Dr. Stacey Hall Named as New NCS4 Director

NCS4 is happy to announce Dr. Stacey Hall as the new Director after the retirement of founder Dr. Lou Marciani.

Dr. Hall played an integral role in the creation of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security and served as the Associate Director from 2006-2014. She continued to serve the institution through various leadership roles, including Interim Associate Dean of the College of Health, Chair of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Sport Management, and most recently as Executive Associate Dean for the College of Business and Economic Development.

"I’m very excited to be returning to the Center, it’s like a homecoming for me," she said. "I’m honored to be chosen as the next leader of NCS4 and we will work hard to continue to build upon the foundation laid by the vision of Dr. Marciani. He is a highly respected figure in the industry and must be commended for his efforts enhancing the NCS4 brand and reputation."

Dr. Hall’s expertise is in the area of sport safety and security management. She has published in leading international sport management, homeland security, and emergency management journals and has co-authored two textbooks – Sport Facility Operations Management and Security Management for Sports and Special Events. Additionally, she has been invited to publish in national magazines such as Athletic Management, Athletic Administration, and Security Magazine.

Dr. Hall has an extensive history at The University of Southern Mississippi as she played soccer for Southern Miss from 1997-2001 and holds the record for most goals scored. She also captained the Northern Ireland international soccer team until 2008. Dr. Hall was inducted into the Southern Miss M-Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

"USM and NCS4 offer unique educational opportunities through our degree and certificate programs, such as the MBA and Masters in Sport Management programs with a concentration in sport security, and a graduate certificate option in sport security management," she said. "Professional development and engagement opportunities are provided through our focused summits geared towards specific sports markets, and the annual conference is an ideal arena for industry stakeholders to network, share best practices and demonstrate technology solutions in the sports security environment."

Dr. Hall has been referred to as one of the nation’s leading experts in sport security with interviews in USA Today, ESPN the Magazine, CBS New York, and also appeared on a live national broadcast of ESPN Outside the Lines. Dr. Hall was one of 150 experts from across the globe invited to attend the first International Sport Security Conference in Doha, Qatar and has presented at international and national conferences, and conducted invited presentations for U.S. federal and state agencies, college athletic conferences, and professional sport leagues, including Major League Soccer (MLS). Dr. Hall has been the principal investigator on external grant awards in excess of $4 million. She has also been involved in several service projects including the development of a risk assessment tool for U.S. sport stadia in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and International Association of Venue Managers; development of a disaster mitigation plan post-Katrina for the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority; and development of a sport safety and security system for a K-12 school district in Houston, TX.

With the evolving threat of COVID-19 looming and an ever-volatile global landscape, this may seem as a challenging time for transitioning into a new role, but Dr. Hall has hit the ground running and is busy working with industry leaders to prepare safety and security for this next chapter.

"We are poised to enter a new era post-COVID-19 to assist all sectors of the sports industry and address gaps or challenges experienced," she said. "Our training programs are of the utmost quality, including our FEMA approved courses in collaboration with the TEEX National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center, the international training program in partnership with Interpol, and the multiple online staff training options that prepare managers and front line staff at venues and events all over the U.S."

Dr. Hall teaches undergraduate and graduate sport management courses in economics, finance, and security. She developed a graduate level emphasis area in sport security management for the Master’s program at Southern Miss. Dr. Hall has completed threat/risk assessment training through the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center; terrorist bombing training through New Mexico Tech Energetic Materials and Testing Center; and special events contingency planning for public safety agencies training through the FEMA Emergency Management Institute.

NCS4's training arm and National events have been pillars of the center since its inception, but Dr. Hall is now hoping to bolster NCS4's foundation to include a strong research and academic presence in the safety and security sector.

"I hope to create a strong connection between industry and academia as we work to elevate our research and academic profile," said Dr. Hall. "This work will be guided by scholars and practitioners and will include the valuable input of an established national advisory board and specialized advisory committees comprised of senior-level security managers and thought-leaders across the sports industry. The creation and dissemination of new knowledge in this industry will help all of us make sports a safer and more secure place for participants, spectators, staff, and community partners."