Sepi Ackerman

Co-Founder/ President

Since launching the organization in 2021, Sepi has led its growth from a single-school initiative to a five-school program, while also spearheading the hiring of its first Executive Director to support long-term sustainability and impact.

A passionate and accomplished community leader, Sepi brings over a decade of experience championing causes that uplift children and strengthen Sarasota. She served as Past President of the Southside Elementary PTO, and past board member of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Counties. She was recognized as SRQ Magazine's Good Hero Philanthropist and a recipient of the Doris Loevner Young Leadership Award by the Jewish Federation of Sarasota.

Known for her ability to unite people around a shared purpose, Sepi has also led impactful initiatives such as the “United Against Hate” campaign, reflecting her deep commitment to building a stronger, more compassionate community for the next generation.

Professionally, Sepi serves as a Program Director for Empath Health, where she continues to lead with empathy and purpose. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) from Mercer University.

At home, Sepi enjoys life with her husband, their two daughters—who proudly volunteer with Holiday House—and their mini-Bernedoodle, Stella.

Jenny Infanti

Co-Founder

For the past 20 years, Jenny Infanti has been dedicated to improving education in Sarasota County as a middle school teacher, an active board member of the Education Foundation, Sarasota County Early Learning Coalition and, most recently, through appointment to the board of State College of Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis. She holds both a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Education and an MBA from the University of Florida. As the proud mother of two wonderful children, she believes deeply in the power of education to change lives.

Hilary Yunis

Vice-President

Hilary is a lifelong Floridian and passionate nonprofit volunteer dedicated to advancing equity and well-being for underserved communities. She has served Holiday House SRQ since its inception, first as a volunteer and now as a board member, helping provide vital resources and joyful holiday experiences to Title I school children and their families. Hilary is the former President of the Southside School Foundation for the Arts, where she campaigned arts access and education. She also volunteers at a nonprofit farm focused on food insecurity, working to ensure that every member of the community has access to nourishing meals. In addition to her board service, Hilary has served on numerous committees throughout Sarasota, further demonstrating her deep commitment to community engagement and impact.

Shera Friedman

Secretary

Shera moved to Sarasota in 2019 with her husband and three children, bringing with her a strong commitment to public service and community engagement. Prior to relocating, Shera worked as an attorney and was appointed as a public defender for two municipalities—experience that reflects her deep dedication to advocacy and justice. In Sarasota, she continues her work in the nonprofit sector as a grant writer for a local organization. Shera is an active member of Temple Emanu-El, where she is Chair of the Junior Sisterhood Committee. She is also a member of the Junior League of Sarasota where she is the Chair-elect of the State Public Affairs Committee and has served as Chair of the Grants committee. She especially enjoyed volunteering for Holiday House SRQ and is honored to serve on the board, where she looks forward to contributing her skills and passion to furthering the organization’s mission.

Lori Mitchell

Treasurer/ Team Captain:

Lori joins the Holiday House board with a wealth of business experience. She owns and operates across several states Jimmy John’s, Fin & Tonic, and Tommy’s Express Car Washes. While entrepreneurship has been an important part of her journey, family and community have always remained at the core of her values. For more than a decade, she served as licensed foster parents, providing a loving home to 17 children and gaining meaningful insight into the diverse needs of children and families. She is also a board member of the Humane Society of Sarasota County and her longstanding commitment to service includes prior leadership on the Friends Forever Board of the Nebraska Humane Society, participation in raising puppies for Dogs, Inc., and continued involvement in philanthropic and various community initiatives since relocating to Sarasota 11 years ago. Deeply devoted to the spirit of generosity and community engagement, she is honored to support the mission of Holiday House SRQ and to help bring the joy of the holiday season to children and families across Sarasota’s Title I schools.Married to her husband, Mark, for 36 years, she is the proud mother of three children and grandmother to three grandchildren.

