Leadership Tampa, the nation’s third oldest program of its kind, graduated its fifty-third class. The legacy program’s 50 professionals in the LT Class of 2024, bring the total number of LT graduates to nearly 2,600.
Exclusive to the Tampa Bay Chamber, each year LT brings together a new group of mid to upper-level managers for the intensive executive leadership program spanning nine months. This diverse group of participants GAIN insight into the major facets of the greater Tampa Bay community through educational sessions, tours and candid conversations with community leaders. These experiences and perspectives challenge LT members to GIVE back and GROW their community. Since 1970, industry leaders involved in the program say LT's robust, un-filtered approach has helped build up generations of engaged leaders better equipped to address the community’s changing needs.
The May 15 graduation ceremony at Oxford Exchange brought together participants from LT classes past and present, the reception hosted by the Leadership Tampa Alumni Association. Many described LT as a pinnacle experience in their careers, including the Chair of Leadership Tampa's Class of 2024 Terrie Daniel.
"Graduating from this prestigious program is no small feat. It required dedication, perseverance, a lot of very early mornings and a commitment to excellence," said Daniel, who graduated from the LT Class of 2020. "Reflecting on our time together, I am struck by the profound impact this experience has had on each of us. From the insightful discussions and thought-provoking program days to the invaluable connections forged with fellow classmates, mentors, and community leaders, our journey through Leadership Tampa has been nothing short of transformative."
LT '24 graduate Mike Smith agrees and says with this honor comes responsibility. "We understand that we will be the folks invited to the table when decisions are being made about Tampa. I would like to challenge all of us to continue to ask the tough questions, up front, about how these opportunities will impact the people in Tampa," said Smith, Senior Vice President of Market Executive Business Banking at Fifth Third Bank. "Our superpower is our diversity - diversity of culture, color, career, age, experience and industry."
LT '24 graduate Ruth Cate summed up the year by focusing on the bonds within the class and with community organizations. The Tampa Police Department's Deputy Chief said "These partnerships and friendships we have developed can be imitated but not duplicated. We all agree that the one thing we learned as leaders, is that PEOPLE are our number one resource. If we cannot deliver, someone else will."
Congratulations to the Leadership Tampa Graduating Class of 2024!
- Sarah E. Abel, MacDill Air Force Base - 6th Medical Group
- Mitchel Allen, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council
- Mike Augustine, A.R. Savage & Son
- Larissa Baia, Hillsborough Community College- Ybor Campus
- Nadine Bailey, Ultimate Medical Academy Education
- James Bennett, Wells Fargo
- Heather Bragdon, MacDill Air Force Base – 927th ARW
- Stephen Brocato, Florida Blue
- Ray Busler III, CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)
- Nevar Campbell, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
- Ruth Cate, Tampa Police Department
- Chris Claytor, The Beck Group
- Chris Dawson, GrayRobinson
- Sherri Day, Tampa Bay Times
- Brad deBeaubien, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick
- Curtis DeLaquil, J.E. Dunn Construction Company
- Matthew DePasquale, Bleakley Bavol Denman & Grace
- David Everett II, Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
- Jen Fleischman, University of South Florida
- Zac Foster, Quarles & Brady
- Tom George, USAA
- Lennise Germany, Livy O’s
- Douglas Griesenauer, United Way Suncoast
- Kara Guagliardo, J.C. Newman Cigar Company
- Amy Haile, Champions for Children
- Ryann Halo, Salon Halo & Halo Consulting
- David Harris, Cushman & Wakefield
- Ray Hawat, Accenture
- Dionne Holt, Smiths Interconnect
- Kyle Howry, Ernst & Young
- Leslie Wager Hudock, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
- Joshua Kwasnicki, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
- Lily Li, JP Morgan Chase
- Juan Pablo Lopez, Bank of America
- Kenneshia Martin, Martin Mortgage Financial
- Jounice Nealy-Brown, Gunster
- Matt Newton, Older, Lundy, Koch & Martino
- Ally Puckett, DPR Construction
- Jason Rodriguez, BayCare Health System
- Michael Simon, KCI Technologies
- Mike Smith, Fifth Third Bank
- Laura Tatem, Tampa International Airport
- Rikiya Thomas, Hill Ward Henderson
- Nicole Travis, City of Tampa
- Dean Whaley, AdventHealth
- Marie Whelan, Hillsborough County Public Schools
- Jamie Whitehurst, Dawning Family Services
- Kelli Yeloushan, Vinik Sports Group
- Courtney Young, Tampa General Hospital
- Evan Zaslow, Moffitt Cancer Center
The application process for the 2025 Leadership Tampa class is now closed and members will be announced later this summer. For more information on Leadership Tampa, please contact Michelle Ciudad Real, Senior Director of Leadership Programs at the Tampa Bay Chamber.