- December 31, 2024
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When she first arrived on Longboat Key, Amy Steinhauser was not herself.
Since her children had left the nest, she felt sad, lonely and didn’t know what to do next in her life.
Steinhauser decided to turn to her childhood friend and the former Executive Director of the Paradise Center, Suzy Brenner.
She uprooted her life in New Jersey and moved to the Key to live near Brenner. Little did she know the move would lead her to become the center's program manager and work alongside her.
With the help of the island’s positive atmosphere, Steinhauser is out of her shell and found her purpose again by serving the people of Longboat Key.
“I came back to myself after kind of going into hiding,” said Steinhauser. “Everything about Longboat, the people, the nature, the beach, brought me back to myself. People have told me, ‘We are so happy Amy is back.”
After taking over for Brenner as executive director in April, she now leads the center into a new era of solidifying their location on the island and opening up their membership to all Longboaters. With her trusty team, she plans to make the Paradise Center the prime location for health and wellness on the island.
Throughout her career, Steinhauser was the jack of all trades. She has worked in the dental field for a toy sales company and a meal prep business. But wellness was always her genuine passion.
When living in New Jersey, she owned two women’s fitness centers called Curves with Brenner. The two have been friends since childhood.
With their shared interest in health and wellness, Brenner and Steinhauser opened two Curves studios in New Jersey and Washington, D.C., where Brenner had been living. The studios’ objective was to make women feel more comfortable when working out by being a women's only gym.
After moving to Longboat Key in 2021, Steinhauser loved going to events at the Paradise Center. She was attracted to the center’s strong community and active lifestyle. She jumped at the opportunity to work with Brenner again while getting to know the island’s people better.
While she was program manager, Steinhauser did everything to be at Brenner’s aid. She organized all membership opportunities, the volunteer corps, and day-to-day activities so that Brenner could focus on the business side of the center.
During this time, Steinhauser also got to grow her sound healing and reiki skills. She introduced the art to Paradise Center members through her frequent sound baths. With the time to perform these, these sound baths were instrumental in finding her purpose again.
When Brenner resigned, Steinhauser said yes to becoming the interim executive director.
Taking over in April, she tried to continue running the center in the same manner Brenner had. After stressing herself out to fill Brenner's shoes, she knew it was time to switch it up. Since the center helped her come back to herself, Steinhauser decided to take it to the next level and make the center her own.
With the center’s Wellness Director Debby Debile, Steinhauser has remodeled the membership system and has added a variety of new programs to appeal to everyone on the island.
Steinhauser also started the campaign to buy its building from the Tidewell Foundation. As the new year comes, Steinhauser’s biggest goal is to make the Paradise Center a place where everyone can call home.
“We are here for everyone,” said Steinhauser. “If you are a member of the Longboat Key Club, the tennis center, or you go to Bayfront or the Education Center, the Paradise Center is also a place you can drop in for one or become an annual member.”