Board Members
Station Manager: Arlene Sweeting
Arlene Sweeting, Station Manager. Arlene taught public school for 7 years in Manatee County and was a Candidate for the Florida State House of 
Representatives in 2000 and 2002, receiving the endorsement of the Sierra Club, the local Green Party, the Florida League of Conservation Voters, the Manatee Education Association, and the Florida Consumer Action Network. She has served as County Chair of the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee and was appointed to serve on the Steering Committee of the County’s Visioning Process.
Board Member: Jason Boehk
Jason Boehk, WSLR Board Member. Jason has a B.A. in History from Brown University (1991). His professional experience includes energy conservation auditing, environmental media production, and political campaign management. A volunteer environmental health advocate, Boehk founded the Florida Alliance for Safe Foods, a grassroots advocacy organization that educates consumers on the hazards of genetically engineered foods.
In 2002, alarmed about our increasingly imperiled civil liberties, Boehk initiated a community effort in Sarasota to have the city government pass a resolution opposing portions of the so-called “USA PATRIOT Act.” The multipartisan coalition succeeded, and on October 20, 2003, the City of Sarasota became the 181st jurisdiction in the US to approve such a resolution. Boehk’s grassroots activism continues, and he believes that WSLR will play a vital role in improving our community and giving a voice to our people.
Board Chairman: Capt. Wayne Genthner
Earns his living as a charter fishing and Eco-touring boat proprietor. His business interests include promoting environmentally sustainable practices with an emphasis on regional water quality enhancements. Wayne has been intimately involved with radio from the age of two, when he first heard his dad on the air.
Board Member & Treasurer: Julie Morris
Julie Morris is the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at New College of Florida. She divides her time between general academic administration and work at the New College’s Environmental Studies Program, where she has coordinated and directed programs since 1981. Julie lives within walking distance of WSLR, and has been active in local community councils and advisory boards since the late 1970’s. She is married to Jono Miller, and they have a college-aged son, Corley. Julie has explored most of the south west Florida coasts and rivers by canoe, and relaxes by watching birds and studying local plants.
Board Member: Terry Binder
When she accepted a seat on the WSLR board of directors this summer, Terry Binder extended a long tradition of service to Sarasota’s community radio scene. That’s because Binder is the third member of her family to volunteer time and effort to WSLR. Her husband, Mark Binder, popular host of Yesterday’s Dead Today (airing Mondays from 7-9 pm), is an original WSLR programmer, while their 14-year-old son Thomas, is one of the station’s youngest programmers (Saturday Morning Collision, which airs the 5th Saturday of the month).
Terry, a physical therapist by profession, arrived in Sarasota from New York City with Mark back in 1982. Over those 26 years she has remained exceptionally active in a range of community activities, mostly focusing on peace, politics, environmental and sustainability issues, not to mention serving as a general WSLR volunteer since the inception of the station in 2005. Along with her work for WSLR, Terry is a member of her neighborhood homeowners association board.
Terry’s aim as a WSLR board member is to raise awareness of the station through fundraising and other programs locally as well as outside the area through the Internet. “My goals are to continue to expand the WSLR audience, increase its diversity, maintain and increase the quality of both music and public affairs and to keep the station true to its mission statement,” she says. “I feel WSLR is very important for the soul of Sarasota and will try my utmost to keep WSLR vibrant and relevant to the community.”.
Board Member and Secretary: Michelle Demperio
Michele Demperio is originally from Savannah, Georgia where she earned a Communications degree from Atlantic University. Michele’s focus has been on event production and coordination. Michele and her husband (Lumpy Tunes programmer Rob Demperio) came to Sarasota in 1996 and since then she has used her event production skills on behalf of many local non-profit organizations, including the Ringling Museum of Art Children’s festival, E-fest, and the Alta Vista Neighborhood Association. In addition to her volunteer activities, Michele has managed over fifteen weddings and many high profile corporate events. She has also worked at the Sarasota Visual Arts Center and the Ringling Museum of Art, and is currently the office manager for the influential design team at Totems Architecture.
