Meet Our Staff

MEG GILBERT is an NYC born and raised theater director, writer, performer, arts administrator, community organizer and many-hat-wearer who relocated to Sarasota, FL in 2017. With over a decade of experience in the professional theater, Meg is currently a producer for NYC based company Parity Productions, working to promote female, trans and gender expansive artists; teaches public speaking for Cornell University; and is the Social Media Manager for the League of Professional Theatre Women. Prior to that, she served as Literary Associate at Florida Studio Theatre, where she supported community outreach programs and New Play Development, as well as directing blackbox, TYA and staged reading productions.

Joan Travis joined DST as a Reservationist in March 2021. She comes from Kentucky and has a fun past work history in the film and travel industry.

Alexa Vetter Torres is a theatre professional from Austin, TX. The artist’s journey has led her from the Lone Star State to Myrtle Beach, New York, across the country on four National Tours, and lastly, Sarasota, FL. This is not Alexa’s first time performing on a moving vehicle, but it IS her first time singing on a trolley! She joined our cast in Spring 2023, and will take on a variety of roles on our Murder Mystery Trolley, Haunted Sarasota Tour, The BooMobile, and Christmas Carol Trolley.

Jayne Wallace is a senior communications professional who consults with companies, authors and entrepreneurs on marketing and publicity initiatives. She has represented or worked for several high profile companies including American Express, Disney Publishing, Estee Lauder, Paramount Television, Sarasota County Democratic Party, Screen Actors Guild/AFTRA, Sprint, The Smurfs, Virgin Mobile, and USA Networks. A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, her hometown (Go Eagles!), she also holds an M.A. in Corporate Communications. After time in Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey, she moved to Sarasota in 2018 where she lives with her musician/photographer/graphic designer husband, who lived here as a teenager.

As Head of PR (Puppy Relations) and Official Trolley Cottage Mascot, Charlie can be found charming all the tour guests when they enter or enjoying our many trolley tours!

Pat Canavan comes to Sarasota from Dublin, Ireland, by way of Toronto and Boston. In Boston, several years as a Duck Boat tour guide honed his gift of gab. His varied experience and interests include Civil War reenacting (on the losing side), beekeeping (until he experienced anaphylaxis after a sting), and Special Olympics coaching. He is a certified Florida Master Naturalist and an active member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He loves his three big rescued dogs (and his wife, too).

Jerome Chesley, leader of DST Public Art Tours and the Art Crawl Gallery Tours, is a painter whose background in education includes teaching in both public school and college level. He continues to teach painting in Florida where he is currently the president of the Florida Watercolor Society, and a docent for the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota’s (FASS’s) iconic Florida artists’ collection in the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. Summers find him teaching at the renowned Chautauqua Institution in New York State. BA & MA, SUNY College at Buffalo, and additional studies at the University of Art in Siena, Italy.

As an actress and former theater educator, Kathryn uses her love of theater, history and performance to bring the Leading Ladies of Sarasota to life. Dressed in the costume of the era, Kathryn portrays Sarasota’s founding mothers, including Bertha Palmer, Marie Selby, Mary Jane Whitaker, Mina Edison, Rose Wilson, suffragette Carrie Chapman Catt, and Mable Ringling. Along with her work as a guide with Discover Sarasota Tours, Kathryn also serves on the Board for the Historical Society of Sarasota.

Bob Collins’ love affair with the circus was nurtured when he first visited Sarasota as a child, beginning in 1950. Since then, he has enjoyed a 44-year career in entertainment marketing, working for such shows as Ice Capades, World Wrestling Entertainment, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He also served on the board of the Circus Arts Conservatory, helping to preserve and promote the legacy of the circus in Sarasota. He enjoys showing people The Circus Side of Sarasota by conducting “Big Top” tours and giving lectures about our charming and historic “Circus City.”

Kendra Cross grew up in a Mennonite community, with great-grandparents who were Amish—an experience that planted in her seeds of understanding, appreciation, and the desire to continue that connection. Living just blocks from the Pinecraft community allows Kendra daily communication and exposure to the uniqueness and vitality of the Amish and Mennonite culture. She points out that Sarasota’s 90-year old community is the only one of its kind in the United States, and says it’s a joy to share it!

