Russ is NIU’s Esports Director. He stepped into the role in March 2026 and leads the university’s varsity and club programs out of the Esports Arena — steadying the existing teams, building out production and streaming, and opening career pathways for students through the Esports Industries Minor and internships. Esports, as he puts it, “is a passion of mine,” and he wants the arena to belong to everyone who walks in, competitive players and casual gamers alike, with academic support and counseling partnerships behind them.

He came to it after roughly fourteen years at NIU in admissions, academic advising, and as Project Manager for NIU STEAM, where he ran STEM Fest. His own path started at Elgin Community College, where a psychology professor challenged him to raise his game in his first semester; he finished his degree at National Louis University while working full time in higher education.

He is the author of multiple poetry collections including his most recent, Firefly Conspiracies. As a playwright, Russ has written and directed four world premieres. Russ is a National Poetry Slam poet and 2019 Rockford Certified Poetry Slam Champion.

Russ is the creator and co-host of The Gateway, a podcast exploring innovation, technology, and humanity.