The USTA announced that Laura Canfield was honored with the prestigious Barbara Williams Service Award at the USTA Annual Meeting & Conference held in Orlando, Fla. Established in 2003, the award honors the late Barbara Williams, a long-time USTA volunteer who unselfishly gave her time and energy to promote the sport of tennis and break down gender leadership barriers. It recognizes a female volunteer who, through her leadership and by her example, has encouraged and inspired others to become volunteers and assume leadership roles at the community, section, and/or national levels of the USTA.
Canfield has been active in the tennis industry for more than 40 years in a wide range of areas. She is the co-founder and current program director of the Bucks County Tennis Association, which she cofounded in 2001, and provides affordable, high-quality tennis programs to over two dozen parks and recreation agencies and schools throughout Bucks County, Pa., serving more than 2,200 participants annually.
Canfield is a long-standing leader in the USTA, currently serving her fifth consecutive term on the USTA Board of Directors. Canfield has led and served on numerous committees, boards, and task forces at the national, regional and local level including chairing the USTA Nominating Committee and serving on the
USTA Middle States Board of Directors. Her extensive experience includes 12 years as executive director of the USTA Middle States sectional association, interim executive director roles with three other USTA sectional associations and eight years at the USTA National executive office. Canfield has received numerous honors for her accomplishments and contributions and was inducted into the Middle
States Hall of Fame in 2012.
Canfield was a two-time collegiate tennis team MVP and a silver medalist on the East Stroudsburg University women’s team that captured the Pennsylvania State Collegiate Championship. She holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Services Management from East Stroudsburg University, a Masters in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a certificate in non-profit management from Bucks County Community College,
“Laura leads with a genuine commitment to service and to growing the game in a meaningful way,” said Brian Vahaly, USTA President and interim co-CEO. “She has made an impact at every level of our sport, from the board to staff to local volunteers, and her passion for tennis and for people always shines through. She has a unique ability to inspire and empower others, giving them the confidence and tools to make a real difference in their communities.”
