CCA, foundation announce new director for both
The Captiva Civic Association’s board of governors welcomes Emily Hess Ankerson as the new director of the CCA and the Captiva Civic Association Foundation.
Ankerson is a new resident of Sanibel. She and her husband came to the Gulf Coast from West Palm Beach, drawn to the beauty, land preservation efforts and involved communities of Sanibel and Captiva. Her husband, Sam, is the executive director of the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel.
Prior to joining the CCA, Ankerson worked for the Center for Creative Education, a nonprofit organization in West Palm Beach, in various administrative and leadership roles such as arts integration curriculum specialist, curriculum director and program manager for its outreach program.
She has a master’s degree from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, and dedicated the first part of her professional career to education. Ankerson was a classroom teacher for many years and a curriculum writer for a public school district in Vermont. Upon relocating to Florida, she turned her professional attention to affecting change through the nonprofit sector.
Ankerson also volunteered at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach as an education docent to help inform the public about the need for caring for the oceans and beaches and the creatures that live in those habitats. She feels passionate about creating programming to educate the public and bring communities together.
“One of the most appealing aspects of being the director of the CCA is to be able to help cultivate a sense of community by bringing people together based on their common interests,” Ankerson said. “People who feel a connection to where they live are more invested in the integrity of that place and have a sense of ownership when it comes to maintaining and preserving the quality of life there.”
“By providing an environment where people with common interests come together to socialize, the Captiva Civic Association helps foster these strong ties to the community. People who feel they belong develop a sense of pride for where they live and are more apt to get involved in efforts to preserve or improve that environment,” she added. “With a background in a nonprofit that worked toward elevating the quality of life through arts and education, I am excited to use my expertise to help bring engaging programming to the members of the CCA and the Captiva community.”
Ankerson is looking forward to meeting the members of the CCA and Captiva community this season and learning more about the communities and various organizations of the islands.