Kerri Barber joined the Department of Sport Management as the administrator in 2013, which is when Sport Management became its own stand-alone major. Her duties include managing the day-to-day business administration, handling social media for the department, planning and implementing all departmental events, and serving as the primary contact and information source for the department. Kerri served as the advisor to the student group Rice Sport Business Society (RSBS), for three years, and was the 2018 C.M. and Demaris Hudspeth Endowed Award for Student Life and Clubs recipient for her dedication to RSBS.
Kerri was a Resident Associate (RA) for Jones College at Rice from 2015-2023. The RA is crucial to the Rice University college system by serving as a positive community facilitator and role model, while also providing guidance and leadership to college members. RAs also develop a clear understanding of university policies and procedures, including emergency response protocols, and assist the college magisters and other university officials in responding to students in need. Kerri was appointed by the Dean of Undergraduates to serve as the inaugural North Colleges RA Representative from 2018 to 2023. Prior to joining Jones College, Kerri was an active Associate at Will Rice College, where she was named a Distinguished Associate and also the 2015 recipient of the Doughtie Outstanding Associate Award.
On campus, Kerri is an active member of the Rice community where she is a staff sponsor of various student clubs and student taught (COLL) courses, was an instructor for the Critical Thinking in Sexuality (CTIS) workshop (2018-2021), and is the Past Founding Chair (2019-2022) for the Rice University Staff Council, which she has recently joined as a member. Kerri also was a Careers at Rice Ambassador and a member of the Human Resources Transformation Team.
Outside of the Rice community, Kerri serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Chapter of Women in Sports & Events (WISE), which is the leading voice and resource for professional women in the business of sports. Kerri is the Chair of the WISE Houston Member Engagement Committee (MEC) which oversees all marketing and communications for the chapter. Kerri was also a member of the Events Committee for four years and was the event lead (twice) for WISE Houston’s Speed Mentoring Roundtable (SMR) Signature Event, as well as the co-lead (twice) for the Women of Inspiration (WOI) Signature Event. Kerri was also the 2017 WISE Houston Networking Champion of the Year recipient.
Prior to joining Rice, Kerri taught physical education and was the founding Athletic Director at the Southwest Campus of YES Prep Public Schools from 2005-2013. Kerri originated and established the initial policies, procedures, and standards to successfully generate eight middle school and 10 high school athletic programs at the Southwest Campus. She developed the inaugural athletic handbook for YES Prep Public Schools and facilitated monthly district-wide athletic director meetings. Kerri served as the University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 25AA Secretary and District 24A volleyball and basketball Chair. Kerri also co-founded and oversaw the compliance for 11 middle schools and 14 high schools within the now defunct Texas Independent School Soccer Conference (TISSC).
Kerri earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management from Ithaca College. She is a member of the 2002 Division III National Softball Championship team, where she was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Kerri is a recent Ithaca College Athletics Hall of Fame inductee as a member of the 2002 Softball team.