Presenters

Amy Rusert is the executive director of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA). NIRA has oversight of the NCAA Emerging Sports initiative for the sport of rugby including but limited to programs growth, competition management, championship production and student athlete recognition programs. While on staff with USA Rugby in the late 1990s, Rusert initiated the NCAA Emerging Sports process for the sport of rugby. This came on the heels of spearheading a Title IX initiative at her university immediately followed by an advocacy internship at the Women's Sports Foundation. 

Rusert subsequently worked for USA Field Hockey and other NGBs before transitioning to working for cause-related nonprofit organizations and an NGO in various marketing and program development capacities. During this time, Rusert continued to serve on national committees and task forces with USA Rugby related to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women (ESW) program and interscholastic rugby initiatives for girls and boys rugby programming. Rusert was a former Division I field hockey student-athlete before falling in love with the sport of rugby.  Rusert has been a volunteer head coach of intercollegiate club rugby programs at Colorado College and the United States Air Force Academy over the past two decades, while simultaneously coaching boys and girls youth and high school rugby programs to help usher in the next generation of rugby-lovers.

Rusert is a proud mom of a multi-sport athlete who has represented the U.S. on USA Rugby age-grade national teams and continues to work tirelessly to help NCAA Women's Rugby achieve NCAA Championship status.