SARASOTA, FLA.- The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art announced the appointment of Amy Sankes as the new Senior Director of Development. In this position, Sankes will oversee the Advancement operations, serve as a member of the Museum’s executive management team, and help to shape the strategic direction of the Museum.

She began her new role on April 7, 2026, and her first order of business is The Bolger Match Campaign—a Hurricane Restoration Challenge Match. Every donation works toward a generous $222,000 match from the Bolger Foundation. The campaign will help The Ringling execute the repair and restoration of Ca' d'Zan needed after the Hurricane Helene damage that occurred in 2024.

"I am thrilled to welcome Amy Sankes back to The Ringling as Senior Director of Development," says The Ringling’s Executive Director Steven High. “She brings more than twenty years of advancement, development, and organizational leadership experience in the Sarasota/Manatee community as well as a deep understanding of our mission and the strategic role philanthropy plays in advancing arts excellence at FSU and The Ringling.”

In Sankes’ previous tenure at The Ringling—from 2007-2013—she partnered closely with the Executive Director, Board leadership, and FSU Foundation to design and execute a strategic fundraising roadmap that exceeded development goals and generated several million dollars in philanthropic support. Beyond The Ringling, Sankes has a proven track record as a skilled, dynamic, mission-driven leader in our regional non-profit community. In her various roles—COO and Director of Client Relations at 7-Footer Financial, Inc.; Philanthropic Advisor and Independent Consultant with Gulf Coast Community Foundation; business owner; President of The Junior League of Sarasota; Unit Executive Director for the American Cancer Society; and more—she has developed authentic relationships with integrity and honesty and has led teams from 3 to 60 people fostering environments built on trust and communication. Sankes brings institutional knowledge, expanded perspective and readiness for campaign-scale leadership.

“Returning to The Ringling in this capacity is both a professional honor and a personal commitment to an institution that has shaped my career and continues to enrich the Sarasota community and the FSU family,” says Sankes.

Sankes’ second tenure begins at the 25-year mark of FSU’s revolutionary stewardship of The Ringling and on the cusp of The Ringling's centennial celebration. Stewarding the importance of each donor’s legacy rings with particular resonance for Sankes, with this first campaign focused on the Bolger Matching Challenge. Sankes worked personally with Mr. David Bolger on his visionary philanthropy here at The Ringling, which brought to life the Bolger Campiello and the Bolger Playscape
“I am excited to bring focus, strategic depth and long-term commitment to an institution I know well and care deeply about to shape the next phase of philanthropic growth for The Ringling, deepen engagement with donors, and secure transformational support that ensures a vibrant and sustainable future for this extraordinary cultural asset that I hold so dearly to my heart,” adds Sankes.