Max Kunkel is the Manager of Leadership Programs at the Tampa Bay Chamber. Overseeing the Collegiate Leadership program, Max works with CL’s three partner universities - University of South Florida, University of Tampa and Saint Leo University - to engage student leaders across campus. The monthly program days introduce program scholars to the industries that drive Tampa Bay forward. Max also assists the Senior Director of Leadership Programs with the management of Leadership Tampa, the third oldest leadership program of its kind in the nation, as well as the Leadership Tampa Alumni association.

In his prior role as Foundation Program Coordinator, Max supported our Minority Business Accelerator and Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay.

Before joining the Tampa Bay Chamber in 2024, Max worked within the outreach department at ActBlue, a software company that processes monetary contributions for political candidates, campaigns, and non-profit organizations. Prior to this, Max worked as a community organizer in Manatee County, where he oversaw a team of over fifty active volunteers to encourage civic engagement. Max’s career experience and passion for community outreach are core skills he’s brought to the Chamber. His ability to organize community stakeholders, empower local business owners, and engage professionals at different stages in their career, make him an asset to Chamber Members served annually by Foundation programs like Collegiate Leadership, Leadership Tampa, and the Chamber’s globally recognized Minority Business Accelerator.

Max is a native Floridian, born and raised in Sarasota and has been a Tampa resident since 2021. He attended Florida State University where he majored in Political Science and minored in Urban & Regional Planning. Max earned his master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Florida. At home in Tampa Bay, Max enjoys discovering new restaurants, combing through records at local record stores, and cheering on his favorite hockey team - the Tampa Bay Lightning!