Founder, Curriculum Creator:
Lynne Barletta, The Power of Art ®
Artist / Author / Speaker
Founder Visionary School of Arts
Founder Catch the Wave of Hope
Founder and Pastor of Visionary Church
Founder of Florida Faith Alliance
Lynne's Story
Lynne Barletta began her professional art career at age 14 and has been teaching art and writing curriculum for after-school programs for over 30 years. She has sold her work internationally and created murals as a fundraiser for trafficked children. Lynne’s clientele includes Coors Beer, The Denver Broncos, US Sugar, the Juvenile Justice Department of Florida, Light of the World Charities and many public art venues all the way to Singapore.
In 2001, Lynne was ordained through Covenant Center International (CCI) , graduated with a ministry degree in 2000 she founded Visionary Church in Stuart, Florida in 2001. See VisionaryChurch.org for information about services and outreaches.
Lynne has founded 4 organizations and she founded Visionary School of Arts (VSOA), in Stuart, Florida in 2010, with an after-school semester course and camp program for ages 5-18 that includes fine art and leadership with widespread community involvement, shows, internship programs, and competitions. VSOA students, ages 5-17 have won over 600 local, national, and international awards since 2010. Adult and senior programs were launched in 2012. See VisionaryschoolofArts.org
Lynne has since produced The Power of Art® Youth Leadership video courses for home schoolers, organizations, public schools. private schools and youth groups.The Power of Art Creative Leadership for adults, and Children. The video courses are offered online for homeschoolers, schools, and organizations. The author of the book No Stress Zone, Lynne shares her personal story of her journey out of fear. See https://www.visionaryschoolofarts.org/outlying-courses for more information about the Power of Art courses.
Florida Faith Alliance (FFA) is the newest organization that Lynne founded in 2023. FFA is a branch of Visionary Centers International, formed to work at a state level to bring awareness and prayer to churches and synagogues concerning child sex trafficking. Lynne has worked with trafficked children through her Power of Art program over the last 10 years. See FloridaFaithAlliance.org
Lynne has served as the face on South Florida news since 2016 to fight chid trafficking in schools, and has given over 100 live awareness presentations in churches, synagogues, businesses and orgnizations. Lyne is currently training all Supervisors across the state of Florida for the Florida department of Health. She also trains teachers to be trauma informed to teach the Power of Art ® courses.
Education:
University of Northern Colorado / Art
Covenant Centre International School of Ministry, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Ordained with Ministry and Leadership Degree 2001
Trained in inner healing SOZO, Bethel Church, California Christ For the Nations 1997
Certified in Life Restoration Inner Healing Dr. Larry Duetchman 2015
Organizations, Honors, Awards, and Highlights
Executive Director Visionary School of Arts 2010-2020
President’s Award 2012 Stuart Martin County Chamber of Commerce for achievement in joining arts and business in Martin County. Stuart /Martin County Chamber of Commerce
Leadership 2011 Stuart / Martin County Chamber of Commerce
Judge for National Congressional High School Art Competition 2010, 2011, 2014
Woman of the year nomination 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 Soroptimist Society
Arts Achievement Award 2011 2012 for The Power of Art Program Banner Lake, Hobe Sound
Featured artist mARTies Awards 2014
Arts Council mARTies Awards 2016 “Excellence in Arts Education” annual award for Martin County.
Awarded largest mural ever completed 2017-2018 on the ATT building downtown Stuart.
CBS Channel 12 Extraordinary People Award Nov 2017
Shared Hope International Speaker 2018
Annual Watchman on the Wall Award for Treasure Coast Christian Alliance Business, Leaders and Ministry Coalition December 2018
Keynote Speaker One Billion Rising 2020
"Bad Ass Leader" Awarded by Martin County Commissioner Stacey Heatherington 2024
Board of Directors:
Denise Thalacker
Elaine Racicot
Jay Jenkins
Richard Racicot
Jennifer Kerr Esq.
