CONTACTING THE REC CENTER

Assistant Dean/Director

(713) 348-3718

Boyd R. Beckwith
beckwith [at] rice.edu

Boyd had served as the Director of the Rice Student Center since 1998, when in December of 2000 he was asked to also supervise Rice's recreational facilities and programs.

He received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Business Administration and Music at Bowling Green State University and a Master of Arts Degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is an Associate of Hanszen College.

Associate 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.

Graphic and Web Designer

(713) 348-5763

David Stagg
dstagg [at] rice.edu

David has been a part of the Rec Center staff since October 2005. He attended the University of South Carolina, receiving his B.A. in Media Arts, with a minor in Graphic Design.

David splits his time between the Recreation Center and the Student Center, where he works the other half of the time. He is responsible for the Web sites for the Recreation Center, the Student Center, the Rice Coffeehouse, and Willy's Pub, as well as taking care of any design needs either department has.

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.

LPAP Director

(713) 348-4078

Dr. Elizabeth Slator
eslator [at] rice.edu

Elizabeth recently joined the Recreation Center staff in January of 2006 as the new Lifetime Physical Activity Program Director. While earning her Ph.D. in the Socio-Cultural Foundations of Sport at the University of Tennessee, she focused much of her research and teaching on the various sociological components associated with sport and exercise. She earned 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. Elizabeth will be responsible for developing and maintaining the LPAP program, and will teach a wide variety of LPAP classes.

Assistant Director for Operations

(713) 348-4069

Sean Towery
towery [at] rice.edu

Sean joined our staff in Spring 2004. He has a B.S. in Recreational Management and Leisure Studies from Ferris State University (Ferris) and a M.A. in Sports Administration from Central Michigan University (CMU). Sean's professional experiences include several years in Facility Operations and Events Management at both Central Michigan University and the University of Michigan. He works directly with our student Facility Manager Supervisors.

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.

Evening and Weekend Facilities Coordinator

(713) 348-4059

Currently hiring

We are currently in the process of hiring for this position.

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 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 in Custodial Department. He has since moved over to the Rec Center 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 of a great view of the game. In his off-time he coaches a teddy bear soccer team, and has recently picked up squash as a new hobby.

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.

Assistant Director for Dance Programs

(713) 348-5773

Rebecca Valls
rvalls [at] rice.edu

Rebecca directs the Dance Program in the Recreation Center. She is the director and a choreographer for Rice Dance Theatre, and teaches LPAP dance classes. Valls also teaches core dance courses for the UH, School of Theatre, Dance Division.

She holds a Masters' of Fine Arts in Choreography from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, where her choreography was selected by the American College Dance Festival for the national performance at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.

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. King's Social Dance specialties include Swing, Country and Western, Latin, and Freestyle. King has a B.A. in English from The University of Texas at San Antonio. She has a varied professional background that includes social work, accounting, and management. She started graduate work at UH Bauer School of Business in 2002.

Assistant Director for
Fitness Programs

(713) 348-5765

Heather Thompson
heathert [at] rice.edu

Heather oversees the Recreation Center's fitness programs. She obtained a B.S. in Business Management from Park University and a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of North Dakota and an M.S. in Kinesiology from the University of North Dakota. She holds the following certifications: A.C.S.M. Health Fitness Instructor, A.C.E. Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, Turbo Kick Gold Instructor, Stott Pilates, and CPR & First Aid Instructor.

Assistant Director for Intramural and Club Sports

(713) 348-2739

Evan Stein
estein [at] rice.edu

Evan joined the Recreation Center in the Summer of 2003 as the Coordinator of Intramural Sports. He began working in Intramural Sports at the University of Florida where he completed his Bachelors in Telecommunications in 1998, and also received a Master's 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 third year as a Resident Associate at Sid Richardson College.

Intramural Sports Coordinator

(713) 348-8810

Justin Stafford
js3 [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. He received his Masters from Middle Tennessee State where he worked as a Graduate Assistant of Intramural Sports. He currently works as the Intramural Sports Coordinator 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.

Aquatic Center Hours

(713) 348-2742

Club Sports

(713) 348-5398

Court Reservations
(Racquetball, Squash, Tennis)

(713) 348-4059

Dance Programs

(713) 348-5773

Facility Rental (Field, Gym, Room, Pool)

(713) 348-4058

Fitness Programs (Personal and Group)

(713) 348-5765

Intramural Sports

(713) 348-2739

Lifetime Physical Activity Program

(713) 348-4078

Membership Information

(713) 348-4058

Operations Desk

(713) 348-4059

Outdoor Programs (ROPE)

(713) 348-2742

Summer Youth Activity Program

(713) 348-4058

Web site issues

(713) 348-5763