SRTS 2025 Board Members:
Amber Arrington, CTRS, CDP – South Carolina (2015-present)
Amber Arrington is the Director of Community Programming at Martha Franks Retirement Community in Laurens, SC. She was hired on full time in 2016 after working as a consultant for the facility for 2 years. Prior to moving to upstate South Carolina, Amber worked as the Coordinator of Recreational Therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina, Institute of Psychiatry. Amber received her B.S. from Western Carolina University in Recreational Therapy in 2006 and is a Delta Zeta Alumnae. She is additionally certified as a Dementia Practitioner, Integrative Wellness and Life Coach, and Certified Ross Instructor through Bob Ross Inc.
Amber is a member of ATRA and was one of the contributing authors for Guidelines to Ethical Practice in Recreational Therapy. She has additionally worked on various task forces and committees with NCTRC including the Job Analysis Task Force Committee, Item Writing Committee and Passing Score Committee. She has presented at SRTS on creative expression and has been a guest lecturer at a local college on emotional intelligence and leadership. Amber is the current Secretary of SRTS and serves on various committees within the organization. She is also involved with CARTE (Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education) and serves on their executive board.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her toy schnauzer- Echo, taking care of her hoard of indoor plants, painting and all the artsy things. You might see her at the conference acting like the paparazzi, snapping photos.
Cliff Burnham, CTRS, FDRT – Kentucky (2004-present)
Director of Performance Improvement
Advisor to the Recreation & Expressive Therapies Department
Cliff Burnham has been a CTRS practitioner for over 25 years; professional work has concentrated in working with individuals in physical rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals. He has provided numerous professional presentations at state, regional, and national levels that promoted building better internship programs, developing innovative programming, and empowered professional advancement. Cliff has contributed to multiple organizations at the state, regional and national levels to help shape and define Recreation Therapy. He has served ATRA as a member-at-large and was the ATRA President during 2022-2023. He has served on the Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium board since 2004, with experience in the Chair and Conference Coordinator positions. He served on the CAAHEP-CARTE board (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs – Committee on Accreditation of Recreation Therapy Education) and continues to contribute to CAAHEP-CARTE as a site visitor; and has worked with the Joint-Taskforce for State Licensure since 2012 as the Kentucky liaison and current co-leader of the taskforce since 2017. As a result of these professional contributions, Cliff is recognized as a distinguished fellow by the National Academy of Recreational Therapists.
Rebecca Riedl Burnworth, MS, LRT/CTRS- North Carolina (2016-present)
Rebecca Burnworth, a proud Greensboro, NC native and double Pirate, earned her BS in Recreational Therapy and MS in Recreation, Leisure, Facilities, and Tourism from East Carolina University. She began her career at Pitt County Memorial Hospital (now East Carolina University Medical Center), specializing in psychiatric care. She has mentored numerous recreational therapy students throughout her career, guiding them through practicums and internships in behavioral health settings, helping shape the profession’s future.
As a faculty member in ECU’s Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Rebecca coordinates and supervises recreational therapy internships while teaching courses in Parks, Recreation, Tourism, Sports Management, and Recreational Therapy. A passionate advocate for the profession, she has been actively involved with the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and served as president of the North Carolina Recreation Therapy Association. She has also served on the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure Internship Committee. She has been on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium since 2016.
Rebecca has contributed to best practices in the field by participating in the review of the Recreational Therapy Standards of Practice (SOP), which the NCBRTL Compliance Training Review Committee examined in 2024. As part of updating the compliance presentations, the SOPs were confirmed to be current with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations, as well as the Joint Commission and CARF standards.
Outside of her professional life, Rebecca enjoys spending time outdoors on the Pamlico River with her husband, two stepsons, and their golden retrievers.
Kevin Enright, CTRS – Georgia (2013-present)
Kevin Enright lives in Augusta, GA with his wife, Karen, and son, Judson. He has been a CTRS since May 1995. Although he has worked in mental health, he has always enjoyed working with people with developmental disabilities. He started the Special Olympics GA (SOGA) Augusta Stars team in 1995. He serves as their Local Coordinator and head coach, which is primarily adults with intellectual disabilities who live in and around Augusta. In 2003, Kevin was selected to be the Team USA Southeast coach for bocce at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland. His team of two athletes and two unified partners came home with gold, silver, and bronze medals. Also in 2003, Kevin was awarded the Special Olympics GA Outstanding Local Coordinator. In 2013, he was a finalist for the Special Olympics North America Coach of the Year. In addition to leading the Augusta Stars, Kevin also serves as a clinician for SOGA as he travels throughout the state teaching other coaches various sports. Since 2003, he has served as the lead bocce official for the SOGA Fall Games. Kevin believes it’s important to focus on the abilities of his athletes and build from there. When he’s not focusing on the next Special Olympics competition he enjoys darts, baseball, swimming, hiking and enjoying time with friends and family.
Brent Hawkins, PhD, LRT, CTRS, FDRT, CARSS-II -North Carolina (2019-present)
Brent L. Hawkins, PhD, LRT, CTRS, FDRT is a Professor and Recreation Therapy Program Coordinator at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). He earned his doctoral degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with a focus on Therapeutic Recreation from Clemson University in 2013. Prior to that, he completed his master’s (2009) and bachelor’s (2006) degrees in Recreational Therapy at East Carolina University.
