John Jardine, MD- Chairman

Chief Medical Officer, Korey Stringer Institute
Attending ED Physician, Kent Hospital,  Warwick, RI
Medical Director, Falmouth Road Race

Dr. Jardine has been a board-certified emergency medicine physician since 2000.  His interest in sports medicine was piqued when he first volunteered at the Falmouth Road Race in the summer of 2000. Two years later, he was appointed co-medical director of the race and has been directing medical operations since. As medical director, he worked with faculty and students from UCONN who would become the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI).

Through the history of the race, the medical team has developed protocols for the treatment of exertional heat illness. Dr. Jardine has continued to perfect these protocols and has teamed with KSI to continue research to protect athletes there, and worldwide. He has co-authored several research papers through his experience with medical care at the race. With a background in EMS, he has used the successes at the Falmouth Road Race to promote heat illness protocols in the prehospital setting.

Dr. Jardine earned his medical degree at Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, New York. He completed residency in emergency medicine at Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University serving as chief resident in his senior year. He currently attends as ED physician at Kent Hospital in Warwick, RI.

William M. Adams, PhD, ATC, FACSM

Associate Director, Sports Medicine Research, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Director, U.S. Coalition for the Prevention of Illness and injury in Sport
Visiting Fellow in Sports Medicine Research, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Dr. William Adams is currently the Associate Director of Sports Medicine Research with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) where he oversees and directs the Sports Medicine Research Program focused on injury and illness prevention in sport. He also is the Director of the US Coalition for the Prevention of Illness and Injury in sport, which is one of eleven International Olympic Committee designated Research Centers that are located around the world. In addition to his current roles, Dr. Adams also holds appointments at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, and Loughborough University (UK).

Dr. Adams is currently overseeing projects related to head injuries in sport, women’s health, mental health, and para-athletes with the long-term goal of reducing injury and illness risk and optimizing performance among elite athletes. Dr. Adams’ research expertise and interests are focused on optimizing human health and performance. Specifically, his interests and expertise lie in determining the role of habitual fluid intake on health and wellness, investigating the various facets of exertional heat stroke, and optimizing athletic performance. He has been either a lead or co-author on 100 publications in both peer-reviewed scientific journals and edited textbooks on topics related to exertional heat stroke, maximizing athletic performance in the heat, hydration on human health and performance, and preventing sudden death in sport and physical activity.

Dr. Adams has been a licensed Athletic Trainer since 2010 and has worked clinically in collegiate and secondary school settings. He also has clinical experience with mass medical events such as the Boston Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, Vermont City Marathon, Lake Placid Ironman, Beach to Beacon Road Race and Falmouth Road Race, where he has saved the lives of more than 70 patients suffering from exertional heat stroke. Dr. Adams received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his master’s and doctoral degrees in Exercise Science at the University of Connecticut, and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Scott Arceneaux, LAT, ATC

Director of Sports Medicine, St. Amant High School

Scott, is a highly decorated Secondary School Athletic Trainer and the longtime Athletic Trainer at St. Amant High School. He lobbied the Louisiana Athletic Trainer Association for a secondary school committee in 1997. It became the catalyst for improving the secondary school setting. That committee is credited with giving the start to the Safe sports school award and the ATLAS project. That committee in 2002 , also worked with the Board of elementary and secondary schools to implement the Athletic trainer as a career and technical instructor . Opening the door to a huge influx of secondary schools to employ Athletic Trainers. He served as the Athletic Trainer coordinator from 1996 -2002 for the LHSAA All-star games. In 2011 and 2012 he was chosen to be the Head Athletic Trainer for Team Louisiana football team in the Bayou bowl. He served as an original member of the LHSAA first Sports medicine advisory committee. For those efforts working with both the coaches association and high school sports association ,he was recognized by LHSCA for his distinguished service in 2012. He worked with his school district to expand Athletic trainers in his district and improve pay . His district went from 2 athletic trainers to 14 . Those efforts also garnered them more pay for the care they provided. His school became nationally recognized by the NATA four times as a Safe Sports School. (2013 -16, 2016-19, 2019-22, 22-25). In 2013, he was selected as the SEATA High School Athletic Trainer of the Year. He has served as a longtime member of the LATA secondary school committee. In 2016 he was elected to be the LATA president thru 2018 .He continues to serve on the executive committee as past president, president- elect and will serve as president 2022-24. In 2018, he garnered the prestigious NATA service award for his work for the profession and his involvement in important sports safety legislation in the state. He has worked on legislation making it a requirement to have AEDs on all school campuses. He was part of legislation that recognized best practices for serious sports injury. In 2017, was invited to help move the needle to improve sports safety policy in Louisiana . That movement became TUFSS. In 2020 Louisiana signed into law ACT 259 The Remy Hidalgo act that opened the door for the Board of elementary and secondary education to implement best practices for EAP’s, WBGT, Cold water immersion, Heat acclimatization and coaches education. Through the efforts of the Louisiana TUFSS group they moved Louisiana from 42 to 5th in sports policy. In 2020, he was awarded the highest honor by the Louisiana Athletic Trainer Association, being inducted to their Hall of Fame. The NATA recognized him in 2021 for 25 years of service.

