As regional chancellor since 2018, Dr. Karen Holbrook has led USF Sarasota- Manatee through a period of transformative growth, which includes the opening of Atala Hall, a first-ever residence hall, and planning for a new academic and research center. She’s also a business leader, driving the growth of a new USF aerospace engineering program in the College of Engineering designed to enhance the regional goal of creating an aviation ecosystem.

Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton, director of the Florida Center for Partnerships in Arts Integrating Teaching (PAInT) at USF Sarasota-Manatee, is a national leader in developing arts education programs for the nation’s schools. Since 2021, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded Dr. Davis-Cotton more than $11 million in grants to establish a national, replicable model for arts learning and a separate professional development program for elementary and middle school teachers who serve low-socioeconomic status households and communities across the country.

Dr. Lindsay Persohn, an assistant professor in the College of Education at USF Sarasota-Manatee, is making an impact through her research interests centered on stories. A former teacher and school librarian, Dr. Persohn helps lead innovative donor- and grant-funded programs to improve lifelong literacy outcomes for children in Sarasota County and beyond. She has also published research on scholarly podcasting that draws on her experience hosting “Classroom Caffeine,” a venue for education researchers to share their knowledge with teachers in the field. 

About USF

• USF is a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement that generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion.

• In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of 71 leading universities in the United States and Canada.

• Major changes are underway on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus with the opening of the first-ever student center and residence hall in fall 2024, and the addition of new academic programs designed to meet student interest and industry needs in behavioral science, business, education, engineering, health care and other fields.

8350 N. Tamiami Trail,
Sarasota, FL 34243
941.359.4200
SarasotaManatee.usf.edu