PROFILE
“ SFMA has done an exceptional job building a strong sense of community. The peer-topeer support, the quality of the annual conference, and the dedication of our volunteers are all things I truly admire.”
Sliefert with SFMA Founder Dick Ericson
Parks and Sports Field Management Association, and Project Evergreen. Sliefert helped the National Recreation and Park Association( NRPA) launch a business council, and also serves on one of NRPA’ s committees. She has made the trip to Capitol Hill twice to help lobby on behalf of the City Parks Alliance and NRPA.
Perhaps most vital to her new role, Sliefert served a total of three years on the SFMA Board of Directors( one year as an elected director and two years on the executive board).
Having been in the boardroom and seen the inner workings of SFMA has given Sliefert a perspective on what the association does well, the challenges it faces, and insight into where opportunities may exist.
“ SFMA has done an exceptional job building a strong sense of community,” said Sliefert.“ The peer-to-peer support, the quality of the annual conference, and the dedication of our volunteers are all things I truly admire. We have also been leaders in certification, field safety and education.”
Sliefert also values the openness of the SFMA board and the desire of board members to do the right thing. That said, she sees opportunities to grow SFMA’ s voice, and raise awareness among decisionmakers, potential new members, and the next generation of field managers.
“ We can also continue to evolve how we deliver member value year-round and how we support local chapters and elevate the profession through advocacy and visibility,” she said.
Sliefert would like to review the SFMA committee structure, which she sees as being a bit cumbersome in both the number and size of committees.
“ We have so many people that want to serve the industry through service to SFMA, and I think there are better ways of doing that,” she said.“ We need to find some efficiencies, create some room and invest in developing people.”
Sliefert would also like to examine the certification structure and ways to make it more marketable without watering down what it means to be a CSFM.
Another challenge facing SFMA is attracting the younger generation, outlining why they should join SFMA, and ultimately fostering and developing the workforce.
According to Sliefert, budget constraints, limited public understanding of what SFMA members do, and climate-related pressures are other significant challenges. To address those, SFMA will need to be more proactive in its outreach and advocacy, deepen its partnerships with allied industries, and invest in tools and messaging that communicate the value of SFMA.
22 SportsField Management | July 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com