Alison Cross—known as Ali—is the Interim Director at the Virginia Tech Department of Recreational Sports, a department that provides extensive exercise options for the “2015 Fittest College in America” as named by Active Times. After growing up in Alabama, Ali began her career in fitness and recreation at the University of Southern Mississippi while earning a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. She has since spent the latter half of her life in Blacksburg, Virginia as a Hokie; she earned her master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology with the Human Nutrition Foods and Exercise Department at Virginia Tech. Her latest achievement is being selected as a faculty member for NIRSA’s School of Collegiate Recreation. She is committed to building positive relationships and teams, and strongly believes in the power of exercise for health, happiness, and cognitive function.

Chris Morris is currently in his third year at Florida State University where he serves as the Director of Campus Recreation. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama—where he double-majored in history and political science—and he attended graduate school at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas where he received a master’s degree in sports management and served as a graduate assistant in intramural sports.

After graduate school, Chris was able to match his energy and excitement for student development with his first professional position; he served as the Assistant Director for Intramural & Club Sports at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio at a time when the entire department was in the midst of a shift to a more student-centered leadership model. Chris spent almost a decade at Ohio University, progressing to become the Director of Intramural & Club Sports and an associate director. His next professional chapter was a unique one since he was able to transition into the world of finance—but with a decidedly collegiate twist.

Chris was hired by American Home Bank—now Bank of America—as a vice president in the Business Innovation Group to lead a partnership between Collegiate Financial Services and NACDA—the NIRSA of collegiate athletics. This joint venture was designed to be an all-inclusive relocation program for coaches and administrators transitioning from one institution to another and included financial planning, retirement services, housing services, etc. Tired of the bottom-line driven approach of the finance world, it was during the Austin, Texas NIRSA Annual Conference that Chris decided to make the jump back to collegiate recreation. He was hired by North Carolina State University in 2008, where he served as the Director of Campus Recreation for three years prior to moving to the Sunshine State.

Throughout his career, Chris has been an active and engaged NIRSA member who has been honored with multiple Horace Moody and National Service Awards. He has served on numerous committees—including many NIRSA Conference Program and Pre-Conference Development committees—and chaired the Flag & Touch Football Rules Committee. His involvement with the Association began as an undergraduate student official and as an evaluator for officials at NIRSA regional and national events. This eventually led to his serving on the tournament administrative staff at dozens of extramural tournaments and events as well as to his hosting four state or regional conferences, four regional tournaments, and five national tournaments.

Chris is very passionate about student development and about intentionally-designing opportunities for all members of a university community to “find what moves them” in the wide variety of opportunities that we facilitate as collegiate recreation professionals.

Jill Sturts received her undergraduate degree in physical education and sports management from Baldwin-Wallace College—now known as Baldwin-Wallace University—and her master’s degree in sport administration from Bowling Green State University. Her first position following graduate school was at Ashland University in Ohio where she served as the Assistant Director of Programs. Jill then decided to go back to school to pursue a PhD with a concentration in recreational sports at Indiana University. In addition to her course load, she taught and conducted research as she worked towards her doctorate. She is currently a visiting lecturer in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. In addition to her course load, she taught and conducted research as she earned her doctorate. She served as visiting lecturer in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. Jill is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Virginia Wesleyan College.

Jill has made multiple presentations at the state, regional, and national levels. She publishes regularly in areas of pedagogy, physical activity, and recreational sport, and is a member of the editorial board for the Recreational Sports Journal. She has been a recipient of NIRSA’s William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award, an Indiana Recreational Sports Association scholarship, and an Ohio Recreational Sports Association scholarship. Jill is committed to student development, designing intentional learning environments, and connecting research to practice.