RECREATION DIRECTOR
Summer Youth Activity Program Director

(713) 348-5398

Tina Villard
tvillard [at] rice.edu

Tina graduted from Brock University (Canada) with a BRLS (Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies) in April of 1998 while officiating and supervising several intramural sports. While receiving her Masters of Science degree in HPERS (Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Safety) in December of 1999 from Middle Tennessee State University, she developed, implemented, and monitored an outstanding intramural sports program, along with working in outdoor, aquatic, and fitness programs. She is currently serving as an associate for Martel College.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Marketing, Intramural Sports, Club Sports, Operations and Facilities

(713) 348-2739

Evan Stein
estein [at] rice.edu

Evan joined the Recreation Center in the Summer of 2003 as the Intramural Sports Coordinator. He began working in Intramural Sports at the University of Florida where he completed his Bachelors in Telecommunications in 1998, and also received a Masters in Exercise and Sport Sciences in 2001. Evan is also a CPR and First Aid Instructor, and Certified Pool Operator. He is currently in his fourth year as a Resident Associate at Sid Richardson College.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Dance, Fitness, ROPE, Aquatics, Lifetime Physical Activty Program, Fencing

(713) 348-4078

Elizabeth Slator
eslator [at] rice.edu

Elizabeth joined the Recreation Center staff in May of 2008 as one of the new Associate Directors. She is responsible for overseeing the Fitness, Aquatics, Outdoor, Lifetime Physical Activity, Dance, and Fencing Programs. Elizabeth earned her Ph.D. in the Socio-Cultural Foundations of Sport from the University of Tennessee, her M.Ed. in Exercise Science/Sport Psychology from Auburn University in 2001, and her B.S in Health Promotion from Auburn University in 1999. She is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and is certified in First Aid/CPR from the American Red Cross.

Department Coordinator

(713) 348-4058

Teresa Tucker
ttucker [at] rice.edu

Teresa Tucker served as Reservationist for the Student Center since 1998 and was promoted to Department Coordinator of the Recreation Center in March of 2000.

Teresa is responsible for managing memberships, facility reservation requests, and the business functions of the Recreation Center. She also serves as a Summer Youth Activity Program Administrator. She is an Associate at Jones College.

Office Assistant

(713) 348-4058

Liza Sambrano
als5@rice.edu

Liza (pronounced "Lisa") joined the Rec Center team in October of 2006. An Alvin, TX native, she used to work for the Health and Human Service Commission assisting elderly and disable clients with the Texas Medicaid program, and more recently at Resource Corporation. She has two children and loves to watch her son play football on Saturdays (while her daughter cheers), and pro football on Sundays.

Assistant Director for Operations

(713) 348-4069

Sean Towery
towery [at] rice.edu

Sean has been the Assistant Director for Operations at Rice since May of 2004. As well as serving as the Assistant Director for Operations in the Rec Center, Sean also does Game Management for Athletics. Sean has a B.S. in Recreation Management from Ferris State University and a M.A. in Sports Administration from Central Michigan University. He is also an Associate at Martel College.

Operations Supervisor

(713) 348-4036

Deirdre Joseph
deedeejo [at] rice.edu

Deirdre was hired as an Operations Assistant in 1988. She now oversees the entire Operations Desk. Patrons can count on a smile from "Dee" or "Deedee" every time they use the facility.

Dee enjoys working with our Student Operations Assistant Supervisor to coordinate the large number of student employees that now work at the Desk. She was the recipient of the 2007-2008 Staff Choice Award at the annual Rec Center Awards Picnic.

Evening and Weekend Facilities Coordinator

(713) 348-5046

Frank Smith
fesjr [at] rice.edu

Frank Smith started at Rice in 1994 with Facilities & Engineering as a Custodian II. In 1996 he became the Lead Custodian at the Student Center which led to him becoming the Facilities Coordinator in 1998. He remained in that position until 2007 after accepting another position on campus. This in turn led to him becoming the Facilities Coordinator at the Recreation Center.

Operations Assistant II

(713) 348-4059

Guadalupe Galvan
glup [at] rice.edu

Lupita Galvan has been with Rice for 25 years, and can always be counted on to be there. She navigates patrons through the facility, is responsible for opening the building Monday through Friday, and facilitates the sale of all program passes and pro shop items. She is also responsible for making sure that all the fitness equipment is cleaned on a daily basis.

Lupita was honored at the Recreation Center's 2005-2006 Awards Picnic as Staff Choice.

Operations Assistant I

(713) 348-4059

Rudy Rojas
rosas [at] rice.edu

Rodolfo "Rudy" Rosas has been working at Rice since 2000 in FE&P's Custodial Department. He moved over to the Rec Center in 2006 and is "loving every minute of it. The staff that I work with is the best." He has a wife and two kids, and also works part-time for the Houston Dynamo as the confetti cannon ball operator; a side perk is a great view of the games. In his off-time he has become quite an awesome racquetball player.

