(she/her)

Executive Director and Founder (President, non-voting)

Susan Purrington, PhD, CTRS has been working with people from all backgrounds and abilities for over 20 years in a variety of settings, including rehabilitation hospitals, community recreation, and higher education. While practicing as a Recreational Therapist, clients often complained about negative experiences in public places, oftentimes resulting in not wanting to go there again. Thus, the idea of welcomed here was born! Susan's personal mission in life is to make everyone feel safe and welcomed in all spaces and places. 

(she/her)

Chair/Secretary

Laura McLachlin, PhD, CTRS is a professor emeritus at California State University, Chico and has a passion for improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. She is the co-director of Ability First Sports Program, is acting chair of the Task Force on Licensure for Recreation Therapy in California, and a board member for the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification. When not advocating for the field of therapeutic recreation, Laura can be found spending time with her family, friends and her dogs, hiking, swimming, dancing, cycling, and cooking healthy meals. 

(he/him)

Treasurer

Erik Luvaas, PhD, CTRS is an Assistant Professor in Recreation Therapy in the Department of Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration. Prior to entering academia, he was the Recreational Therapist at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Portland, Oregon, and the Youth Sports Program Manager for the nonprofit Paralympic Sports Club, Adaptive Sports Northwest. He has also worked as a psychiatric recreational therapist at Oregon State Hospital and Telecare Crisis and Treatment Center in Portland. His research examines psychophysiological benefits of nature engagement, recreation therapy interventions, and how dimensions of diversity impact equitable access and participation in nature-based recreation.

(she/her)

Member-at-Large/Research Advisor

Tiffany Monique Quash, Ph.D. describes her mission in life as: “Learning to Swim is a Human Right.” Her research focuses on the intersectionality of race, gender, class, and one’s historical relationships with swimming and higher education. In 2020, Dr. Quash delivered a TEDx talk that examined the roots of our swimming history. By addressing the public health preventable pandemic of drowning, she addressed water safety education, collaborating with the International Water Safety Foundation, and encouraging participation on International Water Safety Day on May 15th. Dr. Quash serves as the Qualitative/Survey Research Methodologist for American University in Washington, D.C. in the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning and the Research Advisor for welcomed here.

Member-at-large

Dr. Samantha Clifford has been an educator for over a decade and has taught in all educational modalities including large enrollment 1st year courses, online, hybrid and fully remote. She leverages her experiences in professional development, as an instructional designer, academic administrator and educator to foster transformative educational experiences. Recent efforts have focused on cultivating supportive connections and exchanging insights across institutions to bolster DEI initiatives and intersectionality. This work highlights strategies for creating a sense of community within learning environments, with the goal of facilitating transformative change in educational practices. Most recently, she has delivered presentations on promoting empowered learning among university students, fostering critical reflexivity as a tool to reduce prejudice, and exploring how knowledge production in classrooms is influenced by culturally based participation patterns.

Member-at-large