About us
TIDES Team
The TIDES team includes the leaders and volunteers guiding the vision, partnerships, programming, hospitality, cultural exchange, and community engagement that bring Tampa’s international connections to life.
Meet the Host Committee
The Host Committee provides strategic guidance and civic leadership for TIDES, helping ensure the summit reflects Tampa’s broader international priorities and brings together partners from across the city’s business, education, government, cultural, and nonprofit communities.
By lending their perspective, relationships, and leadership, Host Committee members help position TIDES as a citywide platform for international engagement, collaboration, and visibility.
By lending their perspective, relationships, and leadership, Host Committee members help position TIDES as a citywide platform for international engagement, collaboration, and visibility.
Chair – Host Committee
Mayor Jane Castor
Mayor
City of Tampa
City of Tampa
Host
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor
U.S. House of Representatives
Florida’s 14th Congressional District
Florida’s 14th Congressional District
Host
Rep. Fentrice Driskell
Florida Representative
Florida House District 67
Florida House District 67
Host
Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman
Florida Representative
Florida House District 65
Florida House District 65
Host
Commissioner Harry Cohen
District 1 County Commissioner
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County
Host
Alan Clendenin
Tampa City Council Chairman
Host
Craig Richard
President & CEO
Tampa Bay EDC
Tampa Bay EDC
Host
Michael Stephens
CEO
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport
Host
Paul Anderson
President & CEO
Port Tampa Bay
Port Tampa Bay
Host
Dr. Moez Limayem, PhD
President
University of South Florida
University of South Florida
Host
John D. Couris
President & CEO
Tampa General Hospital
Tampa General Hospital
Host
Santiago Corrada
President & CEO
Visit Tampa Bay
Visit Tampa Bay
Host
Dr. Bob Rohrlack, CCE
President & CEO
Tampa Bay Chamber
Tampa Bay Chamber
Host
Ron Christaldi
Partner
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Host
Linda Olson
President & CEO
Tampa Bay Wave
Tampa Bay Wave
Host
Dr. Tim R. Holcomb Ph.D.
CEO
Embarc Collective
Embarc Collective
Host
Jason Woody
CEO
Lions World Vision Institute
Lions World Vision Institute
Meet the Operating Team
The TIDES Operating Committee brings together a dedicated group of leaders responsible for guiding the initiative’s day-to-day strategy, coordination, and execution. Representing a cross-section of civic, business, academic, and community perspectives, the committee works to ensure TIDES advances its mission with focus, collaboration, and measurable impact. Through their leadership, the Operating Committee helps translate big-picture vision into practical action that strengthens Tampa’s global connections and long-term opportunities.
Executive Lead
Alfred Goldberg
Tampa Sister Cities
The Executive Lead provides overall direction for TIDES and ensures the summit remains aligned with the mission, values, and strategic priorities of Tampa Sister Cities. This role guides the vision for the event, coordinates major partnerships, supports civic and institutional relationships, and helps ensure that all workstreams move together toward a successful summit.
Governance Liaison
Michael Kamprath
Tampa International Airport
The Governance Liaison supports the planning process by helping ensure that TIDES is organized in alignment with Tampa Sister Cities’ bylaws, nonprofit responsibilities, board approvals, and internal policies. This role provides guidance on decision-making authority, committee structure, contracts, sponsorship commitments, conflicts of interest, and matters that may require board review.
delegations / Protocol Lead
Deborah WIlkinson
Wilkinson Global
The Delegations / Protocol Lead coordinates participation from international delegations, sister city representatives, civic leaders, consular officials, and other invited guests. This role helps manage invitations, dignitary coordination, titles and introductions, seating, cultural courtesies, official greetings, and other protocol details that are important to an international summit.
Budget/Finance Lead
Thiru Govender, CPA, MBA
BDO
The Finance / Administration Lead supports the financial and administrative systems needed to manage TIDES responsibly. This role assists with budget tracking, sponsorship invoicing, payment documentation, contract organization, reporting, recordkeeping, and administrative processes that help ensure transparency, accountability, and sound event management.
Operations Lead
Sean Schrader
Shumaker Advisors
The TIDES Operating Lead coordinates and oversees event-wide operational activities, ensuring committees, vendors, volunteers, and programming remain aligned with the overall event plan. The role helps identify gaps, resolve operational issues, and keep execution on track before and during TIDES.