Rudy was honored at the Recreation Center's 2006-2007 Awards Picnic as Staff Choice.

Assistant Director for Aquatic & Outdoor Programs

(713) 348-2742

Liz Harwood
harwood [at] rice.edu

Liz oversees the Aquatic Center and all of its programs. She teaches a wide variety of aquatic classes in LPAP.

Liz recieved her M.Ed. in Outdoor Education Administration from Georgia College & State University and a B.S. in Adventure Recreation from Ohio University. She is a Certified Pool Operator, Wilderness First Responder, and American Canoe Association Instructor.

Outdoor Programs Coordinator

(713) 348-8817

Nathan McKinnis
ndm3 [at] rice.edu

Nathan McKinnis was recently hired as the Outdoor Program Coordinator. He graduated from California State University Monterey Bay with a major in Social and Behavioral Sciences and a minor in Recreation and Outdoor Education. He went on to earn his Masters of Science degree in Recreation Administration with an Outdoor Pursuits concentration from Aurora University.

Nathan pursues all things adventurous including rock climbing, paddling, Jimmy Buffet concerts, and Nintendo Wii bowling. He currently oversees outdoor trips, outdoor equipment rentals, and experiential education. Nathan is an incredible athlete and was just shy of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the growing sport of Trampolining.

Assistant Director for Dance Programs

(713) 348-5773

Leslie Scates
lscates [at] rice.edu

Leslie Scates is the newest addition to the Rice Recreation staff. As the Assistant Director for Dance Programs, Leslie will oversee the Rice Dance Theatre, teach dance-related Lifetime Physical Activity Program courses, and implement community dance programs. Leslie comes to Rice from the University of Houston, where she taught (and still teaches) post modern improvisation technique classes. She is also an experienced performer and choreographer who has been commissioned to create many wonderful dance pieces.

Leslie received her B.A. from the University of Houston in 1993. At UH, she majored in Psychology and Anthropology, and uses many of the ideas fundamental to each field to inspire her choreography. Leslie is lifetime learner who continues to stretch her skill set in performance by dancing with new partners and by working, performing, and viewing performances outside of Houston.

Dance Theatre Coordinator

(713) 348-5773

Christine Lidvall
lidvall [at] rice.edu

Christine has been a member of the dance faculty of Rice University since 1988. During this time, Lidvall has also been a teacher/ choreographer for Rice Dance Theatre. From 1997 to 2001, she served as faculty advisor for the Rice Social Dance Club. After receiving her certification as a teacher in the Alexander Technique, Lidvall developed and taught a new LPAP course in the Alexander Technique during 2000-2001. Lidvall received a BS in speech from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, where she majored in theatre, and an MA in dance from the UH, Clear Lake.

Social Dance Coordinator

(713) 348-5773

Tracy King Perry
tracyk [at] rice.edu

Tracy coordinates the Social Dance program and is staff liaison to all student dance organizations at Rice. She studied jazz, ballet and tap with The Rubio Company in San Antonio, Texas for more than ten years, eventually teaching for the organization. After working in other industries for many years, Tracy returned to teaching dance in her spare time in 1997, and made it her fulltime job in 2001 when she started teaching at Rice. Tracy is certified in American Style Rhythm and her Social Dance specialties include American style Ballroom, Swing, and Latin, as well as Country Western. She has a B.A. in English from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and a MBA from the University of Houston Bauer School of Business.

Assistant Director for Fitness Programs

(713) 348-5765

AJ Moore
aj.moore [at] rice.edu

AJ received an Electrical Engineering (Bioengineering focus) and Anthropology Bachelor's degree from Rice University in Houston, TX in 2001. She is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine; she is also certified in First Aid and CPR w/ AED.

Assistant Director for Intramural Sports

(713) 348-8810

Justin Stafford
jstafford [at] rice.edu

Justin graduated with a B.S. in Sports Administration from Fort Lewis College. While there, he participated as a student facilities supervisor and intramural sports official. He received his Masters from Middle Tennessee State where he worked as a Graduate Assistant of Intramural Sports. He currently works as the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports since June 2006.

Fencing Coordinator

(713) 436-1240

Mauro Hamza
mauro [at] rice.edu

Mauro is the Fencing Coordinator at Rice University and has long been hailed as one of America's top fencing instructors. For years he has guided fencers of a variety of ages and levels to excellence. Since arriving in the United States in 1994 and working at Rice since 1995, he has had great success developing students who have reached world level competitive results.

His students have won dozens of Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals nationally and abroad, as well as numerous U.S. National Titles. In 2000-2001, he was coach to the Cadet and Junior National Men's Foil Team. He has also coached the fencing team at Texas A&M University and is the fencing coordinator for the Rice Recreation Center. For Mauro, his professional career reached an all time high when he was asked to be the Coach for the 2004 Olympic Egyptian Foil Fencing Team.