Lawrence Armstrong, PhD

Retired Professor Emeritis, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut
Joint appointments in the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology & Neurobiology, University of Connecticut
Past President, American College of Sports Medicine, 2015-2016

Lawrence Armstrong was a member of the Human Performance Laboratory, University of Connecticut for 28 years. He presently serves as a private consultant in Hampton, VA. His research specialties include human temperature regulation, heat acclimatization, fluid replacement, nutritional supplements, and sport drinks as they apply to athletes, laborers and military personnel. His field studies have focused on fluid-electrolyte balance in tennis players and endurance cyclists, heat exhaustion in military units, heat stress monitors, and cooling of heat-stroke patients after a summer road race.

He authored Performing in Extreme Environments (Human Kinetics, 2000), edited Exertional Heat Illnesses (Human Kinetics, 2003), edited ACSM’s Research Methods (LLW, 2015), and has co-authored over 240 peer-reviewed scientific publications. In 2023, Professor Armstrong co-authored the American College of Sports Medicine consensus report titled, Exertional Heat Illness: Recognition, Management, and Return to Activity.

Lindsay Baker, PhD, FACSM

Director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Life Sciences, PepsiCo R&D

Lindsay Baker, PhD is the Director of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s (GSSI) Clinical Research Headquarters in Valhalla, NY, where she is responsible for research on functional ingredients and technology linked to personalized hydration and nutrition.  Since joining GSSI in 2007, Dr. Baker has specialized in fluid replacement beverages for athletes and studies the effects of hydration on thermoregulation, sport/exercise performance, and cognitive function. Another one of her research areas of interest includes techniques for assessing sweat composition and hydration in athletes. In 2018 Dr. Baker was selected into the PepsiCo R&D Research Fellows Program. 

Dr. Baker has authored over 50 publications in sports hydration and nutrition, including peer-reviewed manuscripts and invited reviews and book chapters.  Notable publications include a 2014 invited review paper in Comprehensive Physiology titled “Optimal Composition of Fluid-Replacement Beverages”, a chapter in the 2016 textbook “Fluid Balance, Hydration and Athletic Performance”, and several invited review papers on the topics of the Physiology of Sweat Gland Function and Sweat Testing Best Practices. Dr. Baker became a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2017.

In 2002, Dr. Baker received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where she competed on the basketball, track, and cross-country teams. She graduated from Penn State University in 2008 with a doctorate in Kinesiology. While at Penn State, she conducted hydration and thermoregulation research at Noll Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. W. Larry Kenney.

Courteney Benjamin, PhD, CSCS

Assistant Professor, Samford University

Courteney L. Benjamin is an assistant professor at Samford University. She completed her PhD in May 2020 at the University of Connecticut, where she worked as the Director of Communication and Director of Athlete Performance and Safety at the Korey Stringer Institute. She has won NCAA soccer national championships as a player at University of West Florida (’12 – Division II) while earning her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and as a strength and conditioning coach at Florida State University (’14 – Division I) while earning a master’s degree in sports science.

Mike Carroll, MEd, LAT, ATC

Head Athletic Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director, Graham High School (Graham, TX)

Mike has a long history of serving in leadership positions in athletic training organizations. He has served on local, state, and district boards of directors and is a past president of the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association (SWATA). He is the current Vice President of the Board of Certification. He has also served on many National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) committees and task forces. In 2009 he was a member of the Pre-Season Heat Acclimatization Guidelines for Secondary School Athletics Task Force. In the fall of 2011 he spearheaded a successful effort to have the UIL adopt pre-season practice guidelines similar to those that the NATA pre-season practice task force created.  He is also currently on the NFHS Publications Committee.

Carroll has received the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award as well as the NATA Most Distinguished Award. He was selected to become a member of the SWATA Hall of Fame in 2016.  He has also received the Bobby Gunn Unsung Hero Award, the Eddie Wojecki, and Most Distinguished Award from SWATA. In 2021 he was inducted into the Texas State Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Honor. He has served as an athletic trainer for the Texas High School Coaches Association all-star basketball game and also the all-star football game and frequently serves as a test examiner for the Texas state athletic training licensure exam.  In 2012 he received the KSI Lifesaver Service Award.

Mike Carroll earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Texas A&M University. He received his master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia.  His wife DeNae is a realtor and they have two children.  His son Nolan graduated from the University of Arkansas and works for Fast Industries in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a daughter DeLaney who is a sophomore Marketing major at Oklahoma State University.  His family has hosted seven foreign exchange students from five different countries throughout the years.

