Warren’s Elizabeth Penkala has been inducted into the RI Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association (RIIAAA) Hall of Fame for 2022.

The 50th Anniversary of Title IX is a good year to be recognized for induction to the RI Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association Hall of Fame. In these 50 years, Elizabeth has been accoladed within the RI Interscholastic League as an All-State Student-Athlete, a Coaches’ Association Hall of Famer, a Sub-Committee on Women’s Sports’ Director, Athletic Director of the Year, and a National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association State Award of Merit Recipient. Although these awards garner her walls at home, they were never expected although she was humbled to be recognized throughout.

Those that know Elizabeth would call her a workaholic. In the early years of Title IX, as a coach of tennis, basketball, track & field, and softball and as a high school and collegiate softball official. Besides sports, as a Student Council Advisor, Math Team Coach and even as a Special Olympics’ Partner.

Spending time before or after school assisting students was a passion throughout her teaching career. Later came working as an Athletic Administrator, first as an Assistant at Warren High School and then as the Athletic Administrator for the Bristol/Warren Regional Schools at Mt. Hope High School. Today, Elizabeth is an active member of the RI Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association.

In 2008, she was selected to serve on the RIIAAA Executive Board, serving as Recording & Corresponding Secretary responsible for meeting minutes, sunshine notecards, and the RIIAAA monthly newsletter. She serves on the Awards’ Committee, the Coaches’ Association Committee, the By-Laws revision Committee, and the Alignment Committee. Today, as the RIIAAA Executive Director responsible for the monthly meetings’ agendas, communications, treasurer’s reports, and membership updates. Correspondence with the membership of the RIIAAA is almost daily, troubleshooting many of the Athletic Administrators’ needs and concerns.

The position of RIIAAA Executive Director has opened a whole other window for Elizabeth. The pleasure of travel to the National Athletic Directors’ Conference. Since 2008, she has attended 13 NADC’s and has served as a workshop moderator in Indianapolis, San Antonio, National Harbor, Nashville, and Denver; as a Leadership Training Course Facilitator in Orlando and Phoenix; and a five-year term on the NIAAA Hall of Fame Committee. As a retired Athletic Administrator, she is now on the National Executive Directors’ Council of which she serves on that Executive Board as one of three Region Representatives nationally.

Elizabeth is a caring, dedicated, and dependable member of the RIIAAA. In the 15 years as an Athletic Administrator, she has been an integral member of the Executive Board and the RIIL Tennis, Gymnastics, Cheerleading and Softball Sports’ Committees either as Director or Co-Director. Currently she sits on the RIIL Hall of Fame Committee and the RI Interscholastic Injury Fund Committee. To say workaholic is an understatement, in her spare time she is a lector, usher, and sits on her Parish’s Finance Council and she is also Recording Secretary for the Ocean State Women’s Golf Association. An avid golfer, Elizabeth cherishes the time with her golf pals as a member at Montaup Country Club in Portsmouth, RI and follows her many nieces, nephews, and cousins’ activities.

Penkala will be recognized at an awards banquet, Monday, April 4, 2022 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick.