July 18, 2014
MEDIA CONTACT
Janna Overstreet § 941-359-4296 § [email protected]
Lifelong Learning Academy’s Executive Director Appointed to Sarasota County Commission’s Seniors Advisory Council
Janna Overstreet, executive director of the Lifelong Learning Academy, has been selected to represent the lifelong learning community on this advisory council, which represents the interests of Sarasota County’s senior community.
(Sarasota, FL) Sarasota County Commissioners have approved the appointment of Janna Overstreet, executive director of the Lifelong Learning Academy, to fill a three-year term on the Seniors Advisory Council. The council, which consists of 14 members who represent a variety of backgrounds and interests, provides a conduit for citizen input to the Board of County Commissioners on matters affecting Sarasota County’s senior community.
Overstreet was recommended by Erin McLeod, who chairs the Seniors Advisory Council and is also the senior vice president of the region’s Senior Friendship Centers. Overstreet’s appointment was approved by the County Commission on July 8.
“We’re delighted to have Janna representing Sarasota’s lifelong learning community,” says McLeod. “Her background in lifelong learning and her leadership at the helm of the Lifelong Learning Academy will serve the county and its senior community superbly.”
Now in its 15th year, the Lifelong Learning Academy offers affordable, university-level classes, workshops and seminars that cover a broad spectrum of topics and are rich in intellectual stimulation and interactive in scope. LLA’s instructors come from the top of their fields and include CEOs of major companies, professional artists, writers and photographers, experts in science and medical research, and educators from renowned universities and colleges. Classes are held on the campus of the USF Sarasota-Manatee and at satellite locations throughout the region. Since 2009, enrollment has grown from 1,109 to more than 3,100 and an additional 2,300 people attend its free lecture series and special events.
Prior to becoming the executive director of Lifelong Learning Academy, Overstreet was the founding coordinator of Eastern Illinois
University’s Academy of Lifelong Learning. Education that lasts a lifetime is both her passion and profession.
“Numerous studies show that lifelong learning helps create a positive aging experience,” says Overstreet. “I am honored to be representing lifelong learning programs throughout the county and to provide a voice for the county’s many active older adults whose wellbeing is enhanced by ongoing education.”
Lifelong Learning Academy offers four course terms per year on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, at 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. The 2014 fall term is September 29 through November 20. Registration begins August 18. For more information about the Lifelong Learning Academy, call 941-359-4296 or visit www.lla-sm.org.