Jason Cates, ATC, LAT

Head Athletic Trainer, Cabot Public Schools

Jason Cates has been the head athletic trainer at Cabot Public Schools in Cabot, Arkansas since July, 2011.  He has been very active in athletic health care for secondary schools at the state, district, and national levels since 1996. Jason has served on several committees on all three levels. He served as the President of the Arkansas Athletic Trainers’ Association.  He has served on the NATA Secondary School Committee. He served on the Nation Federation of State High School Associations Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.  He is the current chair of the Arkansas Activities Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. During his tenure on the AAA-SMAC Arkansas has adopted pre-season acclimatization and practice guidelines, wet bulb policies for hot weather, concussion policies for return to learn/play, AED/sudden cardiac policies, communicable disease policies, venue specific emergency action plans, pre-game medical timeout policies, mandatory coaches education related to athletic healthcare issues, all in accordance with the Korey Stringer Institute. Jason has also been very active in many state legislative agenda’s dealing with secondary school athletic healthcare. Jason received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with emphasis in Athletic Training from Arkansas State University. Jason is married to Stacy and together they are the parents to Georgia, Genna, and Quinn.

Cindy J. Chang, MD

Professor Emeritus, Primary Care Sports Medicine, Departments of Orthopaedics and Family & Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Chief Medical Officer, National Women’s Soccer League
Past President, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
Chair, California Interscholastic Federation Sports Medicine Advisory Committee 

Bud Cooper, EdD, ATC, CSCS

Clinical Professor and Clinical Education Coordinator, Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia

Bud is a Clinical Professor in the Kinesiology Department at The University of Georgia where he is the Clinical Education Coordinator for Athletic Training.  Bud is also the Program Director for the Master’s Degree in Strength, Conditioning and Fitness.  Bud’s research interest is in Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) where he has received grant funding from the NCAA, NATAREF, The National Federation of High Schools and the Georgia High School Association.  Much of his work has centered on the effects of extreme environmental heat on football participants and as a result of his investigations, practice policy procedures have been modified and have had a significant impact on EHI rates.

Cooper has served as the Chief Athletic Trainer for the Peachtree Road Race (ATL, GA) and USA Track & Field Indoor Championships (ATL, GA) for over 10 years and served as the Chief Athletic Trainer/Co- Coordinator for the Olympic Stadium for Track & /Field for the 1996 Paralympic Games.  Cooper also served as Chair for the “Exertional Heat Stroke Work Group, 2017” (Washington DC) which is dedicated to raise awareness of exertional heat stroke.  Cooper is a past president of the Georgia Athletic Trainers Association and currently is a committee member on the Georgia High School Association Sports Medicine Advisory Council.  Cooper has lectured both nationally and internationally on the topic of EHI and has numerous publications on this topic.  Cooper also sponsors 2 study abroad experiences – one to Taiwan where undergraduate students from all over the U.S. have the opportunity to study Traditional Chinese Medicine and one to Scotland where graduate students have the opportunity to work with exercise physiologists and strength coaches on the international level.

Cooper received his BS degree from the University of Pittsburgh where he was an all-conference sprinter on the track team, he received an M.Ed. from the University of Houston and an Ed.D. from the University of Georgia with a focus on Epidemiology and Measurement.

Larry Cooper, MS, LAT, ATC

Athletic Trainer, Penn-Trafford High School-Retired

Larry Cooper is a recently retired Teacher and Licensed Athletic Trainer. He spent the majority of his time at Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City, Pennsylvania.

Larry previously served as the Chair of the NATA SSATC as well as District 2 Representative. Mr. Cooper has also served as a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. In addition, he has held numerous positions within the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society (PATS) including being a member of the Board of Directors, Secondary School Committee Chair, Parliamentarian and others. Larry is a founding member of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Leagues (WPIAL) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and continues to work as a Master Assessor for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Associations (PIAA) Wrestling Weight Loss rule. He continues to be involved with a few projects, committees and task forces while serving as the NATA District 2 Secretary.

Ronald Courson, ATC, PT, SCS, NRAEMT, CSCS

Executive Associate Athletic Director – Sports Medicine, University of Georgia Athletic Association

Ron Courson currently serves as Executive Associate Athletic Director – Sports Medicine with the University of Georgia Athletic Association.  He joined the University of Georgia in May of 1995, after serving four years as Director of Rehabilitation at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining the Alabama staff in 1991, he served as an athletic trainer/physical therapist with Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He received his undergraduate degree in education/physical education from Samford University, where he played soccer and ran track and field.  Ron performed two years of graduate work at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and graduated with honors from the Medical College of Georgia in 1989 with a degree in physical therapy. He is a board certified clinical specialist in Sports Physical Therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Ron is additionally a nationally registered  advanced emergency medical technician as well as a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Ron has been involved in many athletic training activities including work as an athletic trainer with the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea; 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle; 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. He served as the chief athletic trainer for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials as well as the chief athletic trainer for track and field for the 1996 Olympic Games.

Active in his profession, Ron has served as a member of the NCAA Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports committee.  He is a past president of the Southeastern Conference Sports Medicine Committee as well as chairman of the College and University Athletic Trainers’ Committee of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and NATA liaison to the American Football Coaches Association.  During his tenure at Alabama, he served as president of the Alabama Athletic Trainers’ Association and as chair of the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. He served as a member of the D1A Athletic Directors Task Force on Student-Athlete Development. He currently serves on the NFL Health and Safety Committee. Ron was inducted into the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame in 2011 and the NATA Hall of Fame in 2013.

