2026 Annual Meeting of Members

Pam Watts is currently the Executive Director at NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, a position she has held since 2012. She holds roles on the NIRSA Board of Directors, the NIRSA Services Corporation Board of Directors, and the NIRSA Foundation Board of Directors. 

Pam is a Certified Association Executive and in her role as NIRSA’s Executive Director she served as the Chair of the Council for Higher Education Management Association’s Steering Committee; as a member of the American Council on Exercise’s Industry Advisory Panel; and on the Advisory Council for the Healthy Campus Initiative in the University of California System. She recently served as President of the Physical Activity Alliance after many years of serving as their Treasurer. Pam is on the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Board of Directors and the Advisory Board for the Institute for Wellbeing at Butler University; she recently concluded a term as Vice-President of the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification Board of Directors.

Lashica Thomas is serving as the NIRSA Board President for the 2025-2026 NIRSA leadership year and is currently the Director of Campus Recreation at Columbus State University in Georgia, part of NIRSA Region II. She first joined NIRSA in 2003 and throughout her career she's been involved with the Association through many different volunteer roles during her two decades of membership with this historic association!

Lashica's tenure on the NIRSA Board began in 2023, shortly after members elected her to serve on the Presidential Track—a three-year commitment—and will culminate in this capstone year of service. As your NIRSA President, Lashica will be sharing periodic insights about the direction and impact of our profession. She was recognized in 2019 for her role in building a diverse and inclusive culture in our Association by fostering equality of opportunity, encouraging diverse perspectives, and creating a welcoming and supportive climate when she received the Juliette Moore People of Color Distinguished Leadership Award.

Erik Jaeke currently serves as a Director with Recreation & Wellbeing at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Originally hailing from Colorado, and working professionally in Iowa, Virginia, and Arizona, Erik brings a diverse skillset across all facets of campus recreation to his current role. Erik sits on the NIRSA Services Corporation Board of Directors, the NIRSA Sports Network Board of Directors, and NASO’s Officials’ Development Alliance Board of Directors. Prior to retiring from refereeing in 2023, Erik worked as a collegiate soccer referee in the Big Ten, Big East, Atlantic 10 conferences, and served as NIRSA’s Director of Officials and Director of Competition at their National Collegiate Club Soccer Championships. Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Administration from Fort Lewis College (2006) and a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership from Drake University (2008).