These amazing women work to help greenkeepers every day
This International Women’s Day we’re recognising all the fantastic women who play such important roles in the BIGGA team.
Tuesday 8 March is International Women's Day - but did you know that women play a pivotal role at BIGGA, providing learning and development opportunities and supporting our members every day?
Helping to shape the strategy of BIGGA is Sami Strutt, who was appointed Chief Operating Officer of BIGGA in February and also happens to be BIGGA’s longest-serving employee.
Celebrating her 29th anniversary later this month, Sami oversees the activities of BIGGA’s membership services team, administration and learning & development departments.
In April 2018 Sami celebrated a quarter of a century with BIGGA. Speaking at the time, she said: “I can still remember my first day at BIGGA. I was christened ‘Sami’ to avoid confusion with another girl called Sam. Never did I imagine that 25 years later, I would be known as ‘Sami’ worldwide!”
Sami credits the development of Continue to Learn at BTME as her proudest achievement at BIGGA. Continue to Learn returns later this month as an in-person education programme for the first time since January 2020 and you can find more information on the BTME website.
Since January 2020, Sami has played a key role in providing digital learning development opportunities for BIGGA members to overcome the social distancing challenges faced by the coronavirus pandemic. She’s hosted an online version of Continue to Learn, regular Continue to Learn Extra webinars and the National Regional Conference – all while working remotely from France where her greenkeeping husband, Lee, was overseeing the grow-in of the golf course on the Les Bordes Estate.
Alongside Lauren Frazer, BIGGA’s head of business development, Sami has graduated from The R&A’s Women and Golf Leadership Development Programme and she is now a coach for the Leadership Foundation Programme.
Known worldwide for organising Continue to Learn each year, Sami has increasingly become a figurehead for the association and officially opened the Bernhard Training Academy in June 2019.
“I’ve made some incredible friends from all over the world, including BIGGA staff and members,” said Sami. “It’s the people that make this such an amazing industry to work in.”
You can join Sami and the rest of the BIGGA team at BTME 2022, taking place from 22 to 24 March at the Harrogate Convention Centre in North Yorkshire.
Also playing a key role in the BIGGA team are:
You can join Sami and the rest of the BIGGA team at BTME 2022, taking place from 22 to 24 March at the Harrogate Convention Centre in North Yorkshire. Register today and get involved.
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