July 17, 2026 – Tampa, FL. Tampa Sister Cities is pleased to announce that Puja Patel has joined the Tampa International Diplomacy and Exchange Summit (TIDES) Operating Committee as Volunteer Lead.
Puja is an AI operations consultant and founder of OpMap, where she helps growing businesses design the systems, workflows, and AI infrastructure needed to operate at scale. Her work focuses on bringing structure, clarity, and efficiency to growing organizations, making her especially well suited to support the volunteer operations for TIDES.
In her role with TIDES, Puja will help architect the summit’s volunteer program, including volunteer recruitment, role development, scheduling, training, event-day coordination, and the systems needed to create an organized and welcoming experience for both volunteers and attendees.
A graduate of the University of South Florida and a volunteer with BAPS Charities, Puja brings meaningful event and community service experience to the Operating Committee. Her background includes involvement with TEDx and the first Diwali celebration held at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee.
“Puja understands how to turn complexity into clear systems that people can actually use,” said Alfred Goldberg, President of Tampa Sister Cities. “That skill will be essential for TIDES as we build a volunteer program that supports the event, welcomes our guests, and gives volunteers a meaningful and well-organized experience.”
Puja’s combination of operational thinking, technology experience, and community service will help ensure that volunteers are prepared, supported, and connected to the broader mission of TIDES.
TIDES is being developed by Tampa Sister Cities to bring together leaders in international trade, diplomacy, education, innovation, sustainability, culture, and exchange. As Volunteer Lead, Puja will work with the Operating Committee to help build a volunteer operation that reflects the professionalism, hospitality, and global spirit of the summit.
