2025 Intramural & Club Sports Institute

Rachael, aka “Coach Roach”, is originally from Detroit, MI. She grew up an active kid while competing as a National Champion Roller Skater and being drug around to play all kinds of various sports by her two older brothers. She found her love for Collegiate Recreation when she attended Central Michigan University and made the Club Volleyball Team. It was then that she discovered the world of programming for students who were NOT NCAA athletes and wanted to contribute to these opportunities with a career in Collegiate Recreation.

During her time as a student, she worked as a group exercise instructor, intramural sport official, fitness center attendant, camp counselor, building supervisor and served on the club sport advisory council. She was a 3-year e-board member, and her senior year served as president of her volleyball club and was also named intramural official of the year.

After her undergraduate experience, she continued her quest in Collegiate Recreation as she went on to become the first NIRSA National Intern and worked every National Sports program the Association offered. After the 10-month internship, she moved to Virginia to attend James Madison University as the Graduate Assistant for Sport Clubs and Youth Programs and served NIRSA as the National Student Representative.

Her professional career includes continuous promotion and expanded impact over 15 years. She most recently served 7 years as the Director of Campus Recreation at York College of Pennsylvania. During her time there she created a culture of humanity and accountability in which student employment applications sky rocketed, participation numbers increased even while enrollment declined, the professional staff multiplied, and York College gained national attention among small programs. She has served NIRSA in multiple leadership roles including the NIRSA Faculty, Program chair, and the Board of Directors.

She is currently the owner and CEO of Rachael Finley Coaching and Consulting in which she strives to bring humanity into the workplace and help connect people to their inner resources and power. She’s an international speaker, an internationally certified coach with clients on multiple continents, and has provided hundreds of presentations to thousands of people.

When she is not working, she still leans into her inner-recreation-enthusiast as an avid cyclist, climber, and hiker, as she loves adventuring with her wife, KB, and rescue mutt, Luna.