Country Club Living - Palm Beach North - October 2025

10 C O U N T R Y C L U B L I V I N G - PA L M B E A C H N O R T H | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 Cover Feature – By Dan Hauser | Photos by Neil Cohen Photography and Palm Beach Dramaworks - PROFILES OF LEADERSHIP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PALM BEACH DRAMAWORKS Rudina Toro W hen Rudina Toro officially became Executive Director of Palm Beach Dramaworks on September 1, she wasn’t stepping into unfamiliar territory. She has been woven into the company’s fabric for nearly two decades, first as its audit manager, later as chief financial and operating officer, and now as the first person to hold the title of executive director. “I’m just so honored to be part of the PBD family,” Toro said. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I know that it will keep getting better.” Toro’s history with Palm Beach Dramaworks dates back to its early years. As an audit manager at Nowlen, Holt & Miner, P.A., she collaborated with co-founder and then-Managing Director Sue Ellen Beryl on the company’s very first audit and remained in that role for 12 years. Along the way, she became not just a trusted advisor but also a close friend and supporter of PBD’s mission. Her background is firmly rooted in finance and operations. A certified public accountant in the state of Florida, Toro earned a dual Bachelor of Science in applied finance and accounting from Palm Beach Atlantic University and a master’s degree in taxation from Florida Atlantic University. Before joining PBD full-time, she built a successful career in finance, accounting, and business consulting. But for Toro, theatre was always more than a side interest. “I grew up surrounded by theatre,” Rudina explained. “My mother was a producing artistic director, and my uncle was an actor and director with the National Theatre of Albania. That exposure instilled in me a lifelong passion for the arts.” When Toro joined Palm Beach Dramaworks in 2023 as its first chief financial and operating officer, it was already with the understanding that she would succeed Beryl as the company’s top administrator, partnering with co-founder and Producing Artistic Director William Hayes. That succession plan was intentional. “Rudina knows PBD from the inside out, loves the company, and is committed to its mission,” said Beryl, who is also a co-founder of PBD. “We knew she was the right person to step into this job, and I’m looking forward to seeing how she and Bill continue to grow the company.” For Toro, that means being both respectful of PBD’s legacy and ambitious about its future. “We’re excited for the future and we honor the past,” she said. “All of us are working toward the same thing: to make PBD shine.”