MIT Recreation Covid Response:
2/23/21 UPDATE: Q week restrictions have been lifted for residential students as of 2/23 at 12n
Visit this page for more information on all Covid policies and procedures .
We work around the clock to help the MIT Community get a daily dose of health and wellness. Our goal is to keep you motivated and remind you to take a break for a little bit of recreation.
Born and raised in Topsfield, MA, Willie’s love of sports developed at an early age through ultimate frisbee. He competed competitively while attending University of North Carolina at Wilmington and receiving a degree in Exercise Science and Entrepreneurship. Willie loved applying what he learned in the classroom to his own life on the field. Willie is holds certifications in NSCA CPT, NOLS Wilderness First Aid. When he is not managing the Alumni Wang Center you can find him playing Disc Golf, softball/ basketball or backpacking! His Favorite quote is “When a ball dreams, it dreams it’s a frisbee.” -Stancil Johnson.
Originally from New Jersey, Emily moved to Boston to pursue her B.S. Health Science degree at Northeastern University. Emily developed a love for Group Fitness through her roles as a barre and boxing instructor. She is also certified in AFAA Group Fitness, AFAA Cycling and AFAA Practical Yoga. An additional passion Emily has is food, she is currently pursing her Masters degree in Applied Nutrition from Northeastern. She loves trying new foods, and restaurants especially with friends and family. Emily will be supporting Group Exercise, Personal Training and much more here at MIT Recreation. A quote Emily lives by is “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” ~Maya Angelou
Bio Coming Soon!
Charlie is a multifaceted fitness professional with a pragmatic mindset. With eight years of experience, he has gained great insights about campus recreation, corporate and commercial fitness, and collegiate and professional athletics. Charlie developed a passion for recreation while studying in undergrad at Indiana University because of familial community and vibrant atmosphere within the program. Additionally, Charlie has been a certified Personal Trainer for five years and designs safe, fun fitness programs that challenge athletes to achieve their optimal performance. He also loves leading Group Exercise classes like Spin and HIIT Circuit Training. He is a proud Hoosier who earned his B.S. in Kinesiology from Indiana University-Bloomington in 2013. Moreover, he earned his M.A. in Kinesiology from Saint Mary’s College of California where he was the PA Announcer for Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball, and Softball and instructed an undergraduate Functional Cross Training course. He loves Chicago and is a fan of the Cubs, Bulls, and Bears, but has learned to love the Boston sports teams. He also loves playing basketball, going for long walks, watching movies, listening to podcasts, and writing. His favorite quote is “…People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”- Maya Angelou
Bio Coming Soon!
Bio Coming Soon!
Combing her background in athletics and arts, Katelynn played collegiate Volleyball at Merrimack college while perusing a degree in Marketing and Management. Now working with the marketing department at MIT Recreation, Katelynn aids in the development and implementation of creative strategies. She is our in-house social-media-guru, among other things! When Katelynn is not creating content for recreation programs, she is playing beach volleyball or growing her graphic design page.
Jason was born and raised in the Hoosier State, Indiana. He joined MIT Recreation in 2007 after working in campus recreation at Boston College. Prior to arriving in Boston, Jason was a campus recreation graduate assistant at Indiana University, where he graduated with his BS in Public Management and MS in Recreational Sports Administration. As the Director of Member Services, he currently oversees many of our front-line operations including the pro-shop, locker and equipment rentals, towel service, court reservations and memberships. When it’s time to relax and have a little fun, Jason enjoys road biking, playing guitar, hiking with family and watching movies.
Ali comes from the small town of Lunenburg, MA. A proud runner, she completed her first half marathon in 2015 and plans to add more to her schedule in the future. Planning is one of Ali’s strengths, as the Business Manager for MIT Recreation she keeps things in order and manages our day-to-day administrative tasks while working with our Director to maintain, plan and schedule many of our operations. She is a graduate of UMass Amherst with a BS in Exercise Science and Fitchburg State University with a Master’s in Business Administration. Ali loves spending time with her family including her son, an energetic toddler who keeps her busy. Her recipe for relaxation includes “some me time” and a good book.
Born and raised in Lincolnton, NC, Chris started his Aquatic career as a lifeguard at the local YMCA when he was 15. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he received his BS in Anthropology with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. After continuing to work with the YMCA for a few years in both North Carolina and Charlestown, Chris joined us as an Aquatic Manager in February 2015. He currently oversees our pool schedules, rentals and reservations for our expansive Aquatic Department. For fun, Chris enjoys rock climbing, Netflix, reading, ice skating, hiking, and kayaking.
Originally from Massachusetts, Ben has significant experience in the aquatics field and has been in and out of the water for the past 15 years. Ben received his BS in Sport and Movement Science with a concentration in Aquatic Recreation Management from Salem Sate University and his MS in Emergency Management from Anna Maria College. In 2004 he joined the MIT Recreation staff and continues to oversee one of the premier aquatic facilities in the northeast. He holds multiple certifications including Emergency Medical Responder Instructor, First Responder, ARC Water Safety, Lifeguard, CPR Health Care Provider, First Aid and MA Municipal Police Training Committee First Responder Instructor. Outside the natatorium, Ben enjoys spending time with his family and hiking.
Kayla is enthusiastic about all things wellness and tries to live by her own advice. Being in the Wellness industry for over twelve years, she has managed to expand her education and experience to an efficacious career. She has had the opportunity to work in private gyms and studios, corporate wellness centers, clinical sites, Non-For-Profits and Universities. Kayla serves as the Associate Director of Programs & Wellness at MIT Recreation, where she will serve her team and her new Cambridge community. She received her M.S. in Exercise Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2012, as well as her B.S. in Exercise Physiology from Saint Francis University in 2011. Kayla comes to us from the city of Pittsburgh where she led the development and implementation wellness programs at the University of Pittsburgh. While she certainly doesn’t hide that she is a Steelers fan, she says she is “Campus Rec by day and a taco aficionado by night.” Pilates was the beginning of her group exercise career and personal training had always been her passion, she now holds certifications in a variety of areas from USA Weightlifting to Cycling but she is most passionate about Meditation. From destination backpacking to gardening, Kayla loves the wild outdoors and staying active daily. A soon to be dog mom, at home you will find her gardening or working on wood projects with her husband, as they prepare for their new 4-legged friend and settle into their new Boston home!
Steph is the “woo” of recreation and you might just catch her chatting with students, patrons and staff around the facility. She manages to stay right in the action while keeping recreation in the loop and managing the department. Steph’s career progressed from teaching dance class at a young age to becoming a “fitness junkie” and group exercise instructor. Working with MIT Recreation was her first job out of college, when she graduated from The Ohio State University with her BA in Health and Wellness, then Northeastern University with her MA in Sports Leadership. As Director, Steph oversees the administration and management of all programming and operational aspects of aquatics, fitness, customer service and facility maintenance within our programs and consults with the leadership in Intramural Sports, Club Sports, Varsity Athletics, Physical Education and Facility Operations in the administration of DAPER programs and services. She takes a break from MIT life every now and then with hiking, SUP, trips to the beach, visiting friends and family, and defeating her husband at everything possible (except go-carts).