Michele has been passionate about live, local music ever since she learned to snap her fingers, and found a welcome home in the Sarasota music community. “I felt I had really found my tribe” she remembers. Michele became involved with WSLR when she volunteered to work on a cause close to her heart: the 2011 Noise Ordinance project. Michele has been a tireless worker for WSLR ever since because, as she says, “Promoting equality, peace, sustainability, democracy, social and economic justice is an everyday battle”.
Board Member and Vice Chair: William “Dr. Nik” Pearson
William Pearson, a.k.a. Dr. Nik, is from Warwick, New York and attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He received a B.F.A. degree in Sculpture after transferring to New Paltz State University. Dr. Nik has been active in radio for over twenty years, first on a commercial station in Florida, New York (WTBQ 1110AM with “Bluegrass in the Morning”) then doing a weekend show at WJFF in Jeffersonville, New York (the nation’s only hydroelectric powered station). Dr. Nik has worked in Sarasota since the early 1980s and relocated here in 2004. Some of the many jobs that Dr. Nik has worked include stage hand/carpenter at the Golden Apple Dinner Theater; performer/explainer/weekend manager at GWIZ; union carpenter for I.A.T.S.E 412 and, presently, caretaker at Florida Studio Theater. A WSLR listener since the station’s inception Dr. Nik signed on as a programmer in 2006 and currently produces the “History of Bluegrass – Old & New” and 331/3. Dr. Nik can be seen frequently around town riding the “chicken in a basket” puppet bike or the “lovely” tiger bus to the next Lions, Tigers, and Bears Productions’ puppet show. Don’t forget to say “Howdy Neighbor Howdy” if you see him around town.
New College Student Representative: Martha Gibbons
Martha Gibbons, a third-year New College student, is joining the WSLR Board of Directors as part of her personalized curriculum “contract” with her faculty advisor. For one year, the international studies major will supplement her classes with participation in the decision-making process at the station.
Tampa-born Martha has always been a big radio fan, with a special love of National Public Radio, and a radio connection through friends involved in a station at another college. She thinks of WSLR as the New College radio station, and wants to promote greater involvement of the student body in producing shows at the station.
The radio enthusiast has a family background in politics and a passion for theater. She quoted a piece of wisdom: “Being an actress is like being a doctor–if you can see yourself doing anything else, you should do it.” Martha’s grandfather, Stan Gibbons, was a well-known Florida politician, elected sixteen times to the U.S. House, and head of the Ways and Means Committee. The Representative from Tampa, first elected in 1962, also helped build the University of South Florida, and has his name on the USF alumni center. It’s no wonder Martha is studying international relations.
Martha wants to pursue her political interest with graduate school at an international hub–Washington, New York, or California. She has family near Georgetown University in Washington, and would love to study there.
In the meantime, Martha would like to get airtime filling in on other people’s radio shows, and get WSLR to be the late night New College “Defunk” party music of choice. And at the WSLR Board meetings, she’ll be learning about politics on a small scale, as she prepares for a career in bridging diversity in a larger arena.
Board Member and High School Representative: Destin Perry
Destin Perry, a student at Sarasota’s new Suncoast Polytech High School, is joining WSLR’s Board of Directors soon. Destin got involved with the radio station after completing the Community Youth Development program, which promotes leadership skills, and offers community service opportunities for high school students.
The Polytech junior is the president of the Tech Students Association, where he makes computer programs, does broadcasting, and builds robots. The small school has an enrollment of less than 300, and offers “everything technical,” Destin said–video production, acting production, digital art, and digital photography. Animation Game Simulation and Digital Video Production are the two most popular concentrations among students.
The young techie is also an entrepreneur– he just started a small design company called Dubious Studios. He does graphic design, including websites, produces and mixes electronic music, and has an online radio station with podcasts. He loves both the design and management aspects of his work. In addition to looking forward to being on the WSLR Board, and bringing a youth perspective to the station, he would like to be on the air. “It would be an awesome experience to have a radio show,” he said. “I’d 100% jump on it.”
