Leaders of Impact 2025: PGA TOUR Commissioner Recognized for Leadership, Community Impact

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan ’96 MS was the featured speaker Oct. 9, 2025, at the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management’s annual Leaders of Impact ceremony, held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

The event celebrates leaders who make a difference and influence their organizations, industries, and communities in innovative and tangible ways. Approximately 180 alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of Isenberg attended this year to celebrate impactful leadership, mingle with other members of the school community, and hear words of wisdom from Monahan, a nationally recognized leader.

“Events like Leaders of Impact allow us to celebrate and honor impactful leaders—within our Isenberg community and beyond,” said Isenberg Dean Anne Massey, PhD, in her introductory remarks. “We seek to inspire impact in and outside our walls. We seek to do special things and demonstrate leadership via our innovations in teaching and learning, our research, and our service engagement with varied communities. We strive for excellence in all we do, recognizing that effective leadership is at the heart of business education.”

Monahan has served as head of the PGA TOUR since 2017. Under his leadership, the organization has experienced a transformative era, achieving record player compensation, expanding its fan base, and raising more than $200 million annually for thousands of charities. He navigated the PGA TOUR through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he secured landmark media agreements and forged strategic alliances. Monahan also launched projects like Fan Forward, a research and strategy initiative that is accelerating innovation for people who love watching and cheering for golf.

“Thank you for giving me a trophy—I’m used to being the one giving out the trophies,” Monahan quipped upon receiving a Leader of Impact award from Dean Massey. “I’m grateful to the Isenberg community and to UMass Amherst. UMass educated me and gave me the confidence to pursue a career that I’ve been proud to be part of.”

Teamwork is one of the most important aspects of leadership, according to Monahan, whose Isenberg graduate degree is in sport management.

“I haven’t done anything—everything that’s been accomplished has been a we exercise, done as a team,” he emphasized. “When you’re a leader, you rely heavily on your team and your players. You listen to them.”

Referring to his and his team’s work during the pandemic, Monahan pointed out: “When you have a crisis, you can’t let it go to waste; you take it as a learning opportunity, and you learn from the mistakes made and adapt.”

Supporting Isenberg Students

Prior to the event, Monahan spoke with members of the Isenberg Dean’s Academy, the fourth cohort of first-year students chosen based on outstanding academic achievement in high school as well as potential for success at Isenberg. The Dean’s Academy students have spent their first two months at UMass Amherst participating in weekly seminars with Isenberg faculty and meeting with prominent alumni, corporate executives, and industry leaders. They had received coaching to prepare them to network with alumni and members of the Boston business community and came ready with questions for Monahan about his leadership secrets and golf experience.

Massey told Monahan: “You truly exemplify everything Isenberg stands for when we talk about ‘Inspiring Impact’ in our careers and communities.”

Karen Odendaal Named a Leader of Impact

Massey also presented a 2025 Leader of Impact Award to Karen Odendaal, managing director of Manyoni Private Game Reserve and chief operating officer of the Zululand Conservation Trust in South Africa.

Isenberg students have had enriching experiences working with Zululand Trust during the “Service Learning in South Africa” study abroad trip in the late spring, and Isenberg has supported the organization through equipment donations.

“Karen Odendaal’s Zululand Conversation Trust in South Africa has hosted our Isenberg students and allowed them to participate in an incredible initiative—they dehorn rhinos, which makes the animals much less valuable to poachers,” Massey said. “Our students have been enthralled with this meaningful opportunity and have learned so much about finding creative solutions to very difficult problems.

“Thank you, Karen, for all you do not only to protect and honor these animals, but also to educate and empower Isenberg students who are lucky enough to join you for these service-learning trips,” added Massey.

Odendaal expressed her gratitude for the award and thanked Isenberg and UMass Amherst students, faculty, and staff for their support.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition; this moment is a world away from the hot environment in South Africa,” she said. “I dedicate it to my team of about 100 people—rangers, teachers, gardeners, cooks, rhino monitors, donors, partners, firefighters—who work all hours of the night and day and walk a fine line between life and death. They risk their lives every day.”

She also shared words of wisdom with the students in the audience.

“Care more for tigers than TikTok. Trade Facebook for walks in the forest and fresh air,” she said.

During the reception, attendees generously contributed to support Zululand Trust’s conservation programs.

• Support conservation practices at Zululand Trust.
• View photos from the 2025 Leaders of Impact event.
• Watch video about Karen Odendaal’s work.
• Learn more about Karen and Zululand Trust.

Isenberg Alumni Come ‘Home’

Many alumni attended the Leaders of Impact event and shared how enthusiastic they were to be on hand to support Isenberg.

Ellie Zieper ’25 majored in operations and information management. She now works as an analyst for Fidelity Investments in Boston and said she was eager to attend Leaders of Impact to support her alma mater.

“Isenberg prepared me so well,” she said. “I love Isenberg; I have such pride for it.”

Duke Lenaghan ’22 majored in sport management and now works for Merrill Lynch. He said he learned a lot from Monahan’s talk about how he led through difficult periods such as the pandemic. Lenaghan was also happy to reconnect with fellow alumni, faculty, and staff.

“Isenberg means a lot to me, because it helped me get my first job,” he said. “Its network stands out because alumni are willing to help students, and faculty and staff put in the extra hours to make sure you’re prepared. I think that makes Isenberg stand out from most schools.”