Jennifer
School Director:
Alicia Jones
Board Bios
Denise Thalacker, President
Denise joined the board in 2021.She has lived in Stuart for 15 years and works for Cleveland Clinic(formally Martin Health System) for 8 years. During her tenure at Martin Health, she has organized several service projects for the community such as a “dress for success initiative” donating business appropriate apparel and accessories and gently used handbags with personal care items to Safe Space, a food collection for House of Hope. More than 30 years’ experience planning and supporting operational, technical and administrative functions with a diverse work history. She was a Telecommunications Specialist with corporations including Walt Disney World, McCaw Cellular, AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Avaya. Denise has two adult daughters who live in Martin County.
Elaine Racicot, Treasurer
As a Pastor for the last 36 years, I have relied on my Faith in God as a path for my life. My highest goal is to be a good example and influence on those I meet, work with and teach. Over the years I have spoken at many meetings and conferences in the US, Canada and Mexico. The main focus of what I speak on or teach is Faith. Some of the things I have been pleased to do are teach school, K-1, teach Sunday school, Work at an Art School. All of these things have helped me worked with children and hopefully help the next few generations have a better image of a God, who is loving and kind, who loves us and has given us a purpose and a future. I am ordained through Christian International, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. I have Pastors in New Hampshire, Apostle and Prophetess, Bob and Anita Wing who are Regional Directors with Christian International. I am also affiliated with Lynne and Tony Barletta, Visionary Church in Stuart, Florida.
Jay Jenkins, Board Member
Jay is a leadership advisor, coach, and trainer with experience in technology strategic partnerships, business development, direct enterprise sales, channel management, and leadership coaching. At Apple for 15 years, Jay was recently a leader on the Corporate to Consumer team responsible for building consumer-facing partnerships with select global brands, to help impact the way corporations go to market and transform their customer experience by leveraging the Apple brand and products in the solution. He has also been a leader and founder in two venture backed enterprise software startups with one acquired by Amazon. While building a career and raising boys with his wife, Jay was a volunteer hockey coach for 25 years in Denver, CO. He built new winning teams every year and finished his sports career as a Varsity Head Coach winning a State High School Championship. Currently Jay is following his passion as a leadership advisor, coach, and trainer for business and sports leaders, by adding values to leaders who multiply value to others.
Richard Racicot, Board Member
From 1963 to the early years of raising a family in 1970 I worked in the machine trades and supervisory positions in Maine, Massachusetts and back in Maine. I changed my career focus to work in the insurance industry as a salesman for the Prudential for four years with very good success. I took the machine background and sales training into industrial sales from 1974 until retirement in2011 with excellent success. In 1978 there was a change in spiritual direction from unbelief to pursuing faith as part of everyday life. For seven years there was continual growth and study integrating spiritual life into family, business and leisure. In 1985 there was a specific call into the Pastoral ministry with direction to keep the business aspect in place. This by-vocational action resulted in trusting God to supply all ability and strength to accomplish His plan for ministry, finances, family and eventually retirement from secular work. As Senior Pastor for the past 37 years my wife and I have built a team of lay, licensed and ordained ministers to carry on ministry while still having an active part in leadership. In 2011 the business part decreased greatly with retirement but not entirely as I still have a chaplain consulting business and some odd summer jobs I do. I thank God for every situation that has brought me closer to Him through many good and difficult experiences since 1978.
Jennifer Kerr, Board Member
Jennifer Kerr is an attorney in the Stuart Florida area she has a wide breadth of knowledge and handles cases in the state and federal courts at the trial level and appeals for the past 25 years. She won in the Florida Supreme Court securing a $2 million dollar verdict for her 87 year old client who was illiterate and spoke no English after he was taken advantage of. Ms. Kerr specializes in business, estate planning, probate and family law. Ms. Kerr is the Voice for the People Who Don’t Have a Voice. She has been successful in protecting children and mothers from abusive and controlling fathers. Ms. Kerr is routinely retained last minute in dire situations that require finesse and supreme knowledge of the law to prevail. Ms. Kerr is a hall of fame tennis player in college. She graduated in 1998 from Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University; she lived in Kenya East Africa during college while attending Albion College in Michigan.