Hilary Bride
Hilary Bride joined the UREC team in 2012 and now serves as the Assistant Director of Operations. She supervises the Operations Supervisor staff and oversees Training and Development for all UREC student employees. She is also actively involved with Special Operations and the Incentive Program. Hilary returns to JMU to actively be involved with working with students and to have the opportunity to grow people.
Hilary earned her undergraduate degree in Sport Medicine from James Madison University and worked as an Adventure Manager, TEAM Facilitator, EMT, Lifeguard, Day Camp Counselor, Alternative Spring Break leader and Operation Supervisor at UREC. Outside of UREC, you would find Hilary involved with Phi Sigma Pi, the national honors fraternity, or on the sideline athletic training for a varsity athletic team. In addition to being the Student Representative for the state of Virginia for NIRSA, she was an avid presenter for AEE and found a passion in leading groups through facilitation and instruction. She received the William Wasson Award in 2005. Hilary went on to get her Master’s in Education at James Madison University in the Adult Learning/Human Resource department with a concentration in Leadership and Facilitation. During that time, she served as the Aquatics and Safety Graduate Assistant for UREC and work for the Harrisonburg High School as a substitute teacher and assisted the athletic training department. Hilary won the American Red Cross Extraordinary Personal Action Award for administering C.P.R. and Saving a Life. Hilary is a member of NIRSA and NRPA (National Recreation and Parks Association).
Upon graduating from the ‘burg, Hilary headed back to her native New Hampshire to serve as the Assistant Director of Recreation for the town of Moultonborough on Lake Winnipesaukee (where What About Bob and On Golden Pond were filmed) and be an aunt. Her primary responsibility was youth sports for kindergarten to sixth grade athletes, supervising lake waterfront, and serving as an active member as vice president in the New Hampshire Park and Recreation Association where she received the Don Heyliger Young Professional Award in 2011 and as a CATCH instructor for the Childhood Anti-Obesity Movement. In the last two years, she has taken up competitive powerlifting with Galaxy Gym and has competed at the regional & national level and even placed 2nd in the Sandwich Fair Skillet Toss. She also enjoys lawn games, supporting her local/home teams, chicken wings & cheese, any reason to dress in costume and making life an adventure. Her favorite quote is, "Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor" -Oliver Holmes
