Barbara Brizdle

Board Trustee

Barbara spent many years in New York City as a leader in the software industry, most notably as the Vice President / Division Executive for Information Services at Chase Bank. She founded a software services consulting company in 1984, and retired to Longboat Key in 1990 with her late husband, Lawrence J. Schoenberg.

A longtime supporter of arts and education, Brizdle and her husband founded the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) at the University of Pennsylvania, where she currently serves as the Overseer for the UPENN Libraries, and the Brizdle/Schoenberg Special Collections Library at Ringling College of Art and Design.

Barbara’s commitment to films directed by KT Curran began as chair of a task force to promote Surviving Lunch that was instrumental in getting the film in front of a wide audience of community leaders and philanthropists. She is an invaluable asset to our work with Wingspan as we create content that inspires, educates, and enlightens audiences on the most pressing issues of our time.

Barbara has a great deal of Board experience, especially in Sarasota. She has served on the boards of the National Alliance of Children and Families, the All Faiths Food Bank, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the Suncoast, Inc., and is currently on the boards of Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.