07/22/2026
CPRS AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 🏆2025 Winner - CPRS Champion: DR. ERICK KONG, California State University, East Bay🌟
Over the past 18 years, Erick Kong has been a champion in promoting recreation therapy through education. He has educated the field by presenting at international, national, and state conferences, including IAFOR, NRPA, CPRS, and ATRA. He has served on the CPRS’ Recreation Therapy Section board as President, Scholarship Committee Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Northern Senior Rep. Also, he has contributed to organizing the annual “RT Institute” at many CPRS conferences, where hundreds of recreation therapists and allied health specialists gather each year to learn, network, and grow as a recreation community. Erick also fosters and mentors the next generation of recreation therapy professionals by bringing a group of recreation students each year to attend the CPRS conference, where they can network with other recreation professionals for internships, gain advanced skills, and get a head start in the field. He is truly a CPRS Champion.