Marketing Lead
Kari Goetz
Winzig Consulting
The Marketing Lead guides the overall marketing and promotional strategy for TIDES, helping build awareness, drive attendance, and communicate the summit’s value to key audiences. This role supports messaging, campaign planning, digital promotion, media coordination, partner amplification, and brand consistency across TIDES communications. The Marketing Lead works with the Operating Committee to ensure TIDES is presented as a professional, high-impact international summit that reflects Tampa’s global ambition.
EXPO Lead
Diana Walker
Hillsborough County
The Expo / Exhibitors Lead manages the exhibitor experience and helps connect organizations with opportunities to showcase their work at TIDES. This role coordinates exhibitor outreach, booth logistics, floor planning, exhibitor communications, setup details, and onsite support to ensure the expo area is organized, engaging, and valuable for both exhibitors and attendees.
Cultural Programming Lead
Ivonne Alvarez-Howard
Tampa-Barranquilla Sister Cities
The Cultural Programming Chair develops and coordinates the cultural elements of TIDES, including performances, exhibitions, receptions, artistic showcases, culinary experiences, and sister city celebrations.
Volunteer Lead
Puja Patel
OpMap
The Volunteer Lead oversees the recruitment, organization, scheduling, training, and onsite coordination of volunteers to ensure TIDES delivers a welcoming, well-supported experience for attendees, speakers, delegations, and partners.
Florida Sister Cities
Brenda Frinks
Florida Sister Cities
Brenda Frinks serves as the Florida Sister Cities Programming Lead, overseeing the planning and coordination of the Florida Sister Cities state meeting held as part of TIDES.
Track Co-Lead
Trade
Trade
Ryan Kanne
Director Greater Florida
U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
The Trade Track Lead helps guide the TIDES trade track, focusing on international business, export opportunities, foreign direct investment, ports, logistics, tourism, supply chains, chambers of commerce, and global market connections.
Track Co-Lead
Trade
Trade
Jennie Sammur Perez
Founder
President
Gateway Global Network
President
Gateway Global Network
The Trade Track Lead helps guide the TIDES trade track, focusing on international business, export opportunities, foreign direct investment, ports, logistics, tourism, supply chains, chambers of commerce, and global market connections.
Track Lead
Innovation
Innovation
Allen Clary
Executive Director
Nault Center for Entrepreneurship
USF Muma College of Business
Nault Center for Entrepreneurship
USF Muma College of Business
The Innovation Track Lead helps shape TIDES programming around entrepreneurship, technology, research, startups, emerging industries, and the ideas driving Tampa’s future as a global innovation hub. This role identifies session topics, speakers, moderators, and partners that connect international collaboration with new business models, creative problem-solving, investment, and economic growth.
Track Lead – Diplomacy
Lynne Platt
Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer
Minister Counselor
Retired
Minister Counselor
Retired
The Diplomacy Track Lead helps shape TIDES programming around international relationships, civic diplomacy, consular engagement, sister city partnerships, and Tampa’s role as a global city. This role identifies relevant session topics, speakers, moderators, and partners that demonstrate how diplomacy creates meaningful civic, cultural, educational, and economic connections.
Track Co-Lead – Diplomacy
Diana Mroue
Founder
Tigara Group
Tigara Group
The Diplomacy Track Lead helps shape TIDES programming around international relationships, civic diplomacy, consular engagement, sister city partnerships, and Tampa’s role as a global city. This role identifies relevant session topics, speakers, moderators, and partners that demonstrate how diplomacy creates meaningful civic, cultural, educational, and economic connections.
Track Co-Lead – Education
Kristin Davis
Assistant Superintendent
of Government Affairs
Hillsborough County Public Schools
of Government Affairs
Hillsborough County Public Schools
The Education Track Co-Lead for K–12 helps shape TIDES programming around international opportunities for students, teachers, schools, and school districts. This role identifies topics, speakers, and partners connected to global learning, student exchanges, language education, sister school relationships, cultural understanding, and preparing young people to thrive in an interconnected world.
Track Lead Sustainability
Christian Leon
Director
Patel Family Foundation
_
Patel Family Foundation
_
The Sustainability Track Lead helps guide the TIDES sustainability track, focusing on resilience, climate adaptation, water, infrastructure, food systems, energy, environmental innovation, sustainable development, and international collaboration around long-term community challenges.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers support the Host Committee by helping with event-day needs, guest services, registration, hospitality, transportation, photography, and other hands-on roles that make the event successful.
Get Involved
We’d love to have you on the team
Upcoming Orientation / Next Steps
Be part of the conversation.
Be part of the change.
Be part of the change.
November 16-17, 2026
Tampa, Florida, USA
Tampa, Florida, USA
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