Former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio will be in Gainesville on Wednesday to give a public lecture titled “Straightforward: Becoming an Effective Leader.”
The lecture, which is free to the public, will be at 3 p.m. at Oak Hammock at UF, 4620 SW 25th Blvd.
Iorio, the second female mayor of Tampa, held office from 2003 to 2011.
After stepping down as mayor due to term limits, Iorio has focused her time on becoming a speaker and author.
Shelby Taylor, the digital communications director at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, which is co-sponsoring the event, said the lecture is geared toward anyone who has an interest in public leadership. Iorio will detail lessons she learned while holding office.
Taylor said the lecture will draw from Iorio’s book, “StraightForward: Ways to Live and Lead.”
David Colburn, the executive director of the Reubin O’D Askew Institute on Politics and Society, which is organizing and co-sponsoring the event, said he believes Iorio is the most progressive and thoughtful mayor Florida has ever seen.
Colburn said Iorio will speak of successes and failures. While mayor, Iorio failed to get a plan approved to persuade commuters to stop using vehicles and start using public transportation.
