ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD PRESIDENT

Published on October 03, 2025

FORT MYERS, FL (October 3, 2025) – The Alliance for the Arts is proud to announce the appointment of Carolyn Gora as President of its Board of Directors, along with the addition of two new board members: Justin Thibaut, President and CEO of LSI Companies, Inc., and Brian Williams, Partner at the law firm Cole, Scott & Kissane.

“It is an honor to have Carolyn lead the Alliance for the Arts Board, and to have Brian and Justin join the Alliance team,” said Alliance Executive Director Neil Volz. “This is an exciting new season for the Alliance for the Arts, and it’s wonderful to have such respected community leaders step into these important roles.”

Carolyn Gora, the newly appointed Board President, is a lifelong Floridian and passionate advocate for arts education. She brings decades of experience as an art educator, artist, and community leader to the role. Gora holds both a BA and MA in Art Education from the University of South Florida and spent nearly 40 years teaching at all levels, including adjunct positions at FSW, USF, and FGCU. A founding art teacher at Cape Coral High School, she has received multiple honors, including the Golden Apple Award and Florida Middle School Art Teacher of the Year. Gora has also held leadership roles with the Jewish Federation of Lee and Charlotte Counties, Temple Beth El, and the Fort Myers Public Art Committee. Her mixed media artwork has been showcased in juried exhibitions locally and internationally, and she is the author and illustrator of three children’s books.

Justin Thibaut is the President and CEO of LSI Companies. A graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in Construction Management, he brings experience from the Nuclear Power and Petroleum Industries, where he managed major capital projects ranging from $500 million to $1 billion. He specializes in real estate analysis, commercial acquisitions and dispositions, and all stages of land development and vertical construction.

Brian A. Williams is a Partner at Cole, Scott & Kissane’s Fort Myers office. He holds a BBA from Emory University and a JD from George Washington University Law School. Williams previously served as Associate General Counsel for Collier County Public Schools and Chief Legal Counsel for the School District of Lee County. He also served as Chief Economic Development Officer and as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County.

About Alliance for the Arts

From yesterday’s vision to tomorrow’s masterpiece, a legacy of art and soul. The Alliance for the Arts is celebrating 50 years as a nonprofit community visual and performing arts center

located in the heart of Fort Myers, Florida. The Alliance campus and galleries are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. For more information, please call 239-939-2787, visit us at www.ArtInLee.org, find us on Facebook, MeetUp and Instagram.