New Hires Expand the Community Foundation of Sarasota County's Expertise in Charitable Giving and Engagement

Margaret Karakashian, Michelle Maslowski and Helena Von Otto have joined the foundation, where they will work with donors to help them achieve their philanthropic goals, among other responsibilities.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County recently welcomed Margaret Karakashian as the organization’s new general counsel, Michelle Maslowski as its new director of philanthropy and Helena Von Otto as a new philanthropic advisor. Karakashian has a background in corporate and tax law; before joining the foundation, she worked in private practice, advising clients on a range of business and tax matters. Maslowski, meanwhile, has nearly two decades of experience as a senior development leader in the nonprofit sector and most recently served as a fundraising consultant with Carter, advising nonprofit organizations on fundraising strategy, campaign planning, major gifts and donor engagement. Lastly, Von Otto brings decades of experience in sales, marketing, financial services and the nonprofit sector to her role; she most recently worked as an independent nonprofit consultant.

“Margaret, Michelle and Helena each possess deep expertise in their chosen fields, and what connects them is their commitment to service and their passion for supporting nonprofits and collaborating with donors,” says Jessica Muroff, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “Their unique blend of skills and experience, combined with their enthusiasm for the foundation’s mission, make them well positioned to help our organization grow in the years to come.”

Karakashian, the foundation’s general counsel, provides legal guidance to the organization and its leadership, oversees legal and compliance matters and supports the foundation’s work with donors, nonprofit organizations and community partners. Born and raised in Southern California, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Taxation from the University of Southern California before starting her career as a tax accountant. She later graduated from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles with a Juris Doctor degree and worked for a California law firm, where she specialized in corporate law, assisting clients with mergers and acquisitions and other needs. After she and her family relocated to Naples, Florida, she joined the firm Henderson Franklin, where she continued to advise clients on business, transactional and tax matters. While there, she began to work more extensively with nonprofits and deepened her experience with mission-driven organizations, a skillset she brings with her to the foundation. Passionate about helping others, in her personal life, Karakashian prioritizes supporting organizations working in the fields of education, housing and care for the elderly.

“Being a part of the foundation allows me to use my skills to help a community that I have adopted as my own, and the opportunity to work with donors and nonprofits to advance the causes they care about is deeply rewarding,” says Karakashian.

As a member of the foundation’s Philanthropy team, Maslowski is tasked with providing leadership to the organization’s philanthropic advisors while also managing relationships with donors and professional advisors. Before joining the foundation, Maslowski served as a fundraising consultant with Carter, where she advised nonprofit organizations on fundraising strategy, campaign planning, major gifts and donor engagement. Before that, she served as associate vice president of individual philanthropy programs at Moffitt Cancer Center and in senior roles at Jefferson Health and Drexel University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in finance and economics and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in investment management, both from Drexel University. A former professional basketball player, Maslowski competed in Europe for 10 years following her collegiate career at Drexel, where she remains the program's second all-time leading scorer.

Von Otto is a philanthropic advisor at the foundation, a role in which she works with donors to help them realize their charitable goals through social impact investments. Early in her career, she spent more than two decades in sales, marketing and financial services before joining the philanthropic sector. She comes to the foundation with 10 years of nonprofit experience, including leading a capital campaign at Eleos Wellness & Support that brought to life a new behavioral health facility, and most recently working as a nonprofit consultant. She has also served on the boards of The Living Lab and the Made in Florida Movement. Born in Zagreb, Croatia, Von Otto earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Barcelona and a Master of Business Administration from ThePower school of business. Von Otto has built her career across the United States and abroad; earlier this year, she relocated to Sarasota, where she enjoys the region’s rich culture and beaches.

“Michelle and Helena are each adept at building strong relationships with donors and their families across multiple generations, helping them maximize the impact of their giving to create meaningful change,” says Jay Young, the foundation’s vice president of philanthropy. “Their contributions will help elevate our work, and we are excited to have them both on board.”