Women's Leadership Academy

Unleash your potential, empower your future, inspire the way

The GCSAA Women’s Leadership Academy, Nov. 12-14, 2024, is focused on providing women in the turfgrass industry with education, mentoring and networking enabling participants to unleash their potential, empower their future and become inspirational leaders.

The 2 1/2-day event (with a keynote reception the first night) will guide participants from all walks of the industry and various years of professional experience on a path of discovery aimed at breaking down barriers and producing a spark to inspire women to be successful leaders. This will be provided in four segments:

• Self-discovery: who you are and how to be the best you can be.
• Understand others: what motivates colleagues and team members.
• Communicate effectively: building relationships and collaboration.
• Inspire: make a difference in the world on a small or greater scale.

The Women’s Leadership Academy will be headlined by Suzy Whaley, PGA Master Professional and first woman to serve as president of the PGA of America. She is also captain of the 2025 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team. Whaley, who has a unique understanding of the work of turfgrass professionals, having worked side by side with many GCSAA members, will speak to her experience in the golf industry and relate it to turfgrass professionals during a fireside chat at the opening evening reception where participants will be able to ask questions in a conversational format.

Applications are now closed.

Forty participants will be selected. The selected participants will be notified by Aug. 26.

Speakers

Suzy Whaley

Whaley, who will headline the event, is a  PGA Master Professional and first woman to serve as president of the PGA of America. She is also the captain of the 2025 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team. Whaley, who has a unique understanding of the work of turfgrass professionals, having worked side by side with many GCSAA members, will speak to her experience in the golf industry and relate it to turfgrass professionals.

Rear Admiral Jackie McClelland 

McClelland, a native of Ocean City, New Jersey, earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Temple University in 1987 and was commissioned in 1990. She earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University in 2006 and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College Command and Staff Program. She completed executive development coursework at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School. McClelland assumed duties as vice director, Navy Staff in March 2021. She is dual hatted as deputy commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. Her previous flag assignments were commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group and reserve director, Logistics, Fleet Supply and Ordnance, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Melissa Arthur MA, PCC, NBC-HWC

Arthur is a leadership and wellness coach, consultant, and facilitator. She is passionate about helping purpose-driven leaders to experience more joy and balance in their lives and health while developing their capacity to lead and succeed. She is an International Coach Federation Professional Certified Coach, Certified Leadership Coach and National Medical Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She has completed Tara Mohr's Playing Big Facilitator's Training and is also Certified in the Foundations of Woman Centered Coaching through Claire Zammit's Institute of Woman Centered Coaching, Training and Leadership.    

Kee Dunning

Dunning is a licensed clinical professional counselor, consultant and owner of Dunning Counseling and Consulting in Billings, Mont. Dunning's professional career as a counselor has taken her on a unique path, working with diverse at-risk populations including the Montana State Women’s Prison. Over more than 40 years working with people, Dunning has developed tools to improve how we communicate with friends, family, colleagues and clients.

Amy Leslie

Leslie is CEO of Perspective Consulting, a woman-owned management consulting firm and a Certified Premier Partner of the Predictive Index (PI). She has 20 years of experience building, turning around, and leading teams, with P&L responsibility. Her experience in the trenches of leadership spans all levels of leadership and all sizes of companies, from small start-up firms to large, well-established Fortune 500 companies. She serves on several boards, where she is a passionate force accelerating women in business and helping organizations create space for gender diversity, understanding diverse perspectives, and building inclusive environments where all thrive.

Stacy Stellflug, Ph.D. APRN, FNP-BC

Stellflug is an associate professor at Montana State University-Bozeman. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees n nursing from Montana State University-Bozeman and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Denver. Stefflug’s teaching interests include pediatrics, primary care and simulation. Her research interests include simulation, rural healthcare providers ability to take care of children and pediatric advanced life support. Stellflug was presented with the 2018 Award for Excellence by the MSU Alumni Association.

Benefactors

Thank you to our benefactors for supporting the Women's Leadership Academy

Trailblazer Level

Pathfinder Level

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