I 501(c) You - The Podcast for NonProfit Board Members
Jun 9, 2026 · 33 min · 11 segments
In this episode, Michael sits down with Brian Hersh, CEO of the Arts and Culture Alliance of Sarasota County, for a conversation about nonprofit leadership, board engagement, and the role arts and…
Bryan HirshGuestMichael CorleyHostReedHostBryan, a lot of people know you, but share with the audience a little bit about yourself, your history, and how you became CEO of the Arts Alliance.
Uh, love, love our banter, and we'll, we'll promise to deliver for all the folks listening.
But I would tell you, I carry everything I've learned from a musician, and I apply that forward into everyth- every single aspect that I do.
That was my, my spending money college gig, which I loved, a weekly jazz gig, and there's a lot of things you learn in that, and you learn how to be responsive and really, really how to listen.
You listen to everyone around you, and your job as the drummer is to make everyone around you sound better.
So I know that as a drummer, I'm putting down a groove that everyone can pick up and really feel, and I do my best to make everyone else around me do better, sound better, be better.
Um, and so I take those influences as that, as that drummer and apply it forward.
I played with singer-songwriters, all kinds of things all over New York, and it was great, and I loved it.
But what really transformed my life, and this is true, I don't know if you know this, um, but I was a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters in New York City.
Um, when I started mentoring and volunteering with Corey, I realized, wait a minute, wait a minute.
If I can do this for one kid, how can I do this for a lot more? And I started getting involved in arts education, and I was lucky to land at the world's largest performing arts center, Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts, not too shabby, um, where I spent my mid-20s.
And I'm telling you, um, I saw some of the world's most amazing arts experiences, and it was absolutely incredible.
Bryan, a lot of people know you, but share with the audience a little bit about yourself, your history, and how you became CEO of the Arts Alliance.
Uh, love, love our banter, and we'll, we'll promise to deliver for all the folks listening.
But I would tell you, I carry everything I've learned from a musician, and I apply that forward into everyth- every single aspect that I do.
That was my, my spending money college gig, which I loved, a weekly jazz gig, and there's a lot of things you learn in that, and you learn how to be responsive and really, really how to listen.
You listen to everyone around you, and your job as the drummer is to make everyone around you sound better.
So I know that as a drummer, I'm putting down a groove that everyone can pick up and really feel, and I do my best to make everyone else around me do better, sound better, be better.
Um, and so I take those influences as that, as that drummer and apply it forward.
I played with singer-songwriters, all kinds of things all over New York, and it was great, and I loved it.
But what really transformed my life, and this is true, I don't know if you know this, um, but I was a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters in New York City.
Um, when I started mentoring and volunteering with Corey, I realized, wait a minute, wait a minute.
If I can do this for one kid, how can I do this for a lot more? And I started getting involved in arts education, and I was lucky to land at the world's largest performing arts center, Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts, not too shabby, um, where I spent my mid-20s.
And I'm telling you, um, I saw some of the world's most amazing arts experiences, and it was absolutely incredible.
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