Annika Sorenstam Named Ambassador for LPGA Leadership Academy
The LPGA Foundation and the AXA Foundation Partner to Develop the
Next Generation of Female Leaders through Golf
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The LPGA continues its commitment to developing female leaders through
golf by launching the LPGA Leadership Academy in 2016 and today named
LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member Annika Sorenstam as Ambassador
to this program.
“We are so excited about this new initiative,” said Nancy Henderson,
LPGA Foundation President. “To have Annika as the Ambassador for this
program is the perfect fit. When you think leadership on and off the
course you think Annika.”
Sorenstam amassed 89 worldwide victories including 10 major
championships. Her record-breaking achievements include eight Rolex
Player of the Year awards, six Vare Trophies and she is the only female
to shoot 59 in an official LPGA event. She stepped away from competitive
golf at the end of the 2008 season to start a family and further
establish the ANNIKA brand of businesses.
“I am honored that the LPGA asked me to be the Ambassador of the LPGA
Leadership Academy, an initiative that aligns very nicely with my
foundation’s “More than Golf” tagline,” said Sorenstam “Throughout my
life, I’ve had numerous mentors in golf and business that I’ve turned to
for advice and I’m happy to be able to do the same for teenage girls.”
The LPGA Foundation held its first pilot Leadership Academy last August
at Glen Arbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, NY, and will launch its first
official year in 2016 in partnership with The AXA Foundation. Two
separate academies are scheduled to be held this year, one on the east
coast and one on the west coast. Girls ages 15-18 are eligible to apply
and are selected to partake based on leadership potential, financial
need and golf capability. Attendees are taken through a series of
hands-on leadership activities applied through the game of golf over a
two-day, fully-funded program.
“Through this partnership, we will be able to teach teenage girls more
than the game of golf,” Henderson added. “We will teach leadership
skills through golf, inspiring and developing the next generation of
female leaders.”
The new LPGA Leadership Academy is a natural fit for The AXA Foundation,
as the mission of their signature philanthropic scholarship program, AXA
AchievementSM, is to provide access and advice to students
and parents to help them succeed in college and beyond. Since its
inception, AXA AchievementSM has awarded over $25 million in
college scholarships to more than 6000 students, and more than half of
those recipients were young women (56%). AXA female executives will
participate in a leadership panel during the academies and will talk
about their own roads to success, finding their own voices, and how and
when to take calculated risks.
“We are so glad that the AXA Foundation is able to continue our
company’s support of the LPGA Academies in 2016,” said AXA Foundation
President Faith Frank. “AXA is committed to helping young women take the
next step in their educational development and the skills and knowledge
they gain from the LPGA Leadership Academies is essential to their
future success.”
Girls and boys at ages 8-11 are developmentally similar, but as they
enter adolescence, girls experience a disproportionate drop in
self-esteem. As girls learn how to play golf in the LPGA Leadership
Academy, they also learn how to overcome obstacles, develop
relationships, and recover from setbacks to achieve their goals. These
same skills contribute to professional and academic success through
developing and promoting self-confidence, perseverance, self-reliance,
discipline, and self-esteem.
ABOUT THE LPGA FOUNDATION
Established in 1991, The LPGA Foundation is a 501(c) (3) charitable
organization committed to empowering and supporting girls and women
through developmental and humanitarian golf initiatives.
Key priorities include: LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, scholarships and the
Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative for those in the golf
industry who are experiencing severe hardship. The LPGA Foundation is
supported by corporate and private donations, foundation grants and
contributions from LPGA members. For more information on how to
contribute to The LPGA Foundation, please contact LPGA Headquarters, 100
International Golf Drive, Daytona Beach, FL 32124, or by phone,
386.274.6200 and on the web: https://lpgafoundation.org/donate.
ABOUT THE LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for
women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, the
association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than
2,300 members representing 30 different countries. With a Vision to
inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of
women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while
dedicated LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals (T&CP) directly impact
the game through teaching, coaching and management. The Symetra Tour
consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage.
Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web
via: www.LPGA.com,
www.facebook.com/lpga.official,
www.twitter.com/lpga,
and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo.
ABOUT THE AXA FOUNDATION
The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA US. The Foundation
directs the company’s philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to
improve the quality of life in communities across the United States
where AXA has a presence. The AXA Foundation’s multifaceted signature
program, AXA Achievement, supports the company’s strong commitment to
Corporate Responsibility and our flagship theme of “Risk Research and
Education,” by providing America’s youth with the access and advice to
help them succeed in college and beyond. For more information, visit www.axa-achievement.com
or AXA’s Facebook page.
Contacts
AXA
Jennifer Recine, 212-314-2009
Jennifer.recine@axa.us.com
or
LPGA
Kelly
Schultz, 386-274-6276
kelly.schultz@lpga.com