Deni is a teacher and a healer with extensive training in Hypnosis, Consciousness Coaching and Spiritual Connection. Deni’s passion is to help others tap into the energies that help them heal. Her earliest memories are of being able to see the “people” that came home with her father, a funeral director. As a young child, she was aware of “knowing” things about people and seeing “colors” (auras) around them. Fascinated by past life regression, she became a certified hypnotist and life coach. She has worked with Tarot, Oracles, Angels, and Intuitive Channeling from the time she was a young teen. Over time, she integrated this into her healing work. Deni believes you have the answers within and that she is your guide to opening life’s possibilities.

Jon Mac has proudly lived in Sarasota since December 1972. He grew up in Western New York state near Lake Chautauqua, and played four varsity sports in high school. He played on the basketball team at Jamestown Community College, and then attended SUNY Brockport. After moving to Sarasota, with ties to Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Jonny Mac worked at the iconic Sawmill Inn Restaurant for more than seven years as bartender/bar manager. He then spent 32 years in the wholesale liquor and wine industry, employed by National Distributing Company, followed by Southern Wine and Spirits. His passion for sports, entertainment, and the history of our beautiful Sarasota continues to grow.

Steve McAllister is an actor, author, poet, producer, songwriter, and revolutionary. He may be best known for his one-man shows, Will Rogers Revived and The Cowboy Cabaret, his historical epic, Money, Sex, Power & Faith, his portrayal of Sarasota’s first settler William Whitaker in the film No Real Than You Are, or his repertoire of original songs and covers. But some know him as the Sarasota native who attempted to live for a year without money, run for county commissioner, and thought up ABC Squared Economics as a way to celebrate our Artistry, Business, Citizenry, and Community. However you may know him, he has stories to tell. You can find his website at www.SteveMc.xyz and on social media as @SteveMcAlphabet.

Ed Simays has been a Tour Guide and Docent in Sarasota for over 17 years, and he always looks forward to sharing his love of Sarasota history, architecture, art and beauty. He has led Architecture and City Sightseeing tours at DST for almost two years. Previously, he volunteered at the Ringling Museum for over 15 years where he conducted over 1,000 tours of the Art and Circus Museums and Ca’ d’Zan Historic Home.

Ed moved to Sarasota in 2000 from Northern Virginia after retiring from the FAA after more than 25 years as an Enroute ATC controller/supervisor. He chose Sarasota for retirement because of the beauty, arts, culture, beaches and rich circus and local history and as a resident, he and his wife take full advantage of all the area has to offer.

Lois Stimax was born and raised in Indiana as first generation “English”-both of her parents were Amish as children. She started visiting Sarasota 40 years ago and has seen the town grow and develop into a rich cultural patchwork of diversity (she is a quilter too)! During her 45-year marriage, she spent most of her life living on the East Coast, from Delaware to South Carolina, having many careers and interests along the way.  She moved to Sarasota 4 years ago and looks forward to sharing her love of the city and the many influences that have shaped it.

Timothy Beltley has been an actor/director for 45 years at Walt Disney World® Resorts both in Florida and Japan. Tim has also been involved with many artistic endeavors in Sarasota; having designed costumes for The Players Centre for Performing Arts, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, The Circus Arts Conservatory, and others. As a friend of the deceased playwright and director of Murder Mystery Trolley, Michael-Newton Brown, Tim is excited to be a part of this fun interactive circus fantasy adventure.

Aleah Colón-Alfonso is a student of the arts with a passion for science. After graduating with degrees in Biological Psychology, Neuroscience, and Theatre, she has been working on her company, Aleah Wares Inc., which she founded in college. Her love for the arts has found her this time on a moving stage, performing alongside the Discover Sarasota Team! She’s extremely grateful for the opportunity to sing her way through the year as she continues to build her company.

Michael DeMocko is an actor, director and educator who has been performing locally, nationally, and internationally for more than 25 years. He is the Drama teacher at the William Monroe Rowlett Academy for Arts and Communications. He has a really awesome family. Enjoy the tour!

Lee Gundersheimer, has directed and performed in plays all over the country, but for many years was based in New York City where he staged and acted in shows all over town from Off-Broadway to two theatres that he helped build and run. He recently performed locally in The Ballad Of Old Manatee for The Hat, Red for TreeFort, Better Late for Sarasota Jewish Theatre, and Happy Dale at the Players.

