ABOUT WINTER PARK INSTITUTE

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ABOUT WINTER PARK INSTITUTE

With public lectures and readings, the Winter Park Institute hosts influential people from a broad spectrum of disciplines and expertise. This exchange of ideas is designed to encourage enlightened ongoing conversation and to enhance an educated citizenry who, through civic discourse and debate, fosters and strengthens an ongoing democratic society.

MISSION STATEMENT: Convening the community around the arts, science, humanities, and literature.

VISION STATEMENT: A place for people to learn and embrace big ideas.

VOLUNTEER NOW: Email [email protected]

The Winter Park Institute has moved from its home for twelve years at Rollins College to become an independent 501(c)(3) non profit to present programs for the City of Winter Park and beyond at its new Library & Events Center campus. As a freestanding public charity, the Institute is dependent upon the generosity of corporate, institutional and individual patronage for support.

WINTER PARK INSTITUTE BOARD MEMBERS

TONY JENKINS, CHAIRMAN

Tony Jenkins is Market President for Florida Blue, Central Florida region. He was instrumental in establishing Florida Blue’s diversity efforts starting in 2001. He is on the board of Florida Citrus Sports and is a trustee at Stetson University.

LAUREN ZIMMERMAN, CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lauren Zimmerman is the owner of Writer’s Block Bookstore located in Winter Park and Winter Garden. She has backgrounds in interior design, law and social work. Lauren is currently a Trustee of the Winter Park Public Library.

CYNTHIA WOOD, VICE CHAIR

Cynthia Wood is retired Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Rollins College. She currently serves as an advisor to individuals and non profit organizations on strategic philanthropy. Cynthia served as Interim Executive Director of the Winter Park Public Library during its building campaign.

LAWRENCE LYMAN, SECRETARY

Lawrence Lyman is a government affairs and public relations consultant who is currently the Managing Partner and Vice President, Business Development and Government Relations of Tactical Electronics Corporation. He is former President of Winter Park Public Library Board of Trustees.

TOM DYER

Tom Dyer

Tom Dyer is the founder of Watermark, the LGBT newspaper serving Orlando and Tampa Bay since 1994. He is also a practicing attorney with Dyer & Blaisdell, PL. In 2014, he was named a “Champion of Equality” by the Harvey Milk Foundation.

GERALD HECTOR

Gerald Hector is Sr. Vice President for Administration and Finance at UCF. He is a licensed CPA. Gerald’s experience spans all aspects of higher education management including purchasing, financial aid and risk management.

CALEB LIPTAK

Caleb Liptak is a Senior PR Manager at Findsome & Winmore in Winter Park. He secures high quality media coverage for his clients while supervising and managing his team. He also leads clients through brand visioning exercises to help them better understand what they do.

STOCKTON REEVES

Stockton Reeves is the Executive Director of the Center for Public Safety which works with the first responders providing spatial needs and staffing studies. He currently serves on the Civil Service Board. He is a third-generation Winter Park resident.

ERICKA DUNLAP

Ericka Dunlap

Ericka Dunlap is the CEO and Principal Consultant of Crown Communication Group, a PR Firm dedicated to improving brand relationships and reputations. A dynamic performer, Ericka is a very active supporter of the Arts and also serves on several boards as a trusted advisor. She is currently Board Chair for the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation.

DAWN OFODILE

Dawn Ofodile

Dawn Ofodile is the Assistant Vice President of Regional Community Engagement at VyStar Credit Union where she oversees the organization’s community partnerships throughout Central Florida. She is instrumental in identifying community needs, establishing relationships with key stakeholders, and deploying VyStar’s resources to “Do Good” in the places its members call home. Dawn is a Winter Park transplant and currently serves on the board of several local organizations. 

LINDA WARREN

Linda Warren

Linda Warren is a 37-year Disney veteran who rose to Executive Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. She later worked as CMO for Talisker Mountain Inc. before earning a B.A.S. in Interior Design and founding Modern Moon Designs, where she now works on projects for friends and family.

