Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments
Portrait of Dr. Jo An Zimmermann-Somoza

Dr. Jo An Zimmermann-Somoza

  • Associate Professor at Dept of Health & Human Performance, College of Education

Service Activities

Ongoing

  • Reviewer / Referee, Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. 2024 - Present.
  • Chair, World Leisure Center of Excellence. August 2024 - Present.
  • Research Associate - The Safe Swim Project, Texas State Autism Camp. March 2024 - Present.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Managing Sport and Leisure. 2023 - Present.
  • Chair, Mentoring Committee Dr. Ny'Nika McFadden. August 2023 - Present.
  • Member, HHP Scholars Day. August 2023 - Present.
  • Chair, Council on Accrditation: Parks, Recreation, Toursim & Related Professions. 2020 - Present.
  • Co-Chair, World Leisure Organization / Leisure Management Special Interest Group. 2018 - Present.
  • Chair, HHP Curriculum Committee. June 2018 - Present.
  • Chair, College Curriculum Committee. September 1, 2014 - Present.
  • Member, College of Education Curriculum Committee. September 1, 2013 - Present.
  • Member, Personnel Committee. September 1, 2013 - Present.
  • Member, University Curriculum Committee. September 1, 2013 - Present.
  • Faculty Advisor, Rho Phi Lambda. September 1, 2013 - Present.
  • Member, HHP Curriculum Committee, Texas State University. September 1, 2008 - Present.

2025

  • Chair, Brennan Smith Lecture. August 2024 - February 2025.

2024

  • Member, Fellowship at Plum Creek - Registration Coach - Sports Camp. 2024.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Working with Leisure Consultants: Enhancing effective collaboration: A conversation with Reggie Davidson and Wendy Holland. November 2024.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, WorldLeisure Orgaization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Insights from Tourism Management for Community Leisure Management: A conversation with Leonardo Fortes, Dr. Joe Pavelka. August 2024.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, WorldLeisure Orgaization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Embracing Digital Horizons in Leisure – World Leisure Day Webinar. April 2024.

2023

  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Congress, Conference Paper Reviewer. 2023.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Building Community through Leisure Programs and Services for Older Adults: A Conversation with Dr. Toni Liechty, Margaret Donnelly, and Janelle Payne. November 2023.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Fullbright Foreign Scholarship Board. October 2023 - November 2023.
  • Chair, Dr. Deringer - Mentoring Committee. January 2019 - November 2023.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: • Future of Public Sector Leisure: A Conversation about Sport England’s Project with Steve Walsh, Emma Bernstein and Dr. Marie Young. August 2023.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization, Leisure Managment Special Interest Group Webinar: • Public Leisure Management for Social Transformation: Commercial vs. Communal Outcomes: A conversation with Dr. Katie McDonald and Carlos Alberto Rico. April 2023.
  • Speaker, World Leisure Youth Ambassadors, International Leisure Leadership Training: Understanding Leisure Management. April 12, 2023.

2022

  • Reviewer / Referee, Journal of Public & Nonprofit Affairs. September 2022.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Managing Safe Places for Leisure: A Conservation with Dr. Corey Johnson. September 2022.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Schole. July 2022.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Crisis Preparedness: A Conversation with Patrick Hammer. June 2022.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Management Special Interest Group Webinar: Serious Leisure in Practice: A Conversation with Leonardo Calix. April 2022.
  • Reviewer / Referee, National Recreation & Park Association National Research Symposium. February 2022 - March 2022.

2021

  • Undergraduate Advisor, Undergraduate Coordinator - Recreational Administration. August 1, 2015 - December 31, 2021.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, World Leisure Organization Leisure Managment Special Interest Group Webinar: Designing Experiences: A Conversation with RJ Rossman. November 30, 2021.
  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Journal. September 2021 - October 2021.
  • Accreditation Visitor, Council on Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT). January 20, 2021 - March 3, 2021.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Journal of Leisure Research - "Neoliberal conservation and implications for social equity in local park and recreation service delivery". January 2021.

2020

  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Congress - PINGGU 2020. December 2020.