Andrea Keddell relocated to Florida from Upstate NY in 1998.  A veteran theater performer, she has performed in over 80 productions and has been seen on stage performing throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties.  Favorite roles performed while in FL include Mamma Mia (Tanya), Reefer Madness (Mae), Annie (Hannigan/Grace/Lily) & Cats (Jellylorum/Griddlebone).  Favorite roles performed while in Upstate NY include My Fair Lady (Eliza) and Chorus Line (Maggie).  Andrea’s thrilled at the opportunity to work with the talented and creative people at Discover Sarasota Tours.

Kaylene McCaw (Haunted Guide/Ghost Hostess, Christmas Carol Writer/Director/Lead Guide, Psychic Sundays Sound Healing) is an award-winning actress, playwright and author of The Human Experience Quick-Start Guide, written during her time as artist-in-residence at The Hermitage Artists Retreat. Kaylene spent 13 years at The Players Theatre, performing lead roles both musical and dramatic. She also managed the theater’s costume department and coordinated the Backstage at The Players black box theater project. Kaylene is the writer/director In addition to her theatrical work, she practices Sound Healing and hosts an Airbnb retreat in her home.

Austin has been a Sarasota resident for seven years although his family line participated in the original Ringling Brothers Circus and started the longest continuously run community theater group in New York State. Austin and his daughter who dances at the Diane Partington Studio of Classic Ballet and at Sarasota’s School of Arts and Sciences, feel blessed to live in sunny Sarasota and he is honored to be performing in DST’s many tours, especially the circus themed, Murder Mystery Trolley.

Daniel “Dee” Pelissier has been learning the actor’s craft entirely in the field since 2011. Over the years they have lent their talents to local theatre productions with the Sarasota Players and Manatee Performing Arts Center, as well as Ringling College student films and various independent projects. The skills they have developed over the years also include singing, fencing, wrestling, and stilt-walking. Among the various roles they have enjoyed playing, Daniel feels most at home playing fantastic, melodramatic, over-the-top characters. They received their first rave review as the evil Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, originated the role of Dionysus in Goat Song Revel, and recently established their place in the local drag scene, performing original song parodies as Lady Laquelle. Daniel appears in our Haunted Sarasota and Murder Mystery Trolley tours.

Olivia has been performing in one capacity or another since the first grade. Originally from Gainesville, FL, Olivia still loves to explore her creative side once she is done at her day job. Some past favorite roles include Oklahoma! (Laurey), The Music Man (Alma Hix), and Something Rotten (tap ensemble). She is excited for this new opportunity with Discover Sarasota Tours and is looking forward to sharing the trolley with you!

Alexa Vetter Torres is a theatre professional from Austin, TX. The artist’s journey has led her from the Lone Star State to Myrtle Beach, New York, across the country on four National Tours, and lastly, Sarasota, FL. This is not Alexa’s first time performing on a moving vehicle, but it IS her first time singing on a trolley! She joined our cast in Spring 2023, and will take on a variety of roles on our Murder Mystery Trolley, Haunted Sarasota Tour, The BooMobile, and Christmas Carol Trolley.

Rob Marshall (BA/MS) is a native of western Pennsylvania and has been a Florida resident for four years. Following a 25 year career in non-profit management Rob spent 5 years in sales and banking and then transitioned to commercial driving where he has been the past six years. Rob and his wife Nancy live in Wimauma with their fur babies Thomas and Stella. When not driving Rob enjoys travel and being on the water.

Gretchen Martin joined Discover Sarasota Tours as a driver in October 2021, and enjoys driving for our Amish, Circus Secrets, City Sightseeing, and other daytime (and some evening) tours.

Paul was born and lived in Vermont all of his life. In June 2021, he retired after 33 years as a law enforcement officer. He then started driving a motor coach for a local tour company. Paul and his wife have been visiting the Sarasota area a few times a year for the past 27 years and fell in love with the area. In September 2023, they decided to leave the long cold winters and make Sarasota our new home.

John Piquette joined Discover Sarasota Tours as a driver in 2022. John retired to North Venice after 31 years as an NYC bus driver. He, his wife, and two kids are enjoying the Gulf side of the sunshine state.

Mike Tellone joined Discover Sarasota Tours in February 2023. Born in New York City, he lived there 15 years, then moved to Seminole, Florida. Mike worked with Publix Supermarkets as a Meat cutter and Meat Department Manager from 1974 to 2002. Then he worked with Sarasota County Schools as School Bus Driver and Route Supervisor from 2003 to 2022 and retired. Mike and his wife live in Englewood and have been married 41 years. He loves working with people, walking, fishing, cooking, bird watching and enjoys driving fun tours.