Ron is an adjunct instructor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia, teaching in the athletic training education program. He serves as a clinical instructor teaching physical therapy students from schools throughout the country.  He is active in sports medicine research and education, having authored a number of professional papers and text chapters.  He has served as lead or co-author with the NATA on position papers for emergency preparation, exertional heat illness, management of sudden cardiac arrest, management of head and cervical spine injuries, MRSA, and medical time out.  Ron co-chaired the national Spine Injuries in Sport Group, developing evidence-based medicine protocols for pre-hospital care of the spine injured athlete.  He developed the nation’s first Athletic Medicine Review Board, which provides independent oversight for the athletic medicine program at Georgia. Ron presents frequently at regional and national sports medicine meetings. He has testified before Congress as well as the Knight Commission and served on the White House “Stop the Bleed” Hemorrhage Control National Education Initiative.

Ron is married to the former Eileen O’Connell of Waycross, Georgia. Eileen is a physical therapist who attended the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia. Ron and Eileen have four children, John, Anna, Luke and Will.

David Csillan, MS, LAT, ATC

Athletic Trainer, The Hun School of Princeton
Korey Stringer Institute, Medical and Science Advisory Board
NATA, Hall of Fame 2019

David Csillan has been an athletic trainer at Ewing High School in Ewing, New Jersey since 1991. He is also the medical coordinator for the U.S. Region 1 Boys’ Olympic Development Soccer Camp and for various soccer tournaments throughout the state of New Jersey.

Additionally, he provides medical services to the ING New York City Marathon and the New Jersey Special Olympics. He currently chairs the Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey Secondary School Committee and is a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. Beginning June 2010, he will start his term as the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Liaison to USA Football.

In 2009, Csillan co-chaired the Pre-Season Heat Acclimatization Guidelines for Secondary School Athletics Task Force, spearheaded by NATA. He also co-authored the third edition of the National Federation of State High School Association’s Sports Medicine Handbook. In 2004, Csillan was inducted into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association New Jersey State Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was inducted into the Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey Hall of Fame.

David Csillan earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Training from The College of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey. He received his master’s degree in Athletic Training from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.

Ryan Curtis, PhD, ATC, CSCS*D

Director of Sports Science and Performance Coach, San Antonio Spurs

Dr. Ryan Curtis is a Sports Scientist and Performance Coach for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has over 15 years of professional experience serving as a sports scientist, athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach spanning across military, collegiate, and professional sports settings. While at the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) from 2015-2019, Ryan served in several positions including Director of Athlete Performance and Safety. Prior to KSI, Ryan worked with special forces warfighters with the United States Marine Corps, developmental and professional athletes with the United States Tennis Association, and professional athletes on the ATP/WTA tennis tour. Ryan has authored over 15 peer-reviewed research publications and presented feature lectures covering a range of sports science, medicine, and performance topics. His professional and research interests are in optimizing elite athlete health and performance through integration of evidence-based practice, technology, and analytics.

Dr. Curtis received his bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Culver-Stockton College in 2006, Master’s degree in exercise science from Kansas State University in 2009 and Doctoral degree in exercise science from the University of Connecticut in 2019.

Lindsay J. Distefano, PhD, ATC, FNATA

Associate Vice President for Research Development
Professor, Department of Kinesiology, UConn
Research Associate, Human Performance Laboratory, UConn

Lindsay DiStefano is the Department Head and a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Dr. DiStefano has affiliate appointments in the Department of Public Health Sciences and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in the UCONN School of Medicine. Dr. DiStefano is extremely active with conducting research to determine the best strategies to promote physical literacy and reduce the risk of youth sports-related injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, in children. Dr. DiStefano has published numerous research papers and presented nationally and internationally. She is currently engaged with major research studies to identify best practices for implementation and dissemination of interventions to improve safe physical activity participation and ensure proper development of physical literacy in children. Dr. DiStefano completed her undergraduate degree at Boston University and her graduate and doctoral degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She resides in Mansfield, CT with her husband and their three children.

Jonathan A. Drezner, MD

Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington
Director, UW Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology
Team Physician, Seattle Seahawks, OL Reign & University of Washington Huskies

Dr. Jonathan Drezner is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Director of the UW Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA – USA). He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and he is Team Physician for the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), OL Reign (NWSL), and the University of Washington. Dr. Drezner is past-President of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM, 2012-13) and Director of the Division for Cardiac Injury in Sport for the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. Dr. Drezner has dedicated his career to the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest and death (SCA/D) in young athletes and the development of effective models for prevention. His primary research has focused on the incidence and etiology of SCA/D, cardiovascular screening and ECG interpretation in athletes, and emergency response planning and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the school and athletic settings.

