Sherisha Hills
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would like to nominate Ms. Sherisha Hills for the NFL's Inspire Change 'Changemaker' Award as she has shown her proven commitment to the city of Tampa Bay and its surrounding community.
In less than two years as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Tampa, Ms. Hills has created and launched new programs that bring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics opportunities, as well as other activities such as basketball, to lower income communities. Her goal has been to ensure that every neighborhood throughout the city of Tampa, no matter their hardships, has the same opportunities and the same platform to succeed.
Outside of her Parks and Recreation commitments, Ms. Hills serves on the board of directors for multiple non-profit organizations including the Glazer Children's Museum and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. In her spare time, she also coaches a girls' basketball team. Her success as a collegiate Division I basketball player at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Florida accentuate her passion for basketball, allowing her to give back to the sports world by making an impact on young athletes. Ms. Hills also mentors dozens of troubled teenagers who are struggling socially, economically, or academically to help them find their passion and get them back on the path to success, including being a "Big" as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. For years, no matter the individual's situation or upbringing, Ms. Hills has touched and positively impacted the lives of many teenagers in her career. We are confident that she will continue to lead by example and positively impact those around her.
In the first two years of her position as Director of Parks and Rec, not only has Ms. Hills clearly stated her goals, but she has also acted on them. She has used her platform to inspire and spread change across the Tampa Bay community. We expect Ms. Hills contributions and commitments to the community to grow in the coming months. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are proud to present Ms. Sherisha Hills as our Inspire Change 'Changemaker' Award recipient.