 | Since 1985, Professional Women's Forum has provided a lunchtime program featuring distinguished women leaders from our community and region going beyond their bios to provide attendees personal and professional growth through advice, tools, strategies and takeaways from their own success.
The Power Within: Breaking Barriers, Transcending Adversity, and Paving the Way
Dr. Ashlee Fontes will share personal and professional experiences that shaped her understanding of “The Power Within” — the importance of knowing your purpose and continuing forward even when the path does not yet exist. Drawing from her journey as a student-athlete, executive, entrepreneur, and leader in women’s sports, she will discuss navigating adversity, building through uncertainty, and the mindset shifts that guided her leadership and decision-making.
FEATURED SPEAKER:
Dr. Ashlee T. Fontes | Founder & CEO, TLH Reckoning
 Dr. Ashlee T. Fontes is a powerhouse in the world of sports, redefining leadership and breaking barriers in an historically male-dominated industry. A record-setting soccer player at Florida State University (FSU), she helped lay the foundation for FSU’s rise as a powerhouse in women’s soccer before turning her focus to transforming the sport on a global scale. A visionary architect of the women’s game, her impact spans every level—from grassroots to the global stage. Holding a Ph.D. in Sport Management from FSU, Dr. Fontes blends academic research expertise with executive leadership.
As the founder of TLH Reckoning, she launched Tallahassee’s first-ever pre-professional women’s soccer club, creating a vital pathway for athletes in underserved regions. Leading the charge to build a live-work-play social oasis anchored by a state-of-the-art soccer stadium while seeking to bring professional women’s and men’s soccer to Tallahassee. She co-founded The Girls Academy, the nation’s only all-girls elite soccer platform; saving the soccer dreams of tens of thousands of girls across the country; securing a historic partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) while amplifying the voices of young female athletes across the nation.
Dr. Fontes made history as the first female of color to lead United Soccer Coaches, the largest coaches’ organization in the world, where she championed advocacy and equity for thousands of coaches across the world. A founding executive of the Washington Spirit and the first female of color to lead a professional sports franchise in the world, she played a pivotal role in shaping the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), helping to lay the foundation for the historic meteoric rise we are seeing today. Dr. Fontes has shaped the future of the game for 30 years - a career defined by innovation, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the advancement of women in sports - cementing her legacy as arguably one of FSU’s most influential alumni in women’s sports.
About Our Presenting Sponsor: Lively Technical College
Lively Technical College is a public postsecondary institution dedicated to strengthening workforce development and economic mobility across the Big Bend region by delivering job-ready talent to local and regional employers. With a strong focus on career and technical education, Lively prepares students for immediate employment and long-term career growth in today’s high-demand industries—often allowing graduates to enter the workforce with little to no student debt and the potential to earn wages above the national average.
Lively offers hands-on, skills-based training programs developed in close collaboration with industry partners to ensure alignment with current and emerging workforce needs. Students receive practical, real-world training, earn industry-recognized certifications, and develop the technical, safety, and employability skills employers value. Career pathways include construction trades, advanced welding skills, plumbing, HVAC, automotive and diesel technology, healthcare support services, culinary arts, and other critical workforce sectors.
Serving as a talent pipeline for the region, Lively supports current high school juniors and seniors, recent graduates, adult learners, career changers, and incumbent workers seeking to upskill or reskill. Affordable tuition, short-term training options, and flexible scheduling allow employers to access a skilled workforce quickly while supporting employee advancement and retention. Small class sizes and instructors with extensive industry experience ensure graduates are trained to meet workplace expectations from day one.
Through strong partnerships with businesses, industry associations, community organizations, and workforce agencies, Lively Technical College plays a vital role in meeting regional labor demands. As a cornerstone of workforce education in Tallahassee and Leon County, Lively remains committed to supporting employer success and building sustainable career pathways that fuel economic growth.
The registration deadline for this event is Friday, June 5. After this deadline, cancellations are not accepted, but replacements may be sent. All no shows will be invoiced immediately following the event. Please be sure you are logged into your Member Profile to activate member-exclusive pricing.
For questions regarding registration, or if your organization is interested in reserving an Exhibit Table at this event, please email bpupke@talchamber.com.
*NOTICE REGARDING ELECTIONEERING*
The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and its affiliate organizations encourages its members to be informed, engaged and involved in local, regional and state government. However, electioneering activities in support of, or in opposition to, a candidate or cause are prohibited at Chamber, Leadership Tallahassee, Access Tallahassee or Foundation events. The Chamber's current policy positions can be viewed HERE.
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