Central Florida’s vibrant arts and culture scene is what makes our community come alive! It brings people together, sparks creativity, and fuels our local economy. At United Arts of Central Florida, we believe that a thriving arts community benefits everyone—and with strong leadership, we can do even more to strengthen our region.
That’s why we’re excited to introduce our 2025 slate of Board officers, executive committee members and new Board members, who will help us continue championing the arts across Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties. This comes at a perfect time, following a successful two-year strategic planning process supported by the DeVos Family Foundation. During that time, 19 local arts and culture nonprofits, including United Arts, received expert guidance to grow their programs, expand their audiences, and strengthen their resources. Now, we’re all more poised for a brighter future.
Our new vision is bold: A thriving arts community that fuels lasting prosperity, creativity, and well-being for all in Central Florida. These new leaders are ready to help us turn our vision into reality, championing the arts and serving as your hometown team for the arts.
Introducing Our New Officers:
Chair: Lindsay Abt, Partner, Ernst & Young LLP
Lindsay Abt is a Partner with Ernst & Young LLP based in Orlando, Florida. She has more than 20 years of experience in providing assurance and advisory services to a wide array of clients in varying industries. She has served both public and private companies in industries such as telecommunications, technology, manufacturing and distribution, media and entertainment, aerospace and defense and transportation. Lindsay has extensive public company experience, including PCAOB integrated audits, SPAC transactions, public offerings, SEC comment letters, comfort letters, debt offerings and audits conducted within an SEC reporting environment.
Additionally, she has significant experience advising clients about complex accounting and auditing areas such as revenue recognition, restructuring, purchase accounting, pension, derivatives, stock compensation, income taxes, carve-outs and accounting changes. Outside of her client responsibilities, Lindsay is the Executive Sponsor for EY Orlando Ripples community engagement and is actively involved in recruiting and EY’s diversity and inclusiveness networks.
Vice Chair: John Ruffier, Shareholder & Chair, Senior Housing Group, Lowndes
John Ruffier is a native of Orlando, Florida and practices law as a shareholder at the Lowndes Law Firm with a focus on real estate and finance. John has served on a number of local and national boards over the years – most recently as the Chair of the board of directors for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.Locally, he has served on the City of Orlando Public Art Advisory Board and chaired the board for the Hope and Help Center of Central Florida, and currently serves on the board for the Central Florida Kidney Center.
Treasurer: Marcellene “Marci” Baugh, Vice President of Finance & Accounting, Massey Services, Inc.
Marcellene (Marci) Baugh joined Massey Services as Controller in 2006, when annual revenue was approximately $60 million. Since then, the company has grown to more than $200 million in annual revenue. In 2016, Marci was promoted to Vice President of Finance and Accounting.
In her current role, Marci is responsible for all facets of Accounting, Reporting and Payroll. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in standardizing accounting processes and procedures to create greater efficiencies and productivity. She also played a key role in the implementation of an enterprise resource planning solution for the company.
Marci has an extensive background in accounting, having served as Controller for Greiner Bio-One and Congra Signature Meats, among others, and as an Accounting Manager and Operations Supervisor for Casino Magic. She earned her MBA as well as her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Tennessee State University.
Secretary: Craig Collin, President & COO, Tavistock Development Company
As President and Chief Operating Officer of Tavistock Development Company, Craig Collin leads overall strategy and operations for developments throughout the Tavistock portfolio including the large-scale, master-planned communities of Lake Nona and Sunbridge in Central Florida and Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale.
In his roles, Craig is responsible for defining corporate strategy, leading design and overseeing execution and operational activities for Tavistock’s diverse development portfolio that includes residential, commercial, hospitality, infrastructure and industrial projects. Throughout his career, Craig’s pragmatic leadership, thoughtful attention to detail and focus on innovation have resulted in continued success. Prior to joining Tavistock, Craig served as a Division President with one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Pulte Group, where he led all operations throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Introducing New Leaders on the Executive Committee:
Development Chair: Danielle Permenter, Chief Development Officer, Orlando Economic Partnership
Danielle Permenter serves as the Chief Development Officer for the Orlando Economic Partnership. The Orlando Economic Partnership works to provide the region with quality jobs, economic growth, broad-based prosperity, and a sustainable quality of life. In her role, Danielle drives the strategy for the Partnership’s talent and community development portfolio of programming, including UpSkillOrlando, Leadership Orlando, The Black Boardroom Leadership Institute, and all annual events.
Danielle is a member of the Association of Chamber ofCommerce Executives (ACCE) Education & Workforce Development Fellowship and a member of the U.S.Chamber Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management National Learning Network.
Personnel: Jessica Mund, Sr. Director, Staff & Cultural Development, Full Sail University
Jessica Mund serves Full Sail University as Senior Director of the Staff & Cultural Development Department (SCD). She works to identify opportunities that support workforce growth and development. In her role, Jessica oversees Internal Communications, Employee Learning, Wellness and Employee Recognition for the university. Her passion is to connect and uplift professionals at Full Sail and within the greater Central Florida community. She believes that human development and institutional change are intertwined, and that when businesses and social networks come together, innovative change emerges.
Community Investment: Sharon Arroyo, Vice President of Government & Community Relations, Duke Energy
Sharon Arroyo is Duke Energy’s Vice President of Government & Community Relations in Florida, serving approximately 1.9 million electric retail customers throughout the company’s 35-county service area. This includes the Greater Orlando area and metropolitan St. Petersburg, Clearwater area. She is responsible for directing efforts to strengthen relationships with local municipal, community, and civic organizations, and business leaders to help communities achieve their energy, growth, and sustainability goals.
