Dr. Lauren Duffy is an Associate Professor and the Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at Clemson University. Her research program is grounded within critical leisure and tourism studies.

Dr. Ed Gómez is a Professor in the Department of Recreation Sciences at East Carolina University. His research interests include: racial/ethnic perspectives in public recreation settings, psychometrics and scale development, urban/municipal parks and sense of community in neighborhoods, and dog parks.

Dr. Rasul Mowatt is Professor and Chair in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University.

Dr. Toni Liechty is an Associate Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her research explores connections between leisure and body image, embodiment, and health/well-being.

Dr. Dan Theriault is an Assistant Professor and Program Director in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education. His research explores leisure as a context for disruption and liberation, specifically using history as a tool for present-day social justice.

Dr. Mary Parr is a Professor at Kent State University. She received her Ph.D. in Leisure Studies from the University of Illinois. She teaches courses in the areas of social psychological dimensions of leisure, cultural dimensions of contemporary leisure practices, and Foundations of Recreation and Leisure. Her research interests include understanding the meaning of leisure and it's relation to professional practice and professional preparation of students, and leisure's role in the development of community.

Dr. Deb Kerstetter is Professor Emerita of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Penn State, USA. In her retirement she serves as one of three Graduate Student Ombudspersons for Penn State; serves on boards of local non-profits; supports efforts of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and professional associations; and maintains limited involvement in her two primary lines of research—tourist decision-making behavior and tourism impact, primarily from a sustainability perspective.

Dr. Brooke Burk is a Professor in the Department of Recreation and Parks Leadership Studies and Director for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is also a Co-Editor for Schole: A Journal for Recreation & Leisure Studies Education.

Dr. Dong is a Clinical Professor and Associate Director at Hainan University - Arizona State University International Tourism College (HAITC) in the ASU School of Community Resources and Development. He is a co-founder of the China-International Leisure Research Association (CILRA).

Dr. Tommy Means is an Assistant Professor in the Recreation Management and Recreational Therapy Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. His current research examines the epistemological and ontological implications of dominate research paradigms within leisure research. Tommy is a past TALS Future Scholar recipient, Co-Chair of the ATRA Research Institute, and currently teaches leisure philosophy, methods, and introduction to mindfulness.

Dr. Iyrna Sharaievska is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University. Iryna’s research interests include technology-based leisure in contemporary families, leisure behavior among individuals and families of diverse backgrounds (non-resident parent, veteran families, low-income and rural families, family members with disabilities) and use of new technologies in recreation management.

Dr. Julie Son works in the Department of Movement Sciences at University of Idaho. Her research Interests include leisure, sport, and health across the lifespan, with special attention to DEISJ including age, gender, and culture. She has expertise in gerontology and youth development, as well as survey research, program design and evaluation, community-based research, interdisciplinary research, SEM, and personal and focus group interview techniques.

Dr. Chris Wynveen is a Professor in Baylor University’s Health, Human Performance, & Recreation Department. Chris is also the current editor-in-chief for the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. His research interests include the intersection of sense of place and stakeholder engagement in protecting natural resource recreation areas.

Membership Committee

Dr. Augustus Hallmon is an Assistant Professor in the Hart School of Hospitality, Sports and Recreation Management at James Madison University. Prior to coming to James Madison University, he was a faculty member at Northwest Missouri State University and worked at the Urbana Park District, Champaign County and Mattoon Area Family YMCA, and the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club.

Future Scholars Committee

Dr. Sammie Powers is an Assistant Professor of Recreation Management in the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management at George Mason University. Sammie’s work focuses on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the content of parks and recreation, with a focus on nature-based recreation resources.

Communications Committee

Dr. Hung-Ling (Stella) Liu is an Associate Professor in the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism at George Mason University. She has been involved in TALS Communication Committee since 2016 and enjoys the collaborative effort to serve faculty, students, and partners by providing a welcoming and supportive environment for professional and personal growth.

Newsletter Committee

Dr. Nick Pitas has served as the co-editor of the Torch since 2018, and has been a member of TALS since its formation. He currently teaches at the University of Illinois, and previously spent four years as a faculty member at SUNY Brockport. Nick holds degrees from American University, the University of New Hampshire, and Penn State. He was born in Washington D.C., and grew up across the river in Virginia.

Newsletter Committee, Co-Chair

Dr. Andrew Kerins is an Assistant Professor of Sport and Recreation at Eastern Illinois University.

Awards Committee

Global Relevance Committee

Dr. Andy Mowen is a Professor and Professor-in-Charge of Honors Programs in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. His research interests focus on state and community park and recreation services in terms of their funding and their health outcomes.

Janelle Joseph is an Assistant Professor and Founder/Director of the Indigeneity, Diaspora, Equity, and Anti-racism in Sport (IDEAS) Research Lab at the University of Toronto. Dr. Joseph is the 2023 Canadian Association of Leisure Studies Emerging Scholar Award winner whose research includes three books related to race, leisure, and sport.

Dr. Lauren Stephens is a Lecturer and the EDGE Coordinator in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University. Her research explores the ways contextual factors, such as relationships, word choice, and social media, influence college students’ and student-athletes’ perceptions of body image, eating behaviors, and related symptoms.