CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Wade is a born-and-raised Bradentonian, and a supporter of the “Friendly City” both personally and professionally. He is a co-founder of Independent Jones (a live music & entertainment event company) and former board member at Realize Bradenton (an arts and culture nonprofit dedicated to Bradenton). He is currently a community manager at Connect Central (a flexible workspace in downtown Bradenton) and a member of the investment team that brought Oscura back in 2022 to fulfill a purpose; to bring quality bands to local audiences and quality audiences to local bands. He also volunteers as the parent-manager of his son’s competitive soccer team and spends any of his “spare” time on the kayaks with his family.

SECRETARY

Amanda Girton is the founder and head instructor of Sunshine Swimming. With over a decade of experience, she is making waves in our community through her dedication to water safety education. A Florida native from Duette, Amanda combines her deep-rooted passion for swimming with her expertise to ensure everyone can enjoy the water safely.

Josephine was born and raised in Bradenton, graduate of Manatee High School, and was in the marching band. She is the owner of JoGrows where she sells microgreens and builds edible gardens. A full-time vendor at the Bradenton Market and graduate of Realize Bradenton’s Start-Up Circle entrepreneurship program. Before opening her business, She worked in social services helping children, transitional age youth & adults who struggled with mental health. 

Adam has worked in both the early education field and event operations in non-profit settings for the past 10 years. He is a proud graduate of Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in education, minoring in leadership. Currently, Adam is working on developing his own business in event planning to help guide clients to local talent matching all of their event needs. 

TREASURER

Ali is a CPA with Carr, Riggs & Ingram who lives and works in the Friendly City. She specializes in tax planning and preparation for businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations, and serves a wide variety of clients in the area. In her free time she enjoys reading, cooking, photography, exploring nature, attending community events, and giving back to the community by supporting local nonprofits. 

Blair Bloomston is the Co-Founder and CEO of Leaders Uplifted, a professional development agency focused on leadership, well-being, and high-performance at work. She's spent the past 20 years supporting clients such as NASA, Deloitte, Hilton, and the U.S. House of Representatives through her expertise as an instructional designer and facilitator, as well as her background leading interactive, game-based training experiences. Most importantly, Blair's is a proud parent of two young sons with her husband Shane, Co-Founder at Leaders Uplifted, and she also brings her 1st generation Floridian and Bradenton-born pride to the Friendly City. 

Javar Baity, a Sarasota native, brings a wealth of experience in education, digital media, and community leadership to the Friendly City Foundation’s board of directors. A graduate of State College of Florida and the University of South Florida, where he earned a degree in Literature and Cultural Studies, Javar's deep understanding of cultural narratives informs his approach to digital strategy and community engagement. His early career included serving as a paraprofessional in the Manatee County School District and coaching basketball at Braden River High School, followed by mentoring students as a College Success Coach at Take Stock in Children.

 Currently, Javar is the Digital Media Strategist at Aginto, where he leverages his expertise to craft impactful marketing campaigns. He also delivered a TEDx talk at the inaugural TEDxBradenton, speaking on the transformative power of cross-cultural mentorship in building stronger communities. Recognized as one of SRQ Magazine’s "35 Under 35," Javar's leadership and commitment to youth development make him a key asset to the Friendly City Foundation

Born and raised in Bradenton, Florida. Shannon attended Bradenton Christian and from there went on to Palm Beach Atlantic University and Art Institute, receiving degrees in Psychology and then in Fashion Design.  Her love for painting and pattern design led her to start doing more illustration work. After college, Shannon began freelancing for Bealls as a surface designer. Shortly after, launching her own illustration studio in 2011.  She began creating custom wedding invitations and selling her art and stationery designs on Etsy.  In 2016, she launched the wholesale side of her business at the National Stationery Show in New York and began to grow a stationery line.  Shannon’s line has since been sold in over 100 stores nationwide and she have been able to collaborate with brands like Hallmark, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Trader Joes, Paper Source and more.  As she continues to work on a range of custom projects, growing my wholesale and retail business and participating in local markets like the Friendly City Flea. She currently resides in Bradenton, FL with her husband and two year old son (& pets) where she works out of her sunny home studio.