Meet Our Members

The Circle serves as a gateway for women to get involved in philanthropy and to meet other like-minded women who share their same passions and interests. Formed to bring friends together, The Circle is able to magnify the impact of individual giving by pooling members’ gifts together to fund the Museum’s key outreach initiatives.

2023-2024 Steering Committee

Trudy Powers Hoffman, Chair
Cathy Cronin, Communications
June Fitzgerald, Membership Co-Chair
Catherine Cooke, Membership Co-Chair/Member Events
Anne Golensky, Site Visits Co-Chair
Lori Lazorik, Site Visits Co-Chair
Diane McGinn, Hospitality Co-Chair
Mary Wright, Hospitality Co-Chair
Joy Ann Coll, Secretary/Treasurer

Get to Know Our Members

Diane Wilhelm

Susie Kintner

Gerri Smith

Becky Torbin

Barb Dorvee

Please click here for the 2023-2024 Member Listing.

JOIN OR RENEW NOW

Meet
Diane Wilhelm

Diane Wilhelm is a lifelong caring, volunteering kind of people-person! She followed that passion to a nursing career. First as an RN, onward to a BS degree in Nursing and then she capped her credentials with an MBA in Management from the Lake Forest School of Management. In her last position, Diane was the Benefits Manager at AC Nielsen. Diane retired (young) to Vero Beach, and is active at the Riverside Theater, Indian River Hospital and, of course, the VBMA!

In 2009, Diane was already volunteering at the VBMA with the “Friends of the VBMA”. But Government funding for the arts was waning and the VBMA CEO Cindy Gedeon reached out to Diane and Lyn Adams to request their help in forming a "Giving Circle", a volunteer group to raise funds for the Museum’s outreach programs. Diane and Lyn envisioned and created the first steering committee and developed the first Circle concept - the site visits, the member meetings and fund raising efforts.

Diane has watched The Circle grow since 2009, both in its mission and the friendships made by the members. She is proud of the funding The Circle has raised to support the VBMA education programs.

A true Founding Member. Thank you Diane!

Meet
Susie Kintner

Susie Kintner grew up an only child in the chintz world of Scarsdale, NY. She graduated with a BA in sociology from Newton College of the Sacred Heart. Her first job after graduation was with Catholic Charities supervising foster homes where she witnessed a world of poverty, alcohol abuse and walk-ups. Following several years in NYC and Woodstock, NY, she continued a high powered career path in Exeter, NH where she served as Director of the Chamber of Commerce for three years. Then, back to the NY metropolitan area where she had a fabulous sales career in research information, technology consulting and legal services. Susie and her husband followed their dear friends to Vero Beach in 2014 and found a place for her passion for children. Susie has volunteered at the Hibiscus Children’s Center and the Boys & Girls Club, where a group called Teen Talk was started to help teens build their resumes and learn interview techniques. As a member of The Circle, she loves bringing “ kids across the bridge” to expand their lives. Susie loves The Circle and the contributions they make to the Museum’s programs and emphasizes her love of her friends whom she has met through The Circle.

Meet
Gerri Smith

Gerri is a native Floridian and her family were citrus farmers in Indian River County. She raised her daughter Cheryl on the island and sent her to the Museum camps every summer. Gerri's passion is children, especially the underserved children of migrants who live in our county. She joined The Circle in 2016 and was pleased to learn that the VBMA and The Circle were providing help and outreach to all in need.

In her career, Gerri was VP of Northern Campuses for Florida Atlantic University and served on 12 boards. She represented the President of Florida Atlantic University on economic development impacting Florida's diverse population and has participated in Leadership Florida, a group that meets across the state to fundraise and network. Gerri brings her talents as a speaker, her connection to our community and her enthusiasm to our group.

Meet
Becky Torbin

Becky started her life in Pittsburgh PA. In a small ballet studio, at the age of four, she first felt the transformational power of dance and art. Becky was born with a "fundraising and volunteer gene." After graduation from Duquesne University, she entered the insurance business, but yearned to be a part of the art world. She reached out to Loti Falk, who was working to found the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and asked how she could help. Becky still remains a member of the Board of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. But this was just the beginning. Since then, Becky has volunteered and held leadership roles in more than a handful of charitable organizations. In Vero, Becky became Chairman of The Circle Steering Committee in 2020, perfectly timed for the Covid-19 shutdown. The Circle lost 20% of its members and the Museum closed. Becky strove to continue The Circle's efforts despite the circumstances, and used this time with her partners to form a Five-Year Strategic Plan to expand the reach of The Circle for the future.

Meet
Barb Dorvee

We are lucky to have Barb Dorvee in The Circle - she has impressive volunteer experience. After graduating from SUNY at Canton and Rochester Institute of Technology, she had a varied career in Finance, working mainly in Southern California. Barbara hails from Seneca Falls, NY, home of the National Women’s Hall of Fame where she volunteered as a greeter for incoming notable women being inducted into the Hall of Fame. She had the pleasure of guiding notables, such as Hillary and Bill Clinton, Tenley Albright (Olympic gold medalist) and Maya Lin (architect) when they arrived to accept their inductions. Barb also found time to serve as a docent and manage the bookstore for the Museum of Industry and Waterways in Seneca Falls.

She loves and is drawn to The Circle’s site visits; particularly the Childrens’ Programs, Senior Resources and Veterans activities.

About The Circle

Events Calendar

Meet Our Members

Programs We Support

In The News/Photo Gallery

Funding Opportunities

Meet Our Members

2023-2024 Steering Committee

Get to Know Our Members

Diane Wilhelm

Susie Kintner

Gerri Smith

Becky Torbin

Barb Dorvee

Please click here for the 2023-2024 Member Listing.

Meet
Diane Wilhelm

Meet
Susie Kintner

Meet
Gerri Smith

Meet
Becky Torbin

Meet
Barb Dorvee

About The Circle

Events Calendar

Meet Our Members

Programs We Support

In The News/Photo Gallery

Funding Opportunities

Meet Our Members

2023-2024 Steering Committee

Get to Know Our Members

Diane Wilhelm

Susie Kintner

Gerri Smith

Becky Torbin

Barb Dorvee

Please click here for the 2023-2024 Member Listing.

MeetDiane Wilhelm

MeetSusie Kintner

MeetGerri Smith

MeetBecky Torbin

MeetBarb Dorvee

Meet
Diane Wilhelm

Meet
Susie Kintner

Meet
Gerri Smith

Meet
Becky Torbin

Meet
Barb Dorvee