Monica Van Buskirk and Charles F. Raeburn are leaders in business and the regional nonprofit community.
(Sarasota-Manatee, FL) Sue Jacobson, chair of the New College Foundation’s board of directors, recently announced that the organization has welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Jacobson says that Charles F. Raeburn and Monica Van Buskirk “join a team of dedicated people who are united in their commitment to support the mission and needs of New College. We’re honored to welcome them.” The New College Foundation is the philanthropic organization supporting New College of Florida.
Monica Van Buskirk is the former president and CEO of the Van Wezel Foundation. During her tenure there, the organization enjoyed double digit annual growth and won several leading awards. Van Buskirk’s extensive business experience includes serving as past president and CEO of Monica’s Best Foods, a multi-line chocolate company in New York City and Boston. She also served as vice president of marketing for Godiva Chocolatier, vice president for Pepperidge Farms and Campbell Soup Company, as well as vice president for Brentano’s Book Stores and MacMillan Publishing. Van Buskirk earned a bachelor’s degree in honors economics and marketing from Columbia University and CUNY Graduate School.
Charles F. Raeburn graduated from New College in 1967 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1970. A strong advocate for liberal arts education, Raeburn is known for his skills in strategic planning, creative problem-solving and whole systems thinking. His expertise is in legal counsel with broad international and domestic experience in healthcare, chemicals, mining, personal care products and industrial services industries. Raeburn has worked in the field of mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate governance and securities compliance for leading U.S. firms, including Pfizer, Inc., Union Carbide Corporation, and Revlon, Inc.
The New College Foundation has a dedicated group of board members that serve to help guide and support the New College Foundation and its efforts to fund and support New College of Florida. Its board of directors include Sue Jacobson, chair; Christine Jennings, first vice chair; Charles Hamilton ’64, second vice chair; Robert Lincoln ’77, treasurer; Sharon Ramey ’65, secretary; and George Augustin, John W. Bean, Francine Blum, Raymonda Burgman ‘91, Monica Van Buskirk, Alison Gardner, Karin Gustafson,’64, Glenn P. Hendrix ’76, Steve Jacobson ’71, Charlene Lenger ’78, David H. Lipsey ’71, Kenneth R. Misemer ’64, George Quarterman, Charles F. Raeburn ’64, John F. “Jack” Schlegel, Felice Schulaner ’78, Jonathan Smiga ’75, Henry Smyth ’76, Robert Turffs ’74, Thomas White, J.D. ’67, and Nancy Winship. Richard O. Donegan and Elaine Keating are trustee emeriti.
About New College of Florida
Located in Sarasota, New College of Florida educates intellectually curious students for lives of great achievement. As the legislatively designated Honors College of Florida, New College offers 35 undergraduate majors and a master’s degree program in data science. The 110-acre campus on Sarasota Bay is home to more than 800 students and 80 full-time faculty engaged in interdisciplinary research and collaborative learning.