Amy R. Hurd, PhD, CPRE, is the associate vice president of undergraduate education at Illinois State University and is a professor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation, specializing in recreation and sport management. At Illinois State, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in management, recreation programming, and recreation leadership. She earned her doctoral degree from Indiana University, where she also served as a visiting lecturer in management.
Dr. Hurd brings extensive practical experience to her teaching and scholarship. She has served as special events coordinator and marketing director for the Champaign Park District in Illinois and has authored six textbooks on various aspects of parks and recreation. It was at the Champaign Park District that Dr. Hurd and Dr. Anderson first collaborated as programmers; they have since coauthored three textbooks together.
An experienced international educator, Dr. Hurd was a visiting scholar at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, Thailand, studying sustainable tourism, and has led student and faculty cultural tourism immersions at Opole University of Technology (Poland) and the Universidad de Cuyo and Universidad de Mendoza (Argentina). She is a regular instructor in Indiana Universitys executive development program and was elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in 2014.
Denise M. Anderson, PhD, serves as the associate dean for undergraduate studies, faculty success, and well-being in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences at Clemson University, where she is also a full professor in the department of parks, recreation, and tourism management. She brings a wealth of practical experience to her academic career, having spent four years as an adult sport coordinator for the Champaign Park District and serving for 14 years as the camp director for Finding Your Voice, a weekend camp for girls. These roles shaped her expertise in program design, implementation, and evaluation, grounding her scholarship in real-world applications that enhance the student learning experience.
Dr. Andersons research examines issues of access and inclusion, particularly related to girls and womens participation in sport and recreation, as well as the impact of recreation in the lives of college students. Her work has been widely disseminated through more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and three textbooks, contributing significantly to the literature in leisure studies and recreation management. Recognized for her scholarly impact and leadership in the field, she is a fellow of both the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.
A dedicated educator and leader, Dr. Anderson is committed to advancing undergraduate education and faculty development while promoting well-being across the academic community. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where her professional and research interests began to converge into a lifelong commitment to fostering equitable opportunities for engagement in leisure and recreation. Through her administrative leadership, teaching, and scholarship, she continues to champion inclusive practices that empower students, faculty, and communities alike.