Dr. Drezner chaired or co-chaired several fundamental consensus statements to advance the cardiovascular care of athletes including: the 2007 inter-association task force on emergency preparedness and the management of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college athletic programs; the 2016 AMSSM position statement on cardiovascular screening in athletes; and the 2013 Seattle Criteria and 2017 International Criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes which emerged as contemporary standards to distinguish physiologic ECG findings from abnormalities suggestive of a pathologic cardiac disorder. He is currently co-PI and founder of the Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes (ORCCA) study designed to monitor health outcomes in competitive athletes diagnosed with pathologic cardiac disorders. Dr. Drezner has presented his research in sports cardiology both nationally and internationally and has over 210 peer-reviewed publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Drezner+J&sort=date

Christina M. Emrich, MS, LAT, ATC

Athletic Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director, Red Bank Regional High School

Gabrielle Giersch, PhD

Research Physiologist, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Gabrielle Giersch is a Research Physiologist in the Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. She has a Bachelor’s degree in exercise science and mathematics from Roanoke College in Salem, VA, as well as a Master’s degree in Kinesiology from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. She finished her PhD in Kinesiology at UConn and with the Korey Stringer Institute in May 2020. Her current research interests include environmental stress, sex differences, and female specific considerations.

Neal R. Glaviano, PhD, ATC

Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut

Dr. Neal Glaviano is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and serves as the clinical education coordinator of the athletic training program at the University of Connecticut. His research interests include the evaluation and treatment of patellofemoral pain to improve long-term outcomes and health-related quality of life. He is currently evaluating lumbopelvic-hip muscle volume and its relationship to neuromuscular function and physical activity. Past research experiences include the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation to optimize muscle function following injury. Dr. Glaviano is currently funded by the Department of Defense – Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program in the Peer Reviewed Orthopaedics program. His work is evaluating the effect of rehabilitation on long-term self-reported, neuromuscular, and biomechanical outcomes in individuals with patellofemoral pain. Additionally, Dr. Glaviano was selected as the 2023 Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Fu New Investigator Award from the NATA Research & Education Foundation.
Dr. Glaviano completed his undergraduate degree in Athletic Training from the University of Connecticut in 2007. He attended the University of Virginia for graduate school, earning a M.Ed. in Athletic Training in 2008 and a Ph.D. in Sports Medicine in 2016. Dr. Glaviano worked clinically in a private physical therapy clinic and outreach to high schools in both Connecticut and Virginia. He also is an active member in the University of Connecticut Institute for Sports Medicine.

Eric D.B. Goulet, PhD

Associate Professor, Université de Sherbrooke
Performance, Hydration and Thermoregulation Laboratory
Director, PhD program

Eric D.B. Goulet is a professor of exercise physiology at the Université de Sherbrooke, Canada, where he is also head of the performance, hydration and thermoregulation laboratory. His research interests include 1) the impact of dehydration, heat stress, ad libitum drinking and hyperhydration on physical performance, water balance and physiological functions; 2) the validation of devices or techniques aimed at measuring performance, core temperature or sodium concentration in sweat and; 3) the conduct of systematic reviews for improving our understanding of the impact of body water changes on physical performance.

Dr. Goulet earned his BSc in physical education, MSc in exercise physiology and PhD in physiology from the Université de Sherbrooke. He then completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in physiology at the McGill Nutrition and Food Science Center, McGill University, Canada.

Andrew Grundstein, PhD

Professor, Department of Geography, University of Georgia

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC

Chancellor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, a neuroscientist, academic leader and concussion researcher, is the 12^th chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

As chancellor, Guskiewicz has led the implementation of Carolina’s new strategic plan, Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good. He leads Carolina’s $1.2 billion research enterprise, the nation’s 13th largest research university in total research expenditures. He has launched several initiatives, including Carolina Across 100, the Institute for Convergent Science, the History, Race and a Way Forward Commission, and the Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative. He led the university community through the COVID-19 pandemic, including the transition to remote learning in March 2020.

Prior to his appointment as chancellor, Guskiewicz served as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. A Kenan Distinguished Professor of Exercise and Sport Science, he has been a member of Carolina’s faculty since 1995. He is co-director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center and serves as the director for the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes.

A nationally recognized expert on sport-related concussions, his work has influenced concussion guidelines in the NFL, NCAA and National Federation of State High School Associations.  In 2011, Guskiewicz received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship and in 2013, Time magazine named him a Game Changer, one of 18 “innovators and problem-solvers that are inspiring change in America.”

Guskiewicz earned his Ph.D. in sports medicine from the University of Virginia. He lives with his wife Amy and children Jacob, Nathan, Adam and Tessa in Chapel Hill.

Stanley A. Herring, MD

Yuri Hosokawa, PhD, ATC, FACSM

Assistant Professor, Sport Sciences, Waseda University

Yuri Hosokawa is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Japan. Her research interests include prevention and education of sudden death in sport, establishing best practices in road race medicine, developing regional-specific heat guidelines for exertional heat illness prevention, and developing heat acclimatization guidelines for tactical athletes. She is also partaking in research projects in biometeorology to promote interdisciplinary research across physiologists, climatologists, and public health researchers.  

