Campus Recreation Essentials: Intramural Sports

Amanda Alpert Jessee serves as the Associate Director of Campus Recreation-Programs at the University of Mississippi and has been an active member of NIRSA since 2012. She received a B.S. in Secondary Education from Central Michigan University and was employed by University Recreation, primarily working within the Intramural Sports program as an official and supervisor. Amanda then spent another 3 years at CMU studying Sport Administration and serving as the Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Physical Education and Sport for a year and the Graduate Assistant for Intramurals & Officials Development for two years. Post-graduate work, Amanda traveled south to join the University of Mississippi Department of Campus Recreation team where she began as the Coordinator of Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs, then became the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports & Sport Clubs, and now, Associate Director.

Jonathan Johnston grew up in Irving, Texas and is a Dallas sports team fan. His journey in Campus Recreation began in 2003, at Texas A&M University, when his chemistry lab partner talked him into becoming a sand volleyball official. Jonathan earned his Master of Science Degree in Leisure Service Management from Oklahoma State University and has worked in Campus Recreation for the last 13 years. He really enjoys working in Higher Education and believes that we are in the business of changing lives. When he is not working, Jonathan enjoys visiting local breweries and food establishments, visiting Walt Disney World, and quoting his favorite Star Wars movies.

Ashley Lax has over 10 years of experience in campus recreation, with almost all of her time working with intramural sports and sport clubs. She began as an intramural basketball referee as an undergraduate at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee and quickly fell in love with all things campus recreation. Upon graduation, she obtained a graduate assistantship with the University of Central Florida, where she went from a campus size of 10,000 to over 50,000. After two years in Orlando, she accepted a position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she spent the majority of her professional career. Besides working with sport programs on campus, Ashley is very involved in the NIRSA Championship Series, where she has served in various roles, including 2015 Club Basketball Work Team chair, 2019 Director of Officials for the National Basketball Championships, and most recently as the chair of the NIRSA Championship Series executive team. Ashley also officiates women’s college basketball and wheelchair basketball in her spare time.

Kevin “K-Mart” Martin serves as the Director of Recreational Sport at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi. An accomplished writer, official, instructor, and teacher of sports officiating and life skills, Kevin enjoys using his experience and talents in campus recreation and student development to give back to younger individuals and officials to foster growth and development. Kevin graduated from Sam Houston State University with a bachelor’s degree in Education and Theater in 2004, and then; earned his master’s in organizational/teacher leadership from Grand Canyon University.