Fast Facts
- Name: Roseanna Smith
- Hometown: Jefferson, Georgia
- Internship Year: 2006
- Began Full-Time: 2006
- Role(s) during time w/ AJGA: Now the Vice President of Communications
- College: University of Iowa (Go Hawks!) – B.A. Journalism & Sports Studies, Spanish minor / M.A. Athletic Administration
- Number of states visited: 47 – missing Vermont, Hawaii and Alaska
- Number of countries: 10
- Number of National Parks: 21 – and a few epic road trips including lifetime favorites Arches (below) and Zion
Get to know Roseanna
How were you introduced to golf and the AJGA?
I covered an AJGA tournament for the Columbus Dispatch on a post-grad internship when I was 22.
I never dreamed two years later I’d be invited to the AJGA's intern recruitment weekend ... or working for the next 15 seasons in golf. I’m now proud of making sure we hire a mix of candidates – those with and without golf experience – to grow as much love for our sport through an incredible internship as possible. People from diverse backgrounds give us strength to do more in - and out - of the industry.
The photo below is from my second ever tournament in 2007 - the PING Heather Farr Classic!
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the AJGA and golf?
I spend most of my free time serving my community through coaching a local high school football team.
I’ve spent nine seasons fundraising, breaking down video, teaching skills in the weight room and on the field, and rolling up my sleeves to do whatever else our programs needed. I've spent the last four years as a part of the staff at West Hall in Oakwood.
Football shaped me as a person and I’m passionate about helping others through the game. I was the first girl to letter in football at my high school, played six seasons on women’s teams (five in Atlanta with two national championship years), and won a gold medal on the first women’s tackle football team in the United States.
Sports are a true life passion and I'm lucky to know, and work with, great people because of golf and football today.
Who’s been your biggest influence in golf? The people I know because of the AJGA are most special and always will be.
Our staff is made up of amazing humans: people I now consider some of my closest friends ... and for the past nine years, the team of skilled, brilliant pros I have the privilege to lead. I've always enjoyed working with our supporters - whether community organizers, Tour hosts, sponsors, parents or alumni - who regard their connection with reverence. I do too.
The AJGA is an organization that makes dreams come true … and the people I know because of it have forever changed me.
What else is cool about you?
Besides golf and football, I love lifting heavy weights, cooking, travel, being outside, and dogs (meet Border Collie Wheldon and Rottweiler Crash above). Prior to the AJGA, I worked for six different media companies as a journalist and still love telling stories.
If you like golf and dogs ... stay in touch on Twitter: @AJGASmith