Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Jennifer Collins to the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA), adding a new state appointee to the board as it remains under a spotlight amid ongoing Tampa Bay Rays stadium talks in Hillsborough County.
The Governor’s Office announced Collins’ appointment Wednesday, noting that Collins is retired and previously served as director of development for St. Joseph’s Episcopal School. Her background also includes legal work, fundraising, child advocacy and service on several state boards and commissions, according to a news release announcing the appointment.
The TSA manages several major public sports venues in Tampa, including Raymond James Stadium, three public golf courses and the Hillsborough County Tournament Sportsplex. It is also affiliated with the Benchmark International Arena and George M. Steinbrenner Field. TSA board members are appointed by state and local officials, including the Governor, Tampa Mayor and Hillsborough County Commission.
Collins’ Gubernatorial appointment comes as the TSA remains under heightened scrutiny amid ongoing discussions about stadium development and public oversight in Hillsborough County. Recent tension over Tampa Bay Rays funding led the TSA board to send a letter supporting funding for Raymond James Stadium renovations amid Rays stadium funding negotiations, prompting sharp response by Hillsborough County Commissioner Christine Miller — who warned county appointees of potential removal if they favor one team over another.
Collins is a two-time Florida State University graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1993 and a law degree in 1996. She began her legal career as an Assistant Attorney General in Tallahassee before living and serving in communities across Florida, including Jacksonville, Boynton Beach and Tampa, according to her FSU Alumni Association biography. The Governor’s office highlighted Collins’ service on the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, the Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council, the Florida Statewide Council on Human Trafficking and the Florida Monitoring of Children in Out-of-Home Care Task Force.
Her FSU biography says Collins founded and served as the inaugural chair of the FSU Parents & Family Advancement Council, a role focused on strengthening connections between families and the university. She also serves on FSU’s International Programs Council, serves as Chair of the Education and Awareness Committee on the Attorney General’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking and volunteers with Meals on Wheels, Christ the King Catholic Church, local high schools and as a Guardian ad Litem representing children in foster care.
Her appointment adds a new voice to a TSA board caught in the middle of Tampa Bay’s stadium politics without direct say, but also where questions about ongoing negotiations with the Rays and its impact other the venues continues to simmer.
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