Indian American reappointed to Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough

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An Indian American entrepreneur, Aakash Patel, 34, of Tampa, Florida, was reappointed to the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Patel was among 12 people to be appointed to and re-appointed to many Early Learning Coalitions throughout Florida by Gov. Rick Scott.

Patel is the founder and president of Elevate, Inc., a Florida-based strategic business consulting firm providing public relations, community relations, targeted networking and social media.

Prior to his company’s launch, Patel was an editorial assistant at the Tampa Bay Times in Tallahassee as well as a public relations coordinator for the Westin Tampa Bay hotel and Aqua restaurant and was the founding business development director for chamber.com, according to his bio on Elevate Inc.’s website.

According to his bio, Patel is a graduate of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Tampa, FBI Citizen’s Academy, Tampa Police Citizen’s Academy, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s Mayor’s Neighborhood University, Tampa Bay Public Leadership Institute, Society of International Business Fellows Leadership Academy, Leadership Tampa Bay (Executive Committee since 2014), Tampa Connection, College Leadership Florida and Leadership St. Pete.

He was named a Florida State University Alumni Association “Thirty Under 30” in 2013 and was cited as one of Tampa Bay’s Up & Comers by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in 2008, as well as be featured as a “Rising Star” by the Tampa Bay Times.

He was most recently recognized as a 2018 Top 10 Under 40 in South Tampa Magazine.

Patel has served several roles in the community, including vice president of the Indo-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, advisory board member of the Gasparilla Film Festival, chair-elect of the Centre Club Tampa Board of Governors, and a board of directors member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

Patel earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University. He will serve as the chairman of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County until April 30, 2021.