We’re excited to celebrate these honorary wonder women at our Fall Legacy Luncheon on November 2, 2018. Keep reading to learn more about these exceptional ladies…

Betsy Steiner Fraser

Betsy Steiner Fraser is a business consultant, facilitator, and trainer with over twenty-five years of experience.  She works with nonprofits, corporations, and small businesses designing and implementing initiatives for organizational growth and advancement. As a Certified Nonprofit Consultant, Betsy counsels executives and boards on topics ranging from visioning and business planning to resource development and collaborative partnerships. She has specialized training from Board Source® and La Piana® and serves over 50 Florida nonprofits including Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Patterson Foundation, The Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay, and the U.S. Small Business Development Centers.  

Prior to her role as consultant, Betsy worked in the public sector, first with a member of Congress, then as a consultant to the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC), a federal advisory panel that advises the United States President and Congress on issues important to business owners.  While working with the NWBC, Betsy co-founded a nonprofit organization to advance their research, policy, and advocacy agenda. She also represented the NWBC at the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women, in Beijing, China. Betsy earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Public Policy and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Michigan State University. She lives in Venice with her husband Jeff and daughter Sophie.

 

Deborah Kostroun

Deborah Kostroun retired from the role of Chief Operating Officer at Manatee Glens (now Centerstone of Florida). She is an active volunteer at the Friends of the Venice Public Library, Women’s Resource Center, the Family Safety Alliance, and the South County Food Pantry. She became Chief Operating Officer of Manatee Glens in January 2000 – a year that saw Manatee Glens make major advances in challenging economies, a trend which has continued. Manatee Glens is a specialty hospital and outpatient practice providing mental health and addiction services near Tampa Bay Florida. Founded in 1955, Manatee Glens employs over 450 staff who provide care to over 15,000 clients a year including 3,500 children. They provide $11 million dollars in care each year to uninsured families and have the only psychiatric residency program for physicians associated with a Community Mental Health Center in Florida, which has allowed it to substantially expand psychiatric care.

Mrs. Kostroun joined Manatee Glens in 1992 as Volunteer Coordinator, holding the positions of Employment and Volunteer Coordinator, Director of Employment and Director of Human Resources before her 2000 appointment as COO. A native of New York City, she had previously been Personnel Director of Al-Anon Family Groups and Board Liaison with the National Council on Alcoholism, both in New York. Deborah is a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and past president of the Sarasota Human Resources Association. Mrs. Kostroun was a member of the Manatee County Public Safety Committee and served on the Manatee Mental Health and Substance Abuse Planning Council and the LECOM Board of Directors.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Voluntary Agencies from Empire State College, State University of New York, and a Masters in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis. She is widowed and has lived in Venice since 1989. Prior to moving to Venice, she and her husband lived in St Croix in the USVI and owned and operated a bookstore.

 

Sandy McGowan

Sandy McGowan is owner and CEO of Sandy’s Designer Boutique. She is a Venice fixture; well known for creating Venice Main Street’s Christmas in July, organizing numerous annual non-profit fashion shows and sponsoring Women’s Resource Center Annual Fall Luncheons.     

Sandy’s began her career in sales, real estate, and community leadership; long before moving to Florida 18 years ago. Since then, many business and non-profits in Venice have benefited from her enthusiastic, passionate and visionary leadership as a volunteer and business owner.   

Her passion leads her to run six or more Fashion Shows every year for local charities including those benefiting: Dollars for Mammograms, The Loveland Center, Italian American Club, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Venice Mainstreet, The Sclederma Association, Venice Historical Society and the North Port Library.   

Her community involvement includes membership in the Plantation Foundation, the Venice Nokomis Women’s Club, Alumni Board of Becker College, Venice Mainstreet.

Married for 52 years, she and her husband Bob have two daughters and an adopted daughter and a son from Korea. A native of Massachusetts, Sandy earned her degree in Retail Merchandising from Becker College in Worcester Massachusetts.