Dr. Hosokawa served as a member of the International Olympic Committee Adverse Weather Impact expert working Group for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and led the effort to implement best practices for prehospital care of exertional heat stroke in Japan. She established and coordinated prehospital exertional heat stroke management plans for seventeen disciplines during the Olympics and five disciplines during the Paralympics that were deemed high risk for exertional heat stroke, covering a total of eleven venues. Before the Tokyo Games, no physicians or nurses in Japan had experience in prehospital exertional heat stroke treatment. Consequently, the Tokyo Games marked Japan’s first mass-sporting event to implement evidence-based exertional heat stroke prehospital care. Hosokawa’s effort set the standard for future athlete medical service and showcased the expertise of Athletic Trainer in Japan. 

Dr. Hosokawa currently serves as a heat advisor for the Japan Coast Guard, Fifth Regional Coast Guard, to optimize the resilience of the special rescue team. She is also a member of the medical and science advisory board for the Japan Lacrosse Association and a member of the World Lacrosse Sports Medicine Working Group that aims to enhance the health and safety in the sport of lacrosse worldwide.  

Dr. Hosokawa received her bachelor’s degree in Sport Sciences from Waseda University in 2011, her master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Arkansas in 2013, and her doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut in 2016. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Korey Stringer Institute (2016–2017) and worked at the Ritsumeikan University as an Assistant Professor in the College of Health and Sport Science (2018–2019). She opened Safety and Performance Optimization Laboratory at Waseda University in April of 2020.

Ollie Jay, PhD, FACSM

Director- Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory
Faculty of Health Sciences and Charles Perkins Centre
University of Sydney

Ollie Jay is an Associate Professor in Thermoregulatory Physiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at The University of Sydney in Australia. He is Director of the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory and Lead Researcher of the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) Research Node on Climate Adaptation & Health. His research activities primarily focus on developing a better understanding of the physiological and physical factors that determine human heat strain and the associated risk of heat-related health problems during work and/or physical activity & sport, as well as among vulnerable people during heat waves.

To date, Ollie has a total of 110+ peer-reviewed research publications (75+ as senior author) and has received funding from organisations such as the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), MS Research Australia, and the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. He has also been responsible for the development of new extreme heat policies for the Australian Tennis Open (starting in 2019), Cricket Australia, the National Rugby League (NRL), and the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, which was hosted in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.

Ollie is also an Associate Editor for Journal Science and Medicine in Sport, and the journal Temperature. He also serves as an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Applied Physiology, and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (MSSE). In 2017, he was the recipient of a 2-year University of Sydney Research Accelerator (SOAR) Fellowship, and the University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence: Outstanding Research and Teaching.

Shawn F. Kane M.D, FAAFP, FACSM

Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill

Shawn is a Family Physician and a Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician who served in the U.S. Army for 27 years.  While in the Army he spent over 17 years serving as a Physician-Leader in numerous units within the US Army Special Operations Command.  Prior to retirement, he served as the Commander of the Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne) and the Dean of the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center where he oversaw the initial and refresher training for all Special Operations Medics in the United States Special Operations Command.

Currently, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at UNC Chapel Hill.

Stavros A. Kavouras, PhD, FACSM, FECSS

Associate Dean and Professor of Nutrition, Arizona State University

Dr. Stavros Kavouras is Assistant Dean and Professor of Nutrition at Arizona State University. He is also the Director of Hydration Science Lab studying the mechanisms by which water intake impacts health and performance. His current research is focusing on the effect of water intake on glucose regulation and its implication on children’s hydration and obesity. Dr. Kavouras is the author of more than 150 peer review articles, 8,500 citations (h-index 49), and he has given lectures in 29 countries. He is a section Editor of the European Journal of Nutrition, Associate Editor of Nutrients, Behavioral Medicine, and Frontiers in Nutrition. Dr Kavouras is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine & the European College of Sports Science as well as member of the American Society of Nutrition, the Obesity Society, and the American Physiological Society.

Zachary Yukio Kerr,  PhD, MPH, FACSM

Associate Professor, University of North Carolina

Dr. Kerr is an Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina, and serves as Core Faculty with the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. Dr. Kerr completed an undergraduate degree in Communication and Spanish at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) in 2004, and earned two Master’s degrees at The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) in Journalism and Communication (2006) and Epidemiology (2010). Dr. Kerr obtained a doctoral degree in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014, and previously served as the Director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program.

Dr. Kerr’s research evaluates injury prevention strategies related to concussion and heat stroke, particularly via injury surveillance and survey research. Dr. Kerr’s work has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Health, National Football League, National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation, and National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. Dr. Kerr’s collaborations with numerous injury prevention, athletic training, and sports medicine experts have resulted in the publication of over 230 research articles. In 2018, Dr. Kerr was the recipient of the New Investigator Award, awarded by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Kevin King, ATC, LAT

Head Athletic Trainer, Carolina Panthers

Kevin King is currently the athletic trainer with the Carolina Panthers.  He joined the organization in 2013.  Before the Charlotte, he served as a staff athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2007 to 2013 where he covered football, cheerleading and fencing, as well, as assisted the undergrad and graduate programs as a clinical supervisor.  He earned his Bachelors of Science degree in athletic training from East Carolina University in 2000 and his Master’s degree in Education from the University of Connecticut in 2003.