2019

  • Reviewer / Referee, Schole "Understanding Pedagogy to Teach Contemporary Parks & Recreation students using a Profession-Based Learning (PBL) approach". December 2019.
  • Moderator, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies - Biennial Conference Session Moderator. December 2019.
  • Coordinator / Organizer, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies - Coordinated the Leisure Management Stream at the Biennial Conference. December 2018 - December 2019.
  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Journal “An analysis of children’s play in resort mini-clubs. Potential implications for the hospitality and tourism industry” reviewed 2 revisons (April & July). April 2019 - July 2019.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies - Conference Reveiwer. February 2019 - July 2019.
  • Member, Mentoring Committee- Dr. Kim. September 2017 - May 2019.
  • Member, HHP Faculty Evaluation Committee. September 1, 2013 - May 2019.
  • Member, Texas Recreation and Park Society Nomenclature Task Force. March 2017 - March 2019.
  • Chair, Texas Recreation & Park Society, Programming Branch. March 1, 2015 - March 2019.

2018

  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Journal "An Analysis of Children's Play in Resort Mini-Clubs". December 2018.
  • Member, World Leisure Organization - Commission on Leisure Management. October 1, 2012 - September 2018.
  • Member, Search Committee - Biomechanics. November 2017 - June 2018.
  • Chair, Mount Wesley Oversight Subcommittee, United Methodist Rio Texas Conference Board of Trustees. November 1, 2015 - March 2018.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Journal of Leisure Research -"Leisure at Work and Employee Flourishing". January 2018.

2017

  • Member, Search Committee - Recreation. 2017.
  • Moderator, Australian New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies Be-Annual Conference. December 2017.
  • Moderator, National Recreation & Park Association Leisure Research Symposium. September 2017.
  • Member, Texas Recreation & Park Society Annual Conference Planning Committee. June 2016 - March 2017.
  • Member, Agents of Change Symposium, Planning Committee. October 1, 2015 - March 2017.
  • Editor, Co-Editor for Special Edition on Leisure Management of World Leisure Journal. July 1, 2015 - January 2017.

2016

  • Reviewer / Referee, Annals of Leisure Research “Government policy influence on aquatic and recreation centre development”. 2016.
  • Reviewer / Referee, World Leisure Journal - “Benchmarked customer satisfaction surveys for leisure programs: Potential benefits”. 2016.
  • Moderator, Recreation & Administration II, NRPA Research Session, National Recreation & Park Association Annual Congress. September 2016.

2015

  • Reviewer / Referee, Schole " Developing Recreation, Leisure, and Sport Professional Competencies through Practitioner/Academic Service Engagement Partnerships. October 1, 2015.
  • Moderator, Moderator, Recreation & Administration II, NRPA Research Session, National Recreation & Park Association Annual Congress, Las Vegas, NV. September 1, 2015.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA) mini-grant program. July 1, 2015.
  • Co-Faculty Advisor, Association of Recreation Enthusiasts (A.R.E.). September 1, 2013 - May 1, 2015.
  • Treasurer , June 2013-2015; Vice President/Treasurer, June 2012 to June 2013; President, April 2010 to June 2012, Southlake Ranch Homeowners Association– Kyle, TX. April 1, 2010 - May 1, 2015.
  • Member, Texas Recreation & Park Society, Programming Branch Task Force. June 1, 2014 - March 1, 2015.

2014

  • Member, HHP Academic Program Review Committee. September 1, 2013 - May 1, 2014.
  • Member, Texas Recreation and Park Society Task Force - Leadership Development Institute. September 1, 2013 - March 1, 2014.

2012

  • Co-Faculty Advisor, Association of Recreation Enthusiasts (A.R.E.). September 1, 2011 - May 1, 2012.
  • Clinician, Nonprofit Management and Leadership-"Nonprofit Organizations' Attraction to and Satisfaction with Co-Located Nonprofit Centers". January 1, 2012.

2011

  • Session Moderator, Leisure Research Symposium, National Recreation & Park Association Annual Congress Atlanta, GA. January 1, 2011.
  • College of Education Representative Common Experience, Texas State University. January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2011.
  • Member, Association of Recreation Majors (ARM) at TSU. January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2011.

