Spotlight on Leadership: Connie Clark
Desert Foothills Leadership Academy (DFL) is a Signature Program of The Holland Center and a partnership with The Carefree-Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce. With an uptick in civic disengagement, passionate and skilled leaders are needed more than ever to make a difference in big or small ways. Once a month from March through November, DFL participants meet to explore business and civics topics that equip them with the skills, experiences, and networks needed to positively impact organizations in city government, business, nonprofit, and cultural sectors. Learn more at desertfoothillsleadership.org.
Connie Clark: Self-Employed Consultant. Former collegiate softball player and coach, member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. 2025 DFL graduate and “Impact” Spotlight nominee.
After Connie moved to the Cave Creek-Carefree area in March of 2023, she started to look for ways to get immersed in the community. That’s when she discovered DFL.
But being a leader for so long as a coach, she wondered “is this something I teach at or participate in”?
She decided to join with an open mind and forgo her teaching and coaching mode.
“It definitely humbled me a bit,” said Connie.
“It was cool to be the student this time. I enjoyed just being - and being collaborative – and not feeling like I had to teach the class.
“In looking back and reflecting, DFL taught me to just listen better. There are times as a leader – especially a head coach position – where you think you always have to have the answer. But in hindsight, you just need to listen and collaborate more.
“I can trust that other people might have better answers then me. So I want to be open-hearted and be at peace with that... to really live that and know that I’m not going to always have the answers; they can come from others.”
She said DFL lit a fire for what she chooses to embark on next.
“Softball keeps following me around, but I want to try something new I can be a rookie at, something new to fill my cup.
“I’m ready to taper off into something totally different than softball and apply my teamwork and coaching skills in a totally different world. I’m even open to a big learning curve.”
So for now, Connie will be working on mastering a new kind of curve ball: A career one that will have a new spin to it, thanks to DFL.