Dr. Hawkins’s primary research focuses on the functional and quality-of-life outcomes of recreational therapy and other rehabilitation services for civilians and military veterans with service-connected injuries and disabilities. At UNCW and in the surrounding community, he also leads and supports adaptive sports and recreation initiatives aimed at increasing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in active living through recreation.
In addition to his research and community service, Dr. Hawkins is a prominent leader in recreational therapy. He has spearheaded numerous initiatives for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) to shape the future of education and professional development in the discipline. His contributions have been widely recognized, earning him the 2016 ATRA Scholarly Achievement Award, two ATRA Presidential Citations, and the 2018 ATRA Excellence in Education Award. He served as the Co-Chair of the ATRA Higher Education Task Force, Chair of the ATRA Academic Action Task Force, and currently serves as the Chair of the ATRA Higher Education Committee.
Dr. Hawkins has served on the Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium Board of Directors since 2019 and was inducted into the National Academy of Recreational Therapists in 2021. He currently serves on the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure.
Maureen Meador, CTRS – Georgia (2015-present)
Maureen Meador works as recreational therapist at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA. She received her BS degree in Parks Recreation and Tourism Management with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Clemson University in 1990. Prior to working in the area of physical rehabilitation, Maureen worked in the behavioral health setting for many years where she specialized in ROPES and used experiential education with patient populations as well as in the community setting. Maureen became a frequent presenter at SRTS beginning in 2002 and joined the board in 2015. She is the current chair. Maureen is a contributing author for Guidelines for the Ethical Practice of Recreational Therapy: A Training Manual published by ATRA.
Markeeta Wilkerson, M.S., CTRS – Kentucky (2008-present)
Markeeta Wilkerson CTRS is the Therapeutic Recreation Supervisor at Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville Ky. She has worked there for over 20 years. She attended Murray State University were she obtained a B.S. in Recreation and Leisure Services with a T.R. emphasis and a M.S. in Organizational Communications. She is also certified as a National WRAP (Wellness, Recovery Action Plan) Facilitator, A Certified Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Trainer, A Reiki Master and a Certified Public Manager. A Member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, GOAL Mayor Appointed Committee, Focus 21st Century Minority Leadership , Hopkinsville Leadership, ATRA, and KATRA. She has been writing professionally since 1990, conducts state Wide Mental Health and Recovery training. She was the 2003 Ann James recipient.
Kathy Williams, CTRS- Virginia (2016-present)
Kathy graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College (1987), with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Studies with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. She works for the City of Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation; as the Supervisor of Therapeutic Recreation Programs and Inclusion Services Unit and has been with the department since 1989. She takes pride in her work as a CTRS and enjoys providing opportunities for individuals to try new activities, learn skills and for them to be successful in a supportive and fun environment. Kathy believes in continuous learning and ensures her paraprofessional staff are provided with a variety of training options to enhance their skills. She is an active in professional organizations by serving on planning committees, boards and speaking at conferences & workshops. The organizations include: Virginia Recreation and Parks Society (VRPS), Mid-East Symposium on Therapeutic Recreation (in the 1990’s), Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium (SRTS), and Virginia Cooperative Extension Leadership Council. For over 25 years, she worked the 4-H Summer Camp Program and served as the camp director. She has served on the SRTS Board since November of 2016. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new places, being outside and walking trails in various local and state parks.
Brent Wolfe, Ph.D, LRT, CTRS, FDRT- North Carolina (2020-present)
Brent D. Wolfe, PhD, LRT, CTRS, FDRT is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Therapeutic Recreation at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and the Executive Director for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association. He has more than 20 years of experience in the RT profession as a practitioner and educator. Dr. Wolfe graduated with his undergraduate degree from Houghton College in New York and earned his Masters and PhD from the University of Georgia. As a practitioner, Dr. Wolfe’s background is adolescent psych and he worked in a locked, residential treatment center for two years. He served on the board of the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) from 2006-2009 and then as President from 2009-2010. More recently he has served on the Board of Directors for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) as a Member-at-Large (2014-2015) and the Treasurer (2015-2019). His research has been published in the Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, and the Journal of Experiential Education. Dr. Wolfe has also written book chapters for numerous Recreational Therapy and Leadership textbooks. His research interests have included team building, volunteering, and adults with developmental disabilities. Dr. Wolfe is currently engaging in research focused on the lived experiences of adults with developmental disabilities and giving them a voice to share their perspectives of the world around them. He has presented on a variety of topics related to leadership, disability, and recreational therapy at local, state, regional, national, and international conferences. Dr. Wolfe believes that the two most important keys to being a successful leader, student, therapist, and person are listening and empathy. He spends his free time with his wife Becky, their two daughters, Austyn Grace and Taylor Faith, their dogs Bella and Lobo, and cats Leyla and Blue.
Angela Wozencroft, Ph.D., CTRS – Tennessee (2015-present)
Angela J. Wozencroft, PhD, CTRS, CARSS 2, is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee and has over 20 years of experience as a practitioner and educator in RT. Dr. Wozencroft completed her master’s at the University of Tennessee and her doctorate at Clemson University. She has served on the board of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), the Southeast Recreational Therapy Symposium (SRTS), and as a committee chair for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). Her research focuses on professional issues in Recreational Therapy, organizational management and compassion fatigue of Recreational Therapy professionals, and the benefits and outcomes of two major service-learning programs offered in the Recreational Therapy program at the University of Tennessee. In her free time, she’s a soccer and baseball mom to her twins, loves boating with her husband, and playing with her goldendoodle.