Faculty & Staff Directory

Dr. Leah Fiorentino

 

Dr. Leah Fiorentino is an Expert-in-Residence, Sport Business Professor in the School of Business and Technology at Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business and Technology. She joined the faculty in 2023. She received her doctorate in Movement Science and Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College as well as an M.Ed. She earned an M.A. from Adelphi University in Physical Education/Teacher Education and earned her earned her B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Previously, she was a Professor in the Kinesiology Department at the University of North Carolina Pembroke, an Associate Professor in the College of Education at Armstrong Atlantic State University, a Clinical Professor at Florida Atlantic University, and an Associate Professor at Adelphi University. She has held administrative positions at The University of North Carolina Pembroke (Dean of the School of Education, Graduate Program Director), Armstrong Atlantic State University (Interim Dean, Associate Dean, Department Chair), Florida Atlantic University (NCATE representative for Teacher Education programs), Adelphi University (Assistant Chair). Her research interests include women’s opportunities in higher education and sport settings, and supporting graduate student thesis projects. Dr. Fiorentino is also the Executive Director of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association – this is the organization responsible for oversight of NCAA Equestrian, an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women. She is directly responsible for the oversight of the NCEA National Championship and the ongoing activities of all collegiate equestrian activities. She works directly with the NCAA to elevate Equestrian to championship status. Most recently, she was inducted into the Stony Brook University Athletics Hall of Fame for her contributions as the only female on the Men’s Swim team – and is recognized as the first woman to win a gold medal in NCAA Swim championships. She has published on these topics and others in International Journal for Kinesiology in Higher Education, European Science Journal, Chronicle of Kinesiology in Higher Education, Quest, and Academic Leader.