University Area CDC senior staffer is new CEO

When Erica Moody stepped into the executive director and CEO role at the University Area Community Development Corporation recently, it was not a new beginning. It was the continuation of a journey that started nearly a decade ago.

Moody first got involved with the community nonprofit in North Tampa’s University Area neighborhood as a volunteer and University of South Florida graduate assistant in 2016. A year later, she joined the staff as a contract and grant coordinator, steadily rising through the ranks to director of operations, chief of community development, and now CEO.

“My history with this organization is a full-circle story of growth and commitment,” Moody says. “What inspires me most today is the same thing that inspired me as a volunteer: the massive, untapped potential of this area and its people.”

Over the years, she has helped shape some of the community’s most visible transformation efforts, including establishing the organization’s real estate arm and advancing its neighborhood transformation strategy. That work helped produce projects like Harvest Hope Park, multiple models of affordable housing,  and long-awaited infrastructure improvements.

Moody’s path also included a stint with the City of Tampa as community redevelopment agency director overseeing the city’s eight CRA districts. But the pull of the University Area remained strong.

“I came home to UACDC to drive our redevelopment efforts forward and ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization,” she says.

A Tampa native, she attended USF for her undergraduate and graduate studies and has a master’s degree in public administration with a certification in nonprofit management.

The people behind the progress

Moody says when she’s facing the challenges and complexity of nonprofit development work, it’s the residents that keep her going.

“Construction is difficult,” she says. “ Executing projects in the nonprofit realm requires a specific blend of persistence, partnership, and passion. But the residents make every hurdle worth it.”

She shares the story of Dwight, a University Area resident who took part in a creative placemaking effort that predated Harvest Hope Park. He began watching from the sidelines and became a daily participant, complete with a hard hat he proudly took home each night.

“When we finished, we placed a plaque with the names of everyone who helped, including Dwight’s,” Moody recalls. “He told me that his name had usually been associated with something bad, but for the first time, his name stood for something good.”

Dwight passed away a few months later. Today, Moody still visits the site of the placemaking project with his son.

“That is why I do this work,” she says

Looking to the future

As CEO, Moody is focused on three priorities that she believes will define the organization’s future.

“Sustainability: strengthening our foundations so we can serve this community for decades to come,” she says. “Housing expansion: scaling our models to ensure residents have access to opportunity as the area grows. And economic vitality: bridging the workforce gap through development and programming.”

Those priorities are grounded in what she sees every day across the University Area.

“Community is our greatest asset. We saw this during Hurricane Milton. When the world feels unstable, neighbors turn to each other,” she says. “Culture is another strength. The diversity of cuisines, languages, and small businesses here is an economic engine waiting to be fueled.”

And then there is grit.

“I see mothers with five children taking the bus to drop their kids at Prodigy before heading to our workforce lab for training,” Moody says. “That level of resilience gives me energy when I’m tired. As we say, ‘Grit don’t quit.’”

People-centered leadership

Moody says her leadership style is focused on what she calls the three C’s: community, collaboration, and commitment.

“Leadership starts with people,” she says. “Internally, that means creating an environment where staff feel supported and connected to the mission. Externally, it means staying grounded in the community and making sure our work reflects real needs.”

Collaboration, she adds, is essential to progress.

“The best ideas come from working across teams, sectors, and perspectives. We do our best work when we are aligned and moving together.”

Commitment ties it all together.

“I lead with accountability to our mission, our team, and the community,” Moody says. “I set clear expectations, follow through, and expect the same in return.”

At her core, Moody says, she is “people-centered, solutions-oriented, and deeply committed to the work.”

Despite the demands of leading a growing organization, Moody makes time to recharge. She describes herself as an “introverted extrovert” who thrives in the community but finds balance in quieter moments.

“I refill my cup through hiking, reading, and time in nature with my family,” she says, noting visits to national parks including Zion, Yellowstone, and Joshua Tree with her husband and their son.

That sense of balance fuels her optimism for the future.

“I’m excited and honored to step into this role and look forward to building on the strong foundation that’s been created while working with our partners, staff, and community to take University Area CDC to the next level,” she says.

For Moody, the path forward is clear and collective. She invites community members to consider joining the University Area CDC’s quarterly Partners Coalition, booking a community tour, or volunteering with the nonprofit.

For more information, go to University Area CDC