The Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award was adopted to honor a current or former City of Tampa female employee who demonstrates outstanding commitment to her position and the community. The award is given in memory of Ms. Stafford who devoted 24 years to the City of Tampa as an Assistant City Attorney. She was also the first woman judge in Hillsborough County and was a pioneer for women's issues, both professionally and in the community.
Heather Wolf Erickson
2026 Josephine Howard Stafford Memorial Award Recipient
Heather Wolf Erickson is a community-driven leader with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department for over 39 years, passionate about using parks, sports, and recreation to create opportunity, connection, and belonging. As the first female in this role for Tampa, she oversees citywide youth sports/athletics amenities, public pools and splash pads, youth sports partners, and oversight of Parks and Recreation’s specialty facilities, working to ensure accessible, high-quality recreational opportunities for Tampa’s communities.
With a background as a collegiate athlete and a career rooted in community impact, she’s deeply passionate about equitable access in sports and recreation, including identifying and advancing best practices for the City of Tampa. Her work has focused on scaling affordable programs, modernizing facilities, and creating meaningful pathways for young people—especially girls—to participate, lead, and thrive through athletics.
Most recently, Heather was invited by NRPA to join the Nike Advisory Panel on Gender equity in sport. This work culminated in the development of a gender equity report and roadmap that will help the more than 10,000 park and recreation agencies increase access and build a culture that celebrates girls and women in sports.
Heather brings a people-first approach to public service, partnering closely with city leadership, community organizations, and families to strengthen Tampa’s recreation ecosystem. At the core of her work is a belief that parks and programs are more than amenities—they’re essential infrastructure for building healthy, connected, and resilient communities.
Heather and her husband, Brian, are proud (empty nester) parents to three daughters; Evan, Quinn and Ellis, all of whom grew up in the Tampa Parks and Recreation department programs.