Megan Micale

Executive Director

Megan Micale serves as the Executive Director of Holiday House SRQ and is proud to help lead the organization’s efforts to bring joy, resources, and memorable holiday experiences to children and families in Sarasota’s Title I schools. She brings more than 20 years of experience working within Sarasota’s nonprofit community and is passionate about supporting local schools and ensuring every child has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

Throughout her career, Megan has worked in development and community engagement with organizations including The Roskamp Foundation, Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s, and The Out of Door Academy. These experiences allowed her to work alongside many of the generous and dedicated people who make the Sarasota community so special. She has loved being part of a community that cares deeply about supporting both seniors and children and strengthening the many meaningful causes that serve local families.

A devoted member of the Sarasota community, Megan believes education is the foundation of our children’s future and is committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of students and families. As a volunteer, she has seen firsthand the joy and confidence Holiday House brings to children through the holiday shopping experience and initiatives that provide important resources to local schools.

Megan is married to her husband, Kevin, and is the proud mother of two sons, Luke and Carter. She loves to travel and is excited and honored to serve alongside a dedicated board, volunteers, and supporters who share her passion for service and community impact

Amber Rylak

Board of Directors

Amber currently serves as a Development Officer at the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, where she builds meaningful connections to support teachers, students, and help prepare every student for life. Before stepping into the world of philanthropy, Amber was a dedicated educator for 12 years. While teaching at Emma E. Booker Elementary School, she first experienced the magic of Holiday House. Watching her students light up with joy left a lasting impression and inspired her to one day be part of the cause behind that wonder.

Amber earned her degree in Health and Exercise Science Teaching from The College of New Jersey and is proud to be a member of the Leadership Sarasota Class of 2026. She remains deeply engaged in the local community through mentoring, volunteering, and coaching youth lacrosse. Amber is passionate about closing the opportunity gap, creating equitable pathways for students, and giving back in ways that bring people together.

She lives in Sarasota with her husband, Chris, and their golden retriever, Bear. Amber is honored to serve on the Holiday House SRQ Board and looks forward to helping remove barriers and bring the same joy she once witnessed in her students to families across the region.

Star Connor

Board of Directors

Star is a transformational educational leader, strategist, entrepreneur, wife, and proud mother of two who is passionate about helping people and organizations reach their greatest potential. With a career dedicated to education, leadership development, and organizational growth, Star has built a reputation for creating meaningful change, strengthening systems, and empowering leaders to achieve measurable results for students, teams, and communities.

Star began her career as an elementary classroom teacher before moving into school leadership, serving as principal at multiple schools in Jacksonville, Florida. Throughout her tenure, she became known for building strong school cultures, improving instructional practices, developing high-performing teams, and increasing student achievement. She later served as a Region Superintendent overseeing 14 schools in Hillsborough County, where she led school transformation efforts that resulted in significant academic growth and schools successfully exiting state-required intervention status.

Today, Star is the owner of Star Strategic Solutions, LLC, where she partners with educational organizations to develop leaders, strengthen instructional systems, and create sustainable strategies for growth. She is passionate about helping schools and is proud to serve on the Holiday House SRQ board.

Ava Rosin

Ava is honored to serve as a team captain for Holiday House. A 10th-grade student at ODA, Ava is actively involved in cheerleading and musical theatre, having starred in over a dozen plays. Gocio Elementary holds a special place in her heart, as ODA partners with the school on meaningful initiatives throughout the year, including Thanksgiving boxes, kindergarten buddy programs, and various fundraisers. Ava has a deep love for working with young children, especially those facing challenges, and currently serves as a teacher’s assistant. Her compassion and dedication make her an ideal fit for the role of team captain.

Ariana Ackerman

Ariana Ackerman has been involved with Holiday House SRQ since its earliest days, helping found the organization. She continues to play an active role each year since the organization’s inception -shopping for inventory, sorting donations, and spending time in the schools helping students select the perfect gifts for their families. Ariana is known for being a truly hands-on volunteer who brings kindness and enthusiasm to every part of the experience. In addition to her service work, she is a straight-A student, a proud member of the National Junior Honor Society, and enjoys playing tennis. Ariana is passionate about giving back to her community while continuing to excel academically and personally.

Team Captain

Student Vice-President

Santa's Elf:

Sienna Ackerman