Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Director, Student Athlete Development and Letterwinner Engagement
- Email:
Burns currently serves at the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development as of October 2024.
As the Coordinator, Burns supports the mission of the Athletic Department's SOAR program which is designed to equip student-athletes with the training they need to thrive within and beyond the hedges. Additionally, she ensures the successful execution of Flight Plan, a program aimed at four years of personal and professional development.
Burns will also lead the Civic Engagement and Personal Enhancement pillar in the SOAR office, coordinating and maintaining programs meant to connect Rice student-athletes to the Rice and Houston communities and to help develop effective life skills.
Previously, Burns was the Assistant Commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). Her time with the MIAA was focused on student-athlete initiatives, coordinating conference championships, and assisting in governance operations. During her tenure at the MIAA, Burns was selected to serve as a facilitator for the 2024 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum.
In May 2022, Burns graduated with her master’s degree from the University of Georgia. Prior to that, she earned the Outstanding Undergraduate award in Sport Administration and graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors from the University of Louisville in 2020.
The Alpharetta, Georgia native was a former rowing student-athlete at Louisville.
