overview

• Cari E. Autry, Ph.D., LRT, CTRS is an Associate Professor and Director of the Recreational Therapy (RT) Program in the Department of Recreation Sciences at East Carolina University (ECU). She is also the Director of the Sailing Simulation Lab in the Department of Recreation Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation (TR) and minor in Special Education from the University of Florida and her M.S. in Recreation Administration with an emphasis in TR from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from NC State University. She has been a professor for over 20 years at the University of Florida, Arizona State University, Florida International University and ECU. She has over 95 presentations at state, national, and international conferences on her research related to youth development, therapeutic sailing and virtual reality sailing simulation, adventure therapy, community development, homelessness, social capital, and TR in higher education. She has over 23 publications in refereed journals such as the World Leisure Journal (WLJ), International Leisure Review (ILR), Therapeutic Recreation Journal (TRJ), The ATRA Annual in TR, Leisure Sciences, Leisure/Loisir, SCHOLE, Sociology of Sport Journal, and Palaestra. She has also served as an Associate Editor of the TRJ since 2004 and served as ATRA's Research Institute's Poster Session Co-Chair for six years. She is currently a Board Member of the World Leisure Organization (WLO) and on the WLJ Editorial Board. Her service to WLO also includes being the Special Interest Group Chair for Leisure for Children and Youth since 2017 and the Committee Chair for the Thomas and Ruth Rivers International Scholarship since 2016. She has also served as a dedicated reviewer for the ILR, Leisure Sciences, ATRA Annual, the American Journal of Recreation Therapy, the Journal of Experiential Education, and Simulation &; Gaming during her career.