A Message to Our Members: Listening, Learning, and Charting a Bold Path Forward

Dear FPA Family,

I am excited to reach out here to share an update and extend an invitation!  

Over the past two months, I conducted a comprehensive listening tour across the NFL community. My goal was straightforward: to hear directly from you, your colleagues, and professionals throughout the league about what matters most, what is working, and where the FPA can make the greatest difference.

The response was extraordinary. I engaged with more than 45 NFL professionals through one-on-one conversations and small group discussions; conducted a confidential needs assessment with you, our FPA members; and visited a few clubs — including the New York Jets, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What I heard was energizing. Our members are talented, committed, and hungry for greater connection, stronger development, and more meaningful support. There is deep pride in what this organization has stood for across more than two decades, and real enthusiasm for what it can become.

What We Heard

Several clear themes emerged from the listening tour:

The appetite for community is strong. Members want to be more connected to one another — across clubs, across roles, and across career stages. The sense of shared identity and mutual support that the FPA can provide is something our members genuinely value and want more of.

Professional development is a priority. Our members are ambitious. They want access to substantive skill-building and executive coaching as they pursue advancement within the league.

Representation still matters. The drive to see more people of color and women in head coaching, general manager, team president, and coordinator roles remains as strong as ever. Our members want to see the FPA actively working towards this goal. 

Connection to the FPA needs to mean something. Members want FPA membership to be consequential — a resource they turn to, a network they rely on, and a community that is present for them year-round.

A Reimagined FPA

Guided by what I heard, we are developing a renewed strategy for the FPA built around four areas of focus: building the pipeline, strengthening our community, developing member capability, and advancing underrepresented professionals into the league’s most consequential leadership roles.

We are working carefully and collaboratively to shape what this looks like in practice, and we want your voice to be part of that process. Nothing is finalized, and that is intentional. The next chapter of the FPA should reflect the people it serves.

Join Us: FPA Member Virtual Town Hall

Please join us for the FPA Member Virtual Town Hall, scheduled for June. This will be an opportunity to hear about the FPA’s direction and next steps, ask questions, and help shape our future. Details on the specific date, time, and registration link will follow shortly.

This is your FPA and I’m excited to connect with you.

With gratitude and determination,

Michele