Prior to employment at UNC-Chapel Hill, Kevin spent over 3 years working as a staff athletic trainer for football in the sports medicine department at North Carolina State University.  His additional sports medicine experiences include, internships with the following organizations:  Cleveland Browns (04′, 03′), New York Football Giants (Summer 99′,98′), Pittsburgh Pirates (98′), and the minor league Carolina Mudcats (99′, 97′).

Kevin is a proudly serves as a committee member for the North Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers’ Society.

Dr. Kristen Kucera

Associate Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research

Dr. Kristen Kucera is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research. She teaches the undergraduate Research Methods in Exercise and Sport Science courses and is chair of the EXSS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. Kucera is also a core faculty at the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center and in the Human Movement Science Curriculum. She joined the faculty in 2013 after serving as an assistant professor in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Kucera received her undergraduate degree (BS, 1994) in athletic training at Linfield College (McMinnville, OR) and completed her master’s (MSPH, 2002) and doctoral (PhD, 2006) degrees in the Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An epidemiologist and certified athletic trainer, Kristen’s research interests include sport and occupational injury epidemiology with an emphasis in conducting and improving surveillance, risk factor identification and exposure assessment, and prevention. Her research projects have addressed occupational-related and athletic-related injuries and illnesses in athletes of all ages, commercial fishermen, carpenters, certified athletic trainers, military cadets, firefighters, and university hospital employees. Community engagement surrounding implementation of best practices for prevention and improved reporting of catastrophic sports-related injuries and medical conditions are areas of current interest. Dr. Kucera’s work has been funded by The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the National Operating committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. As NCCSIR Director, Dr. Kucera works closely with the Korey Stringer Institute through the Consortium for Catastrophic Injury Monitoring in Sport (nccsir.unc.edu/about-2/consortia-and-partners). Together, they conduct surveillance and gather detailed information about catastrophic sport-related exertional/medical conditions among athletes in the United States. Results from this work are reported annually to sport and sport medicine organizations to help minimize the incidence and impacts of these conditions.

Elaine Choung-Hee Lee, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut
Director, Human Performance Lab

Dr. Lee’s research aims are to elucidate genetic and molecular mechanisms of whole body and cellular stress (osmotic, heat, exercise, immune) adaptation in Caenorhabditiselegans and humans. She aims to work on projects that identify human biomarkers of stress exposure and adaptation, characterize genome-wide transcriptional responses to stress in humans and C. elegans, and identify mechanisms of osmosensing and adaptation in response to osmotic stress and infection. At UConn she is  currently working on multiple projects that aim to characterize the intracellular and extracellular molecular chaperone response to multiple whole body stressors.

Dr. Lee received her Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Connecticut.

Rebecca Lopez, PhD, ATC, CSCS

Associate Professor, University of South Florida

Dr. Rebecca Lopez received her B.S. and M.S. in athletic training at Florida International University and completed her PhD in exercise science from the University of Connecticut.  Dr. Lopez is a certified athletic trainer through the Board of Certification.  She is also an NSCA certified strength & conditioning specialist an ACSM certified exercise physiologist.  Dr. Lopez joined USF in 2010 and is currently a Professor in the Athletic Training Program within the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences and the Morsani College of Medicine. She is the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences’ Assistant School Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Dr. Lopez is a board member on the Medical & Science Advisory Board for the Korey Stringer Institute, and she is currently serving as a Co-Chair of the NATA’s DEIA Task Force.  Her clinical athletic training experiences include working in the high school setting, women’s professional football, and mass medical events. Dr. Lopez’s research interests include exertional heat stroke and other heat illnesses, hydration, preventing sudden death in sports, and creating an inclusive environment in athletic training. Her passion is educating athletic training students, certified athletic trainers, and other clinicians on the evidence-based prevention, recognition and treatment of exertional heat stroke.

Thom Mayer, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FACHE

Medical Director, NFL Players Association

Mayer is the Medical Director for the NFL Players Association, Executive Vice President of Leadership for LogixHealth, Founder of BestPractices, Inc., Speaker for Studer Group, and Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University and Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University. He was named the 2018 winner of the James D. Mills Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine Award, which is the highest honor of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He was recently nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. USA Today named him one of the “100 Most Important People in the NFL.” Tom Peters, the internationally acclaimed leadership guru, referred to his work as “gaspworthy.”

When asked about these awards, Dr. Mayer simply says, “I have only one talent.  I know how to hire people who are not only better than me, but much better than me.  They won the awards, not me.”

Dr. Mayer has been the founder, CEO, and principal shareholder of physician leadership, staffing, and management and ambulance transport companies with revenues in excess of $100 million, which were then sold with an average IRR in excess of 38%.  He continues to hold intellectual property rights to all the content developed by these companies.

