Laurie Priest

Laurie Priest is currently the Chair of Physical Education and Director of Athletics at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. Prior to coming to Mount Holyoke in l989, Laurie served for seven years as Director of Athletics, Assistant Professor and Swimming coach at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. She is a tireless advocate for equity in sport for girls and women and is recognized nationally for her work to promote and support Title IX. In recent years, she has focused much of her outside professional work towards combating homophobia in intercollegiate athletics. She currently serves as the Chair of the Social Justice Committee of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and publishes and speaks on the importance of addressing social justice issues in sport. In 2002 she was recognized by the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport as their Honor Award recipient and as the Division III Athletic Administrator of the Year by the National Association for Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators. When Laurie is not at Mount Holyoke, you will find her hiking with her three dogs or sea kayaking the islands of Maine.