Movers and shakers are ahead of the curve in the arts, politics, education and technology

By Leslie 0'Shaughnessy
January 2009

Art For Life

Works by artist Rachel Simmons have been exhibited in Florida, New York and Italy. Through Rollins College's Office of Community Engagement, she has led the efforts for a community mural at the Winter Park Day Nursery the past two summers. The Rollins graduate has been inspired to educate the public on art's value in society through her collaborative art projects. Simmons, a professor for nine years in the college's Art and Art History Department, says she sees art not only as an outlet for personal expression but also as a way of sharing political and cultural perception. Most recently she has focused on environmental concerns, such as marine pollution. Her ÒWonders"exhibition was partly based on her work in the Galapagos Islands, and in 2009 she will travel to Antarctica to explore the relationship of eco-tourism and climate change. She says the expedition will be key in her work in 2009 as it will allow her to see firsthand the breaking of the ice shelves and climate change's impact on the environment. From this experience, the 33-year-old art activist hopes to explore and answer whether eco-tourism's benefits outweigh the collateral damage our presence has on the environment. "We leave a footprint no matter where we go," she says. Exploration, understanding and discovery are critical, but at what cost, she asks. It is her hope that the more we become aware of Antarctica, the more we will understand our impact on this planet.

Political power

Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2004, Dean Cannon will be sworn in as speaker designate in the 2009 Florida legislative session in March. That, in turn, means he's slated to become House speaker in 2010. "It is an honor, and I am humbled that my colleagues have trusted me to be their spokesman, and regionally it is an opportunity to give extra focus to specific issues we care for here," says Cannon, 40. He cites the importance of the economy. "One of the biggest areas of the Florida economy that needs help is the real estate industry. We need to facilitate growth by focusing on additional property-tax reform, speeding up permitting, and other measures to rehabilitate the market as our economy in Florida is so heavily influenced by its performance." He also sees a need to pay attention to Florida's kindergarten through 12th-grade education system and to make support for community colleges and universities a priority. Regionally, he sees the value of commuter rail as important to the big picture. "Even if you don't plan to ride or use the project, it will help to draw down millions of dollars of federal money now going to other states that can be used for our transportation infrastructure, aiding roads, airports and seaports, further expanding our economy." Cannon serves on a number of legislative panels and is chairman of the Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council. In addition, his colleagues elected him chairman of the Orange County Legislative Delegation. Previously with the Orlando law firm of GrayRobinson, he is president of 4 Corner Resources, an IT staffing company.

Champion for sports

The former president of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, Sam Stark recently was named CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission, a nonprofit organization charged with bringing sports events to Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Volusia counties. With the strategic mission of promoting economic development through sports and entertainment, Stark is a natural fit for the commission. Before joining the chamber he was the co-founder of Main Street Marketing, an Orlando-based sports event management and marketing company. While at the Winter Park Chamber, the 39-year-old Rollins graduate was a dynamic leader in the chamber's partnership with the city for the new Welcome Center and Chamber of Commerce venue on Lyman Avenue. "One of the most exciting things about this opportunity [with the Sports Commission] is that it allows my family to remain in Winter Park and enjoy the life we're building here," he says. As he makes the transition from dealing with one municipality to addressing the issues of five counties, he is optimistic. Despite the challenging economic times, he feels confident that with improved marketing the commission can connect events with Central Florida. "Our area makes us a natural destination for people and larger marquee sporting competitions and events," he says.

Wired for education

A former Lakemont Elementary School kindergarten teacher, Sarah Sprinkel has been named the director of Elementary Education for Florida Virtual School. The school, founded in 1997, is a nationally recognized e-learning model and was the country's first statewide Internet-based high school. In 2009 she will put in motion the program's elementary curriculum. The goal is to provide individual courses for elementary students as soon as the 2009-10 school year, as required by state law. The virtual school can be a welcome option for children who need additional support, such as accelerated learning in mathematics or help with reading. Online learning also can be critical for children who are medically fragile, homebound, involved in acting or sports, or have a difficult time in the traditional school setting. With a Master of Arts in early education from Rollins College, the 60-year-old former teacher has been an advocate for children and education. She worked for the Orange County Public School system for 23 years. She believes high-quality, technology-based education is a must for students to succeed in the 21st century. "Virtual education will not and should not replace existing schools; however, it is becoming more and more difficult to offer the variety of programs students need with less money and higher costs," Sprinkel says. "My vision is that FLVS will serve the state and nation as a full-service virtual provider" for all grades.

Shaping entertainment

Chris Marconi joined Full Sail University in 2002 and serves as its executive vice president. Boasting "Real World Education," Full Sail is recognized as one of the premier entertainment and media arts universities and has produced a number of award-winning graduates. An integral part of the executive leadership team, Marconi specializes in corporate development and private investment matters. He also serves on the board of directors for the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, one of Full Sail's affiliate colleges. The school also enters the new year with its university status that was awarded last March from the Florida Department of Education's Commission for Independent Education. ÒReceiving university status means a lot to our students, alumni, faculty and administrators,"Marconi says. ÒOur mission has always been to be the absolute best-in-class provider of entertainment and media education in the world, and being a Ôuniversity' helps us succeed in our mission."Full Sail recently acquired property adjacent to the campus on University Boulevard, bringing the campus to about 180 acres.?Looking to 2009, Marconi is excited about developing the school's online curriculum. Ò2009 will be an exciting year as it relates to our on-campus and online programs,"he says. ÒThe opportunity to provide students with a high-quality education and great online experience really becomes a global proposition."Marconi is proud of the strong entrepreneurial employee culture that Full Sail, with more than 1,200 employees, brings to the area.

Leslie O'Shaughnessy was born at Winter Park Hospital and raised in Mount Dora. She has worked as an actress (Everyone Loves Raymond, Judging Amy, Wings) and is the producer/director of the documentary film Big Blue River (Orlando Film Festival 2008). She is also the co-founder and president of The Millennium Woman Foundation, which provides scholarships for single parents. She splits her time between Ponce Inlet and Winter Park.