Marsha Oliver is the Senior Vice President of Community and Public Engagement for the PGA TOUR, the premier organization in professional golf renowned for organizing professional tours in North America. In this role, Marsha focuses on enhancing the PGA TOUR’s engagement and impact within diverse communities. She joined the TOUR in April 2019, bringing a wealth of over 25 years of experience in public affairs, community relations, marketing, and crisis management across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Prior to the PGA TOUR, Marsha served as the Director of Public Affairs for the City of Jacksonville under Mayor Lenny Curry and as Assistant Superintendent of Communications for Duval County Public Schools. Her distinguished career includes numerous industry awards and recognition as one of the nation’s top education public relations professionals by the Council of Great City Schools.
Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn:
- Marsha Oliver shares how her diverse work background influenced her current role
- The importance of inclusivity in the golf industry
- Why more leaders should consider more non-traditional applicants
- Golf as a tool for career advancement and its application in various industries
- How Marsha balances the business aspect while ensuring representation and positive community engagement in golf
- Why Marsha values being intentional in promoting equity and inclusion
- Valuable lessons Marsha learned when building a team
- Marsha explains the hedgehog concept and how it helped design her career and achieve success
In This Episode…
Numerous industries are breaking new ground in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. How does one leader’s journey from politics to the traditionally-exclusive sport of golf reflect broader changes in society?
Marsha Oliver, a key influencer in promoting diversity in sports, believes the key to transforming the sporting world lies in intentional inclusivity and community engagement. She emphasizes the importance of reaching out to underrepresented communities, ensuring that the world of golf better mirrors the diversity of our society. Marsha ensures her work goes beyond mere representation, creating a substantial impact and fostering inclusive spaces wherever her career takes her.
In this episode of WRK & WIN, Corinne Milien speaks with Marsha Oliver, Senior Vice President of Community and Public Engagement for the PGA TOUR, about her groundbreaking work. They explore the importance of inclusive leadership and how Marsha’s non-traditional background enriches her role. Their conversation highlights the significant strides being made toward a more equitable sporting world.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Corinne Milien on LinkedIn
- WRK
- Marsha Oliver on LinkedIn
- PGA TOUR
- “[Golf Series] Leading the Charge in Events and Impact With Allison Fillmore” on the WRK & WIN podcast
- Lenny Curry on LinkedIn
- “On being a woman and a diplomat” – Madeleine Albright
- East Lake Golf Club
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by WRK.
In the dynamic world of sports and entertainment, managing a successful business is about more than just the bottom line — it’s about the people who make it happen.
WRK is your go-to partner for people-powered HR and staffing solutions, designed to overcome your toughest workforce challenges.
From fostering employee engagement through positive employee relations to developing future leaders with their Leadership Development programs, WRK‘s services are designed to maximize the performance of your team and ensure a vibrant, inclusive work culture.
This isn’t just HR — it’s HR reimagined.
Go to www.letsdowrk.com to learn more.