Love, learn, lead, and lift are hallmarks of Dr. Janelle E. Wells’ life work. Through her love of sport, Dr. Wells earned a collegiate athletic scholarship, progressed into the coaching ranks, and then transcended into the private sector and classroom as a professor of practice after earning her doctorate from the University of Florida.

As a lifelong learner, Dr. Wells’ lived experiences stimulated her research in organizational behavior, specifically leadership, career development, and gender equity, which has been published in outlets such as the Journal of Sport Management, the Leadership & Organizational Development Journal, and Sport Marketing Quarterly. In addition to 30-plus peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, in 2019 she co-edited the book The Business of Esports: The Wild Wild West on Fire.

Putting theory into practice, Wells is the Co-Founder of WellsQuest. Most recently, she partnered with the Vinik Sports Group, the parent company of the Tampa Bay Lighting, to create the Lightning Leadership Line – a personal and professional development initiative.

Lifting with her servant heart, Dr. Wells finds fulfillment developing students as an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, serving her community as an advisory board member of the YMCA, and empowering women as a founding board member of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Tampa Bay and founding research fellow for Wasserman’s The Collective Think Tank. Dr. Wells’ most meaningful purpose is raising three active young boys with her husband.