Feb. 5, 2023 – (Tampa, Florida) – The Skills Center’s CEO Celeste Roberts has announced that Joselynne Walden Forde will be the new Board of Directors Chair for the sports-based youth development non-profit organization based in Tampa.
As the CEO of The J. Forde Experience, Joselynne has been affiliated with the board for two years and is the proud parent of a Skills Center student for six years.
“My vision for The Skills Center is “To Be EXCEPTIONAL From Now On,” through the completion of the new building; raising awareness of the organization on a local, regional, and national level; ensuring the success of each Skills Center sponsored event; and intentionally focusing on the betterment of each child who walks through our doors.
The Skills Center intentionally utilizes athletics to create academic success, teach life skills and mentors young people ages 3-18 in Tampa Bay. A core belief is every child is capable of learning in the right environment, with caring adults and an intentional focus.
The Skills Center recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary. A $23 million state-of-the-art youth center building with the goal to improve the educational outcomes, economic prospects and life options for young people through the power of sports will open in November, 2023.
The new building is located at 5107 N. 22nd Street, Tampa. A portion of the funds ($6,240,000) was secured through the New Markets Support Company. The financing is part of a $20 million New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) package with federal allocations from the Black Business Investment Fund (BBIF) and the Reinvestment Fund.
BIO – JOSELYNNE WALDEN FORDE
Joselynne Walden Forde is the Founder/CEO of The J. Forde Experience, an Event Planning Company specializing in corporate and social events. She has over 15-years of executive sales expertise for Fortune 500 Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Companies such as Eli Lilly & Company, Genentech, and Medtronic.
As a champion for others, Joselynne’s life guiding mantra has been, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This philosophy has afforded her tremendous opportunities to Serve and Lead as a 32-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Charter Member of Alpha Alpha Theta Omega, Corresponding Secretary for The Links, Inc., National Protocol Chair for Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Founder of MMC, Inc., and a Board of Trustees member for Tampa Preparatory School. As a native of Orlando, graduate of Tennessee State University (with a Marketing degree), and daughter of educators, Joselynne learned first-hand the importance of compassionate giving and servitude. As a result, she has become a powerful force in her community and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage and bless others. Joselynne is inspired daily by her husband and their two children Ailani (15) and Colin (12). In her free time, she enjoys fine arts, traveling, exercise, and sharing her time, talents, and treasures to enhance her community.
About The Skills Center
The Skills Center, created in 2007, is a sport-based youth development nonprofit (501c3) that intentionally utilizes athletics as the mechanism to create change through academic support, life skills, mentoring, and health & fitness for youth ages 3-18 in Tampa Bay. Using sports as a powerful learning tool, youth learn how to transfer and apply the skills learned naturally through sports to other environments in their lives, such as at school, at home, and in their community.