Leadership
Executive Leadership
Steve Hynes, CEO
Joe Pullara, Director of Operations
Kelsey Harris, Director of Donor Engagement
Brandon Zlupko, Director of Finance
Kristen Miller, Director of Communications
Board of Directors
Brad Allen, Treasurer
Meredith C. Heisey, DO
Barb Kudis
David Skidmore
Pete Steinberg
Meet the Coaches
Zac Mizell, Men’s Head Coach
Mizell comes to Penn State after serving as the men’s rugby head coach at Adrian College in 2023-24, where he was the Midwest Rugby Conference Coach of the Year. He also currently serves as head coach of the men’s elite team at the Ohio Aviators Rugby Academy.
Before his time at Adrian, Mizell served as a rugby performance consultant for Arkansas State rugby in 2021-22 and also coached at Life University in Georgia (2019-21) guiding the team as assistant head coach to the Collegiate Rugby 7’s Championship match in 2021.
His coaching career also includes roles as director of rugby and head coach for University of Texas Men’s Rugby (2017-19) and as U23 assistant coach at Austin Elite Rugby of Major League Rugby (2018).
Mizell’s playing career includes professional stints in Major League Rugby, Professional Rugby Organization North America and USA Rugby from 2012-20. He was a member of the USA Select XV (2012) and USA Rugby Sevens team (2013).
Mizell began his collegiate rugby career at Arkansas State, where he was a two-time USA Rugby Collegiate All-American (2012-13) and MVP of the 2012 USA Rugby Division I Collegiate 7’s National Championship.
Mizell holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Life University, where he was also a USA Rugby Division I Men’s Club National Champion.
Lauren Shissler, Women’s Head Coach
Shissler returns to the Penn State women’s rugby program after graduating in 2015 with a bachelor of science degree in criminology. As an athlete, Shissler helped Penn State to 15’s National Championships in four of five years on campus and led the Nittany Lions to the championship game all five years. She also guided PSU to a 7’s National Championship in 2015. She was a team captain during the 2013 season.
She returns to Happy Valley after serving as one of the head coaches for the girl’s high school Atlantis Rugby Program since 2020. She also served as head coach for Harrisburg Women’s Rugby in 2022.
Shissler was head coach for West Shore United in 2019 after holding the assistant coach position for West Shore United in 2018. She was also an assistant coach for State College Area High School girl’s rugby in 2015.
As an athlete, Shissler served as co-captain for the Harrisburg Rugby Club from 2020-21 and 2023-24.