Mindy Murphy has been president and chief executive officer of The Spring of Tampa Bay since 2012. She has chaired the Hillsborough County Domestic Violence Task Force and serves on the domestic violence fatality review team and the child abuse death review team.
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST MENTOR, AND WHAT HAVE THEY TAUGHT YOU?
I met my greatest mentor in a Cracker Barrel on Interstate 4, between Plant City and Tampa, when members of The Spring’s board interviewed me to become their Interim CEO. Yvonne Fry was the board chair at the time. I had no idea how this meeting would change my life.
From the beginning, Fry was fully invested in my success. She made sure I met the people I needed to meet to create success in my new role. For the past 10 years, she has never stopped opening doors for me and she is my biggest champion.
When I have been reluctant to take the next leap, she is the person standing next to me with a smile and a gentle nudge into the perceived abyss – and I’ve always bounced back up with a new milestone to advance our work.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST LESSON IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY?
The leaders I admire most never give up. They see “no” as the start of a conversation, not the end. They are not without fear but they are brave in facing their fears and will keep going if they believe the path is righteous and will help our community become a better place to work, live and play.
