to see Patricia elevated to her new role as chair, and welcome Rose, Susan, Lisa and Bill to the board; we are confident they will contribute significantly to our culture, continue to build upon the trust we have earned throughout the region, and connect us with others who can expand our reach and capacity."

To learn more about AFFB, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org or call 941-379-6333.

About All Faiths Food Bank
All Faiths Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, providing millions of meals each year in collaboration with more than 300 agencies and programs throughout the community. All Faiths works not only to end hunger today, but also strives to end hunger – forever – by helping families and individuals gain long-term food security, enjoy better health outcomes and achieve self-sufficiency. All Faiths is rated four stars by Charity Navigator and is a partner of the Feeding America and Feeding Florida networks. For more information, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.