PROFILE
( From left) Sliefert; Sarah Martin, CSFM; Nick McKenna, CSFM; and Sun Roesslein, CSFM
“ I also believe in building strong teams and empowering staff and volunteers... Regular communication, agility in execution, and keeping the member experience front and center are key to managing the diverse responsibilities of this role.”
time,” she said.“ I also believe in building strong teams and empowering staff and volunteers. You can’ t do it all alone, nor should you. Regular communication, agility in execution, and keeping the member experience front and center are key to managing the diverse responsibilities of this role.”
And although Sliefert does not have prior association management experience, she has committed to becoming a Certified Association Executive within the next three years.“ I want to demonstrate that we can all grow professionally,” she said. Sliefert will also tap into her network of connections at other industry organizations— many of whom have already reached out to offer their assistance.
“ It ' s going to be a learning curve,” she said.“ I am committed to investing to make sure I ' m the best I can be and serve with the excellence that comes with certification and this peer network. But I ' m going to make mistakes. And I hope I make mistakes quickly, recover fast, and do it with grace.”
( From left) John Sorochan, Ph. D.; Steve Wightman; and Sliefert
Through it all, Sliefert is eager to take on the role of SFMA CEO, and is most excited about the people.
“ Our members are passionate, knowledgeable, and incredibly hard-working,” said Sliefert.“ I’ m eager to build deeper relationships, to listen and learn, and to help create a future where our profession is more widely recognized and valued.”
Sliefert is also excited to work with SFMA staff, and she credits the passion and investment of the staff members at SFMA headquarters with helping guide the association through the transition between CEOs.
“ I’ m excited about the potential to innovate— whether it’ s through new programs, expanded partnerships, or modernized operations that support long-term growth,” she said.“ The mission is to empower sports field managers through educational resources, networking and advocacy; then become the premier global organization and set standards of excellence for sports field management.”
John Kmitta is associate publisher and editorial brand director of SportsField Management magazine.
24 SportsField Management | July 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com