24th Annual Cuisine for Art Honorees

About Dara

Dara is a writer, storyteller, and founder of “Every Soul Has a Story,” which includes her blog and podcast. “Every Soul Has a Story” is an inclusive, diverse podcast in which Dara interviews inspiring guests from around the globe. Her writing has been published in Zibby Owens’ “Moms Don’t Have Time to Write,” “Grown & Flown,” “Thrive Global,” “The Broad Life,” “Medium.”  Dara completed her first novel last year, and it will be published soon.

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Dara, a Miami native, is a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor’s in English. In addition, Dara earned her Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Nova Southeastern University.  She stopped practicing speech therapy to return to full-time writing, creating, and connecting.

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Deeply involved in the community since she can remember, Dara presently serves on the Community Foundation of Broward’s Board of Trustees; a Board member of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation/Memorial Hospital Foundation; a member of the United Way of Broward County Tocqueville Society; the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Women’s National Book Association. She has also served as a past Board member of the Goodman Jewish Family Services (UFS) of Broward County; Junior Achievement of South Florida, Young At Art Children’s Museum, and | Care | Cure Childhood Cancer Foundation. In addition, Dara was a founding member of the Circle of Friends for the Alvin Sherman Library Research Information and Technology Center at Nova Southeastern University and a graduate of Leadership Broward.

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Dara lives her life with passion and purpose. Her intention is to impact the world with integrity, love and meaning….one word at a time.

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About Jarett

Jarett S. Levan is the President and Chief Executive Officer and serves on the Board of BBX Capital, Inc (OTCQX: BBXIA). Jarett also serves on the Board of Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corporation and Bluegreen Vacations Corporation. He is also CEO of BBX Sweet Holdings, which owns and operates Hoffman’s Chocolates, IT’SUGAR and Las Olas Confections and Snacks – all specialty chocolate and candy companies. He is on the Board of the BBX Capital Foundation, formerly the BankAtlantic Foundation, established in 1994 to support a wide array of activities in the arts, education, social welfare and community and economic development. Since its inception, they have awarded more than $20 million in contributions and in-kind services to charitable organizations throughout the state of Florida. 

Jarett is the founder and Chair Emeritus of Business for the Arts of Broward, a not-for-profit organization that educates the business community about the importance of Broward County’s art and cultural community, and engages them in building connections between cultural vitality, creative successes, and economic development. Jarett recognizes the importance of arts and culture in our community and has been a loyal ambassador and advocate for the Broward County cultural community. A recent study conducted by the Americans for the Arts calculated the economic impact of the non-profit arts and cultural industry in Broward at more than $400 million each year, supporting more than 11,000 jobs and generating more than $40 million in revenue for local and state government.

Jarett also serves on the Board of Broward Performing Arts Foundation, is a Board member of the Broward College Foundation, the Broward Workshop and Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Foundation. He is an Honorary Board member of the Art and Culture Center/Hollywood and a member of the NSU Ambassadors’ Board and Fellows Society, and a member of Young Presidents’ Organization. A member of the Florida Bar, Jarett graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law and earned a Bachelor’s in Finance from Goizueta Business school of Emory University. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School President’s Program in Leadership.

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