Women in Greater Tampa Bay have more opportunities in business than ever. There is a strong culture of support and camaraderie among aspirational women across industry sectors, as well as ample opportunities to join organizations and workgroups dedicated to empowering women. These groups help connect women with influential leaders and networking opportunities so they can become leaders in their community.
Female leaders in…
Greater Tampa Bay is home to numerous female leaders across every aspect of the community, including academia, business, health care, transportation, sports, philanthropy and more. Here are just a few of these incredible women who make a difference in their community.
…Education
“More women are at the head of organizations and are taking lead roles across many industries, where they are leading with credibility and integrity. It is very exciting to watch as a woman who is in business.”
— Staceyann Sinclair Jibbison, assistant vice president for campus operations and student services at Rasmussen University.
Jibbison has been working in the education industry for more than 20 years and has been at Rasmussen University since 2005. When she first started in business, she said it was not easy and she received more “no’s” than “yes’s.” She was able to make progress after joining Tampa Bay Women of Influence. The organization gave her opportunities to network with some influential women and men in the business community, and she started receiving invitations to participate in other groups and organizations.
Jibbison said she was also involved with the Pasco Economic Development Board of Directors, which helped move her career forward by networking with industry professionals.
“I was able to work with great leaders who pushed me and provided opportunities to grow as an individual in the business,” she said. “My involvement with the board expanded the number of tables I was invited to and continues to be a great resource for women in the Greater Tampa Bay area.”
…Finance
Networking helped Ashley Watters when she moved to the area for a job with Cogent Bank. Watters was working for Hancock Bank on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. It merged, and she moved to Tampa.
Watters is now the commercial relationship manager and vice president at Cogent Bank. When she arrived to GTB, Watters joined the Junior League of Tampa.
The Junior League of Tampa is an organization of 1,900 women who are committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
“It was pivotal in setting me up for success in Tampa,” Watters said.
She said the group gave her a lot of training and leadership opportunities that taught her how to lead a team. Currently, she is on the board of the Westshore Alliance and will be the president starting in January 2024.
Watters also said organizations will do great if they see the value of having women in leadership and give them opportunities to do so.
“I think people are seeing we can make a difference,” she said.
…Community Leadership
President and CEO of AMPLIFY Clearwater Amanda Payne has been a part of GTB’s business community for almost 20 years.
She said the local business climate is welcoming and has strong women in it who are making GTB shine. However, she said there is still some room for improvement.
“I think it’s important for every female leader to have a strong support system,” said Payne. “It’s also important to have their trusted advisors, so to speak, that they can rely on to give the best guidance and advice.”
She also said it is crucial to improve women’s access to the boardrooms in order for people to see things from different perspectives.
From One Woman to Another: Words of Inspiration
Jibbison said that more diversity in leadership roles are needed for both women of color in higher education and women in other industries.
“Having a diverse workforce in business — particularly at the leadership level — brings critical perspectives to the table and increases creativity, innovation and economic performance through a broader talent pool,” she said.
Watters said one of the main challenges for women in the banking industry is to be seen as equals to men and to get the same leadership opportunities.
“It is difficult, but people are seeing the importance of having women in leadership,” she said.
Payne said she had to learn to trust herself and navigate her ability and bravery to take risks in her career.
“It isn’t a characteristic that came naturally to me, so I needed to learn to trust myself and just go for it,” she said. “It’s important to understand that you will make a lot of mistakes when starting your own business, but it’s essential to be decisive and not to be afraid of making them.”
Additionally, Payne said it is important for women to trust the people around them as well as delegating and having faith that things will get done. It also helps women in the business community move forward as a whole.
“Maybe it won’t always be to my own standards, but progress will be made much faster,” she said. “Placing your trust in staff empowers them, allows them to really think for themselves and become problem solvers.”
Chamber Spotlight
Get inspired by these leading ladies at Amplify Clearwater, the chamber serving North Pinellas County.
Amanda Pasdon Payne, President and CEO
Payne has led chambers in West Virginia and Tampa Bay. She also served in the West Virginia House of Delegates for three consecutive terms. Currently, she serves on the USF Kate Tiedemann College of Business Advisory Board.
Kristina Alspaw Park, Executive Vice President
Prior to starting her chamber career in St. Petersburg, Park traveled all over the world before becoming the youngest CEO and executive director of a destination marketing organization in North Carolina. She has been a part of AMPLIFY Clearwater since 2019.
By Celia Goodyear.