Core Values:

  • Provide a safe gathering space to share ideas and create connections through vital, emotional dialogue between citizens.
  • We value our relationships and collaboration with public, private, and non-profit organizations.
  • We cherish our culturally rich Winter Park heritage of collective experiences as a community.
  • Challenge existing assumptions and eagerly seek new ideas.

Strategic Priorities:

  • Education: Provide excellent gathering experiences and resources for all demographics and ages in our diverse community.
  • Fiscal Stability: Create a comprehensive budget containing revenue goals, cost goals, and fundraising goals.  Encourage strategic growth while responsibly managing resources.
  • Continue to ensure fiscally sound business practices, and work to increase private donations.
  • Effectively communicate, inform and educate the community about Winter Park Institute 2.0.
  • Program branding and identity.
  • Incorporate creative tools into existing communications and marketing.
  • Form partnerships with complementary non-profit organizations.

History

The Institute was founded in 2007 by Rollins College through the leadership of then-President Lewis Duncan to promote liberal education. It was modeled after earlier programs.

The organization was supported by a generous donation from longtime trustee Allan Keen and also the Charles Hosmer Morse and Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation.  The first director, Dr. Gail Sinclair, built the Institute into a community treasure by attracting superior, extraordinary presenters.

Rollins divested itself of the Institute in 2020 during COVID and entrusted it to the Winter Park Publishing Company.  In 2021, the Institute became an IRS 501(c)(3) corporation under Randy Robinson…  In early 2022, leadership transferred to Lauren Zimmerman, who along with a new Board, represents the diverse Central Florida community.

Development & Funding Goals: Some of the fundraising and marketing strategies our organization is going to take into consideration include: 

  • Donor-Centered stewardship and retention, new and existing.
  • Online fundraising – promoting WPI 2.0 and seeking membership as founding patrons.
  • Peer-Peer fundraising.
  • Grants
  • Development Plan Goals
  • Work with Board Members and community volunteers to fund programs.
  • Get Input from Key Stakeholders to assist in fundraising.
  • Work with a focus group to create an advisory board to assist in reaching stakeholders.
  • Create a marketing budget.  Explore different revenue opportunities within the Board.  Board to reach out to their contacts and ask for help and funds.

The Winter Park Institute has moved from its home for twelve years at Rollins College to become an independent 501(c)(3) non profit to present programs for the City of Winter Park and beyond at its new Library & Events Center campus. As a freestanding public charity, the Institute is dependent upon the generosity of corporate, institutional and individual patronage for support.

WINTER PARK LIBRARY & EVENTS CENTER

Serving as home to the Winter Park Institute, patrons are invited to free events inside the Library and featured speakers in the adjacent Events Center.

READ MORE ABOUT EVENTS CENTER

About the Architect

Our History

The Institute was founded in 2007 by Rollins College through the leadership of then-president Lewis Duncan following a third college-sponsored Colloquy on Liberal Education and Social Responsibility (the first two were in 1930 and 1997).

The new organization was supported by a generous donation from longtime trustee Allan E. Keen and the Charles Hosmer Morse and Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundations, both through a grant and by providing use of the historic Osceola Lodge as headquarters. The first executive director was Dr. Gail Sinclair, who built the fledgling Institute into a community treasure by attracting season after season of extraordinary presenters, including primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, filmmaker Ken Burns, director Oliver Stone, cellist Itzhak Perlman, activist Gloria Steinem, pop music legend Paul McCartney, former two-term U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins (also the Institute’s Senior Distinguished Fellow) and dozens more.

Rollins divested itself of the Institute in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and entrusted it to Winter Park Publishing Company, publishers of Winter Park Magazine. The company held several virtual events while in-person gatherings were prohibited, but all the while sought a community partner who could return the Institute to its lofty stature when the pandemic receded. In 2021 Winter Park Institute secured its independant nonprofit status as a 501c3 under Robertson. In 2022 leadership was then transferred to Lauren Zimmerman, who is currently working with a team of board members to bring the 2022-2023 event season to life, restoring the Institute as cultural and intellectual jewel in Winter Park’s crown.

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Every Donation Helps

The Winter Park Institute is a grassroots organization dependent on the generosity of individuals, more than any other entity.  Please give as much as you are able.

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