Introducing our New Members:
Ashton M. Bligh, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Shareholder
Ashton Bligh serves as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, bank’s counsel, trustee’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, and purchaser’s counsel for both publicly and privately offered financings. She works closely with clients to help them navigate complex transactions involving a wide range of sectors, including general government, waste management, healthcare, special districts, water, sewer and electric utilities, and waste to energy projects. This experience includes financings that involve general obligation, tax increment financing, sales tax and revenue pledges. Known for her practical insight and collaborative approach, Ashton helps clients structure deals that meet their goals while addressing regulatory and market considerations. She also represents municipal security credit holders in both new and existing distressed transactions, which include active roles in bankruptcies, foreclosures and consensual restructurings. Her experience representing creditor entities in such transactions (e.g., indenture trustees, bondholders, bond purchasers and credit enhancers) includes advising clients with respect to the purchase of high yield municipal bonds in a variety of sectors, including healthcare, energy (including oil, gas and biofuels), medical and traditional waste systems. With a deep understanding of public finance and a commitment to delivering practical, strategic counsel, Ashton is a trusted partner to clients navigating both everyday and high-stakes transactions. Beyond her legal practice, Ashton is actively involved in her community, volunteering her time with local nonprofit organizations. She is passionate about giving back and helping strengthen the communities where she lives and works.
Andrew J. Snyder, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Orlando Health
As Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications for Orlando Health, Andrew J. Snyder has executive oversight and ongoing leadership responsibility for the implementation of all marketing, branding, communications, social media, reputation management, digital, web, and mobile strategies and initiatives for the health system.
Andrew joined Orlando Health in 2016 and has been in healthcare marketing for nearly 30 years. He is a frequent presenter at industry events and universities, such as the Harvard/Chan School of Public Health, University of Central Florida, Loyola University, Rollins College, Modern Healthcare, the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, and the Forum for Healthcare Strategies. In 2023 and 2024, Andrew was named by Beckers Healthcare as a hospital and health system chief marketing officers to know.
Other leadership positions he has held include board member of the Orlando Ballet, United Arts of Central Florida, Zebra Coalition, and the Orlando Museum of Art. Prior to joining Orlando Health, Andrew was the vice president and chief marketing officer for AMITA Health, the Chicago-based joint operating company for Alexian Brothers Health System and Adventist Midwest Health. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wabash College in Indiana.
Betsy Gwinn, Principal, BG Impact
Betsy Gwinn is a seasoned nonprofit arts executive with a deep passion for strengthening the nonprofit sector and improving the broader community. In 2022, she launched BG Impact, a consultancy dedicated to supporting nonprofits through strategic planning, leadership coaching, governance, fundraising and interim leadership. Her work is grounded in decades of experience and a commitment to helping mission-driven organizations thrive. In 2024, Betsy transitioned from an interim role into the Co-Executive Director position at The Kitchen House, sharing leadership with Sara Elliott. This role has expanded her expertise into the fields of food systems, health, and sustainability—broadening her understanding of the intersection between community wellness and nonprofit impact. Importantly, the shared leadership model allows her to continue serving a diverse portfolio of BG Impact clients. Before founding her firm, Betsy served for over 15 years as Executive Director of the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, where she led nationally significant collaborations, secured millions in philanthropic support, and elevated the organization’s national reputation through strategic audience development and brand marketing. Her leadership brought the Society into new eras of administrative professionalism and community engagement. More recently, she served as Interim Executive Director at Orlando Shakes and as a Leadership Coach with the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership’s “Empowering Good” program. An active civic leader, Betsy recently served on the Winter Park Public Art Advisory Board and the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Advocacy Committee. She holds a B.A. in Fine Art from the University of Central Florida and has completed nonprofit leadership programs through the Georgetown University Center for Public Policy and Nonprofit Leadership, the Edyth Bush Institute at Rollins College, and the DeVos Institute for Arts Management.
Reginald Parks, Principal & CMO, RMG (Reality Marketing Group)
Reginald is a husband, a father, as well as an entrepreneur. Reginald has been recognized as Orlando Business Journal’s 40 under 40, as a highlighted business owner by JP Morgan Chase nationally, & is seen as a leader in the marketing & advertising space. With his amazing team at RMG, he has won several national awards within the industry. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelors in Sport Management and a minor in Business Administration, which led him to work in sport marketing in the Orlando market. He utilized that experience to build what is now RMG, a full-service agency. He went on to receive his Master’s in Business Administration on full scholarship from Herzing University (Orlando) where he graduated Cum Laude, representing the first hybrid class at the Orlando campus as the commencement speaker.
Reginald prides himself on family, faith, health, creativity as well as education. His engagement in the community falls within those categories as a board member, donor and advisory member for multiple organizations. RMG’s focus is to “Market for Good”, as Reginald has an overall aim to an impact that will leave an everlasting legacy for his two daughters. His biggest treasure is his loving wife, Daisy, in which they both share the passion of both health and entrepreneurship. Reginald simply hopes to leave this world a better place than when he entered it.
These passionate individuals bring a wealth of experience and fresh ideas to help us advocate for the arts and build a stronger, more connected region.
Lastly, we want to thank departing members George Ralls, Mafrene Lisboa, Phillip Laws and Brian Mills for their significant contributions to United Arts’ success.
