USTA Florida to Welcome 2022 USTA Florida Leadership Academy Class

USTA Florida will welcome more than 20 motivated and diverse men and women seeking to develop their leadership qualities, business knowledge, networking skills and professional careers as the 2022 USTA Florida Leadership Academy Class at the USTA Florida Annual Meeting, held Nov. 13, 2021.

Launched in 2019, the USTA Florida Leadership Academy is part of a larger initiative to recruit new volunteers for the section and increase engagement of current volunteers at the local and section level. The Academy includes a volunteer development program designed to grow the professional skills and organizational knowledge of potential future leaders, equipping them with valuable leadership qualities that would make them an asset to the organization. Participants will have the opportunity to not only improve their leadership abilities, but to network with business and sports leaders across the state of Florida all while advancing their careers and serving others.

The ultimate goal of the USTA Florida Leadership Academy is to bring new, diverse leaders into the organization. The 2022 class will learn everything from advocacy and teambuilding to communication and management through a series of modules designed to align the strengths and skills of the volunteers with the capacity in which they operate in the organization.

“The Leadership Academy provides our participants with the appropriate training, education, and information so they can continue the valuable work done by so many previous volunteers,” said Phil Girardi, USTA Florida Board President-elect.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a major focus for the 2022 class, with two modules dedicated to the discussion surrounding courageous conversations and social justice. An example of some of the additional learning modules include:

• Building Emotional Intelligence & Self-Awareness
• Teambuilding and Leadership Competencies
• Advocacy and Civic Engagement
• Show Me the Money
• Digital Marketing and Engagement
• Project Management 101

Beyond the modules, the Academy is also structured to encourage open, candid discussion. As each participant has a unique connection to tennis, unparalleled ideas and visions, and a passion to create change and grow the sport – they’ve been matched with a mentor from either the USTA Florida Board of Directors or the USTA Florida Foundation Board of Directors based on their interests, skills, and anticipated contributions to the organization. To get to know some of our 2022 Leadership Academy participants, check out the video below.

“I’m excited to see this new class of diverse leaders. They bring a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to our organization,” said Laura Bowen, USTA Florida Executive Director. “I look forward to hearing their ideas on how we can expand our reach and serve more tennis opportunities.” 

USTA Florida recognizes that identifying, recruiting and developing the next generation of leaders will enable us to continue to grow the ‘game of a lifetime’. The 2022 USTA Florida Leadership Academy class will graduate in June 2022 and are encouraged to apply for positions on the USTA Florida and USTA Florida Foundation Board as well as USTA Florida committees. For more information on those offerings, please visit USTAFlorida.com/Committees.