About me
Thali Sugisawa grew up in the south of Brazil as the second-generation of Japanese immigrants. She has a BA in International Relations, a MA in Organizations & Development, and a stellar career that started in the multinational sector of medical devices, working with world-leading companies, such as Fujifilm and Steris.
In Central Florida since 2015, Thali co-founded FusionFest in collaboration with the Orange County Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, a grassroots project turned into an award-winning nonprofit organization with the mission of celebrating the rich cultural diversity through performing, visual and culinary arts.
Under her leadership, FusionFest has grown exponentially with programs reaching thousands of people in over 120 countries, and creating opportunities for businesses and artists to collaborate and innovate. In-person and virtual programs, included a weekly talk show, an annual multicultural community festival for 20,000 people, monthly immersive dining experiences, a short-film contest, art gallery exhibitions, and multiple collaborative projects with private, public and nonprofit organizations.
Thali is graduate of Leadership Orlando Class 98 in 2020, the City of Orlando Academy Class 2016. She has been featured in the Artistry Magazine and has been recognized for her work in advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Central Florida with the following awards:​
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Domino Effect Award by SOS Orlando, 2019/2020 ​
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Women of the Year Honoree by the Orlando Magazine, 2020/2021
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Diversity in Business Awards Honoree by the Orlando Business Journal, 2022/2023
In her current role as the Cultural Tourism Director, Partnerships & Programs, at United Arts of Central Florida, Thali continues to make a profound impact by enhancing the national and international visibility and reach of local arts organizations. Thali also serves as a Senior Consultant at Urbander, a solution-driven marketing agency, and is part of the Board of Directors of Creative City Project and Descolonizarte Teatro.
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Thali's personal essays can be found at her publication Life Beyond Instagram
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Values
As a collaborative leader, I care deeply about people and their stories. I believe in the collective work for social justice, the fight for women's rights, and the investment in programs that advance social equality and equity, and environmental sustainability, both locally and globally.
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You may have seen me talk about...
JEDI - Justice, Equity, Diversity & Belonging
Diversity in the Arts
Women's Rights
What people I work with have to say...
Terry Olson
Thali is a go-getter willing to tackle tasks that are new to her. She has a big picture view of projects as well as a focus on the details. In the process she does not forget the human relations with the people she is working with and remains true to her core values that relate to justice, inclusion and kindness.
Xaulanda Simmonds-Emmanuel, Ph.D.
Thali proved herself to be the 'Go-To' Resource as it related to planning, community outreach and coordination, fundraising, and event planning.
Over the years, I have had the distinct pleasure of observing her work and working with her on other projects. She is dependable, assertive, proactive, warm, and self-reliant. Her delicate balance of patience and proactivity makes her effective in managing and leading projects.
Miguel de la Rosa
Thali is one-of-a-kind! She is truly a born leader & visionary. Working with her has been an absolute joy. The amount of care she puts into her work is inspirational. I've seen the impact she has made first-hand. Her "can do" attitude is something I certainly admire & strive to emulate in my daily work. Any organization would be lucky to have her as a part of their team!
Alex Moonsang
Thali is an exceptional leader. She advocates for all of her colleagues and is always there to support the team. She is flexible with working with small teams and managing larger staff at events such as FusionFest.