Michelle Gervais Joins Top Women in Sports for 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four Tampa Bay Local Advisory Committee
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Michelle M. Gervais, a partner in the Firm’s Tampa office, was a appointed to the 2019 NCAA Women’s Final Four Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee (“TBLOC”), consisting of 20 local top women in sports responsible for developing a series of community initiatives and events leading up to the NCAA Women’s Championship Weekend, held on April 5 and 7, 2019, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida.
This was the third time the NCAA Women’s Final Four was hosted in Tampa Bay. The ultimate goal of the TBLOC was to elevate the student-athlete, fan, and visitor experience; drive attendance to the ancillary events and games; and build on the social impact initiatives Tampa Bay started in 2008 and 2015. Michelle and other TBLOC members played a crucial role in organizing a series of family-friendly activities that guests could enjoy leading up to and during Championship Weekend along with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Visit Tampa Bay, and the NCAA.
This year also marked the 10th anniversary of Beyond the Baseline, a legacy program that was launched and spearheaded in Tampa Bay. Sponsored by the NCAA and its partners, the program is geared towards engaging and celebrating local women of influence through a series of networking and professional development programs. Other Beyond the Baseline topics included the value of mentoring young women in the sports space, the impact of women in business and in sports, and toolkits to achieve growth milestones. On April 5, Michelle spoke on a panel on the topic of Women Empowering Women at the National Association of Sports Commissions’ 2019 Women’s Summit—held in conjunction with the Women’s Final Four programming.
Additional programming the TBLOC assisted with included, “Dribble to Work Day,” which kicked off the Final Four festivities on March 18; “Beyond the Baseline—Selection 101,” where attendees learned about the road to Tampa Bay and the 64-team field was unveiled; and “Super Saturday Concert,” which featured live performances featuring multi-platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw and a fireworks finale. For more information and a full list of NCAA Women’s Final Four programs, please visit ncaa.com/womens-final-four.
At Blank Rome, Michelle is a member of the Firm’s expanding Sports Law practice. She counsels high-profile individuals, athletes, and celebrities, as well as businesses and financial institutions, in the areas of sports and entertainment, matrimonial and domestic relations, commercial and business litigation, and consumer finance. Michelle is a member of the Sports Lawyers Association and also serves as an executive board member and director for Women in Sports and Events Tampa Bay.