2010

  • Reviewer / Referee, "Is a nation's front yard becoming a dumping ground? A critical analysis of greenspace within the National Mall & Memorial Parks". January 1, 2010.
  • Reviewer / Referee, "Servant Leadership and Procedural Justice in the US National park Service: The Antecedents of Job Satisfaction". January 1, 2010.
  • Member, HPER Search Committee. January 1, 2009 - January 1, 2010.
  • Liason, Advisory Council for the Recreation Administration Program. January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010.
  • Speaker, City of Kyle Recreation Center Building Committee. September 1, 2007 - January 1, 2010.

2009

  • Reviewer / Referee, "An ethnographic autobiography of the study abroad experience" Nonprofit Management and Leadership. January 1, 2009.
  • Reviewer / Referee, "Leisure and community type as indicators of overall quality of life". January 1, 2009.
  • Member, HPER Search Committee. January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2009.
  • Member, HPER Search Committee for Athletic Training. January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2009.

2008

  • HPER Ad Hoc Committee – Tension/Mentoring Response. October 1, 2008.
  • Member, HPER Ad Hoc Committee. October 1, 2008.
  • Member, HPER Ad Hoc Committee. October 1, 2008.
  • Member, HPER Ad Hoc Committee – Diversity Response. October 1, 2008.
  • Presenter, Research Colloquium; College of Education. April 1, 2008.
  • Member, HPER Ad Hoc Committee. February 1, 2008.
  • Participant, Texas State University. January 1, 2008.
  • Chair, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies, Melbourne, Australia. January 1, 2008.
  • Member, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies – Biennial Conference. January 1, 2008.
  • Moderator, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies, Melbourne, Australia. January 1, 2008.
  • Reviewer / Referee, "Strategic human resources management in nonprofit organizations: An empirical study". January 1, 2008.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Australian New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies – Biennial Conference. January 1, 2008.
  • Member, HPER Scholarship Committee. January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2008.

2007

  • Reviewer / Referee, "The effects of peer reviews in EFL college composition classes". January 1, 2007.
  • Participant, Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development at Victoria University. January 1, 2006 - January 1, 2007.
  • Course Coordinator, Melton Campus, Victoria University. June 1, 2005 - January 1, 2007.
  • Course Coordinator, Victoria University. January 1, 2005 - January 1, 2007.
  • Council Representative, Regional Council Representative – Victoria & Tasmania. January 1, 2005 - January 1, 2007.

2006

  • Reviewer / Referee, "Strategic outdoor recreation planning: contributing to the sustainability and livability of regional communities". January 1, 2006.
  • Course Selection Officer, Victoria University. January 1, 2005 - January 1, 2006.

2005

  • Participant, Victoria University. January 1, 2003 - January 1, 2005.

2004

  • Organizer, Victoria University. September 1, 2004.
  • Organizer, Melton Campus, Victoria University. January 1, 2004 - May 1, 2004.
  • Organizer, Victoria University. January 1, 2004.
  • Moderator, 8th World Leisure Congress, Brisbane, Australia. January 1, 2004.
  • Reviewer / Referee, "Accessibility and attitudinal barriers encountered by travelers with disabilities". January 1, 2004.

2003

  • Reviewer / Referee, "Leisure, lifestyle and the new middleclass". January 1, 2003.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Leisure Research Symposium, National Recreation & Park Association. January 1, 2003.
  • Reviewer / Referee, Southeastern Recreation Research Conference. January 1, 2003.

2002

  • Moderator, Leisure Research Symposium, National Recreation & Park Association Annual Congress, Tampa, Florida. January 1, 2002.

2000

  • Faculty Advisor, Clemson University. January 1, 2000.

1999

  • Member, Early Childhood Committee. January 1, 1986 - January 1, 1999.

1995

  • Member, Recreation Programming Section. January 1, 1995.
  • Chair, Continuing Education Committee. October 1, 1992 - January 1, 1995.

1925

  • Member, Victoria University. January 1, 1925.