Siesta Key Chamber’s new leader takes the helm

Sarah Firstenberger was barely six months into her job as CEO of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce when the organization launched into one of its biggest events: the 15th anniversary of the Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival. If you’ve never watched world-class sculptors build castles and creatures out of sugar sand, it’s quite an experience. 

For Firstenberger, 41, it was a good early test, having been hired as CEO of the 400-member organization in June. (She passed.) Firstenberger, who came to the chamber role after working for two other local organizations, handled the Crystal Classic with confidence and kindness. She greeted people, kept the energy up, problem-solved on the fly and made it all look easy. “The event was a huge win for our small and mighty team,” she says. 

Now it’s on to the next big event: the Fourth of July fireworks on Siesta Beach.

This year, the Crystal Classic stayed traditional. But Firstenberger has new ideas brewing for next year and the years to come that center on ways to partner more with the community and collaborate with Sarasota County. “Events are very creative,” she says. “You have to figure out ways to keep people engaged, offering value so they come back year after year while keeping the tradition and integrity of the event alive.”

Creative juices

That creativity is seemingly embedded in Firstenberger’s DNA. “We were true Florida kids,” she says. “We’d ride our bikes from where we lived in town out to Siesta Key and back all the time.”

That early sense of freedom and adventure was matched by a home life filled with Bohemian-style musicians jamming. She later attended the Booker High School Visual and Performing Arts program. “I absolutely cannot play a tune myself,” she says, laughing. Instead, she channeled her creativity into exploring, observing and figuring out what the world had to offer.

After earning a bachelor’s in marketing at the University of South Florida, Firstenberger headed into the workforce intending to get a job, get some experience and pay the bills. The first two came more easily than the third. So she picked up a restaurant side job, and, through that, was introduced to the Sarasota-Manatee Originals. When the position for executive director opened in 2015, she went for it. It turned out to be the moment when everything clicked. “It was that job where I truly saw the path I wanted to take in my career,” she says.

Photo by Lori Sax

At the Originals, Firstenberger met her early career mentors. Michael Klauber of Michael’s On East taught her how to trust her instincts and make quick, confident decisions. Public relations and marketing pro Nikki Logan Curran showed her that creativity doesn’t have to come with limits. Those lessons stuck.

So did the support of the Firstenberger matriarchs. Her mother, Carmela Pedicini — a well-known area local musician — instilled the kind of persistence that doesn’t waver. Her grandmother Carole Firstenberger, who spent 25 years at Tropicana in Bradenton, is someone she still turns to when she needs to talk through professional or creative challenges. “They’ve both always been in my corner,” she says.

In 2022, Firstenberger moved to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County as director of marketing and events. She wasn’t planning to leave that job — until she read the description for the Siesta Key Chamber CEO position. (The previous chamber leader, Ann Frescura, retired.) “It felt like a perfect fit,” she says. “Working with local business owners who build our community and give back so much. I wanted to support that.”

Look ahead

A big strength of Firstenberger’s leadership is her ability to hold space for tradition while introducing fresh ideas. Since starting in June, she’s deep into long-term planning, looking closely at what the chamber can become. Her goals are straightforward: increase visibility, amplify members’ voices and keep celebrating what makes Siesta Key, well ... No. 1.

“At the end of the day, kindness is at the core of everything we do. Every person and business is equal and important, no matter what role they play. I strive to make decisions with that principle in mind.” 

She also believes in protecting the island itself — maintaining the health and well-being of Siesta Key is non-negotiable. “The natural beauty of the Key is a big draw for visitors and newcomers. We have to support and invest in the land, in environmental efforts, and in overall infrastructure to keep offering a vibrant, nurturing and fun experience here.”

For someone who has lived, worked and grown up in this community, leading the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce feels both full-circle and forward-looking. “I’m so lucky to have built a career here,” says Firstenberger.

And the best perk of the job? 

“I didn’t realize how cool it would be to walk out of my office, put my toes in the sand, take a breath and reset.”