Senior Leaders and the Talent Shuffle: How the pandemic is challenging the hiring and retention of talent

Victoria Lopez-Herrera is a partner, mother, sorority woman, Xicanista, and lover of coffee. Victoria’s passion for the empowerment of women, social justice issues, and advocacy for underrepresented students has guided her work in Student Affairs for 20 years. 

Victoria currently serves as the Senior Associate Director for Campus Recreation at the University of Texas at San Antonio. In her role, she oversees the development and training for approximately 300 student staff, the management of a 185,00 square foot facility, the Aquatics Center, Members Services, and administrative staff. Victoria is a certified indoor cycling instructor and Strengths Coach. She has served in administrative capacities at Columbia University, The New School, Cornell University, and Texas State University-San Marcos where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.

Victoria currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education and is a volunteer leader for Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. 

Pam Watts is the Executive Director for NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, which comprises over 3,250 members on nearly 900 campuses throughout the United States and Canada. A former CPA, Pam joined NIRSA in 2000 and in her tenure with the Association she served primarily as NIRSA's second-in-command until assuming the Executive Directorship in early 2012. She works closely with the NIRSA, NIRSA Foundation, and NIRSA Services Corporation Boards of Directors to actuate the aligned strategic plan of all three entities in service to members. 

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 currently serves as President of the Physical Activity Alliance, on the Advisory Board for the Institute for Wellbeing at Butler University and is Vice-President of the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification Board of Directors.