Manatee Community Foundation’s board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Veronica Thames as executive director. In her new role, Thames will lead the organization in creating and executing transformative initiatives built to have a positive and lasting impact in Manatee County and beyond. Thames comes to Manatee Community Foundation after serving as the senior vice president and chief operating officer of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, where she helped translate the Foundation’s vision and goals into action. Since 2018, Thames played a key role in the expansion of operations, including the opening of the Sarasota Philanthropy Center. As a woman who emigrated from Argentina in her college years, Thames saw her share of suffering and unaddressed human needs. It was then that she decided her professional life’s mission would be to help heal and create opportunities for all, as a way to return the favor for the blessings she was afforded in pursuit of the American dream. Prior to Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Thames served as vice president of human resources at Blake Medical Center Healthcare Corporation of America. She was responsible for key operations and personnel management for the 1,300-employee organization. Her accomplishments included creating the top-ranked childcare facility in Manatee County and developing the largest community health and wellness program within the HCA hospital system nationwide. Thames has extensive board and governance experience, currently serving on the board for the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation and Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School Parents Association. She is also the chair of the board at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital and was a longtime member and former chair of the Sarasota Manatee Healthcare Collaborative. Thames is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Manatee and was instrumental in securing the coveted Best Nonprofit to Work For nation-wide award for her organization several times. She enjoys spending time with her family, as well as home remodeling, kayaking, and big gatherings. Thames has lived and worked across the United States, from Boca Raton, Florida, to Los Angeles, before planting her roots in Manatee County.