TAMPA, FL – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis today named Aakash Patel, the founder and president of Elevate, Inc., to the Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees.  Founded in 1968, HCC is one of 28 member institutions in the Florida College System.

“I am honored to receive Governor DeSantis’ nomination,” Patel said. “The future of community colleges is full of potential, but we must think outside the box to prepare students for high-paying careers to help eliminate student debt and fuel Tampa Bay’s growing economy. By serving as chair of the Hillsborough County Early Learning Coalition for the past seven years, I’ve seen firsthand how technology and innovative thinking enhances learning opportunities.”

Under Patel’s leadership, the Hillsborough County Early Learning Coalition has been rebranded, relocated and the organization has expanded its board to include 6 additional private sector representatives – allowing for more diversity and private sector input.

Patel will now be the youngest Trustee in HCC history.  It is also a sort of homecoming for the millennial businessman, as he took two classes at HCC while in high school.

In 2012, Patel founded Elevate, Inc., a strategic business consulting firm that provides public relations, community relations, targeted networking and social media services. Elevate, Inc. has served over 200 companies to date.

In addition to serving as Chairman of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County, Patel serves as Secretary for Leadership Tampa Bay Board of Directors. The 2019 Indo-US Chamber Businessman of the Year, Patel is a graduate of Florida State University and serves on the Tampa Bay Chamber Board of Directors and the Tampa Club Board of Directors. He is also involved with The University of Tampa, Gasparilla Film Festival and the Tampa Economic Development Corporation.

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Read original article here: https://www.flgov.com/2021/06/18/governor-ron-desantis-appoints-aakash-patel-to-the-hillsborough-community-college-district-board-of-trustees/