He is one of the most widely sought speakers on healthcare patient experience, leadership and management, hardwiring flow, trauma and emergency care, pediatric emergency care, EMS/disaster medicine, and sports medicine. His work in each of these areas has resulted in changing the very fabric of patient care.

In 2022, Dr. Mayer helped lead a mobile team to Ukraine. On September 11, 2001 Dr. Mayer served as the Command Physicians at the Pentagon Rescue Operation and has served on 3 Defense Science Board Task Forces, advising the Secretary of Defense. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, over 100 book chapters, and has edited or written 20 textbooks, including:

• Leadership for Great Customer Service:  Satisfied Employees, Satisfied Patients: 2^nd Edition
• Leadership for Smooth Patient Flow
• Hardwiring Flow
• The Patient Flow Advantage
• Strauss and Mayer’s Emergency Department Management.
• Battling Healthcare Burnout

Dr. Mayer was named the ACEP Outstanding Speaker of the Year and has been named ACEP’s “Over-the-Top” award winner 3 times.  Battling Healthcare Burnout won the ACHE’s James Hamilton Award for the best healthcare leadership book in 2022 and Leadership for Smooth Patient Flow won the ACHE’s James Hamilton Award for the best healthcare leadership book in 2008.  In sports medicine, his work at the forefront of changing concussion diagnosis and management in the NFL has changed the way in which these athletes are diagnosed and treated.

Dr. Mayer was the originator of the entire NFL Concussion Guidelines program, and thus has changed the nature of concussion diagnosis and management world-wide.  He gives many examples of his NFL experiences in his talks.

Brendon McDermott, PhD, ATC  

Associate Professor, University of Arkansas

Brendon McDermott is an associate professor at the University of Arkansas. He runs the Heat Stress, Fluid Balance and Renal Physiology Lab within the Exercise Science Research Center. Dr. McDermott has been on-site for the successful treatment of more than 120 exertional heat strokes. Dr. McDermott enjoys presenting and advocating for improved patient outcomes related to emergencies and preventing sudden death. He has also consulted with many medical staffs of high school, college, NFL, MLB, MLS and NBA teams regarding heat, hydration, emergency action planning or exercise-associated muscle cramping individuals. His research interests include exertional heat stroke management and whole-body cooling, thermoregulation physiology, and renal stress during exercise. He received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training at Northeastern University in 2000, his master’s degree in kinesiology at Indiana University in 2001 and graduated from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut in 2009 with his doctorate in kinesiology.

Meredith McQuerry, PhD

Associate Professor, Textile Science
Director of ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab and Textile Testing Lab
Florida State University‌

Dr. Meredith McQuerry is an Associate Professor of Textile Science and Director of the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab™ and Textile Testing Lab at Florida State University. Her area of expertise is in clothing comfort physiology, centered around reducing heat stress in personal protective clothing and equipment. Dr. McQuerry has worked with every major structural firefighting PPE manufacturer in the U.S. along with wildland firefighting, sports performance, and occupational PPE. At the center of her research is how protective clothing impacts human performance from ergonomic mobility to thermal comfort to safety and protection. She has received funding from FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighter’s Grant program to further explore these issues for female firefighters, specifically. Her work has been published in multiple academic journals including Applied Ergonomics, the American Journal of Infection Control, Fire Technology, and the Textile Research Journal, among others.

Kevin Miller, PhD, LAT, ATC

Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas State University

Dr. Kevin Miller is a Professor and Athletic Trainer in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University.  His research interests include the causes, treatments, and prevention of exertional heat illness with a specific emphasis on exercise-associated muscle cramping and exertional heatstroke in American football players.

He has published over 65 peer-reviewed manuscripts in medical journals and presented over 125 international, national, or regional presentations on topics related to heat illness.  He has Chaired and co-authored several national and international position statements including the 2021 National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Roundtable on the Prehospital Care of Exertional Heatstroke, the 2015 NATA Position Statement on Exertional Heat Illness; the Statement of the Third International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference; and the NATA round table on Malignant Hyperthermia in Physically-Active Populations.

He was the recipient of the 2019 MATS Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and the 2022 GLATA Outstanding Educator Award.  Stories about his research have appeared in the New York Times, Men’s Health Journal, the BBC, and National Geographic, to name a few.

He is a member of the Korey Stringer Institute’s Medical and Science Advisory Board, an Associate Editor for the Journal of Athletic Training, a member of several journal Editorial Boards, and member of the NATA’s Convention Program Committee.

Jeremy Ng, MD, CAQSM

Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Department of Family Medicine, Division Sports Medicine
Associate Lead Primary Care Team Physician, Los Angeles Dodgers

Jeremy Ng is a board certified Emergency Medicine physician with a certificate of added qualification in Primary Care Sports Medicine.  His interests include performance medicine, elite-level performance coaching, concussion management, and travel medicine.

Dr. Ng graduated from Boston University School of Medicine, completed his emergency medicine residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, and his primary care sports medicine fellowship at the Combined University of Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Program.

During his medical training, Dr. Ng was also coaching track and field at the NCAA Division II level as well as working with individual athletes from several different sports.  He has his USA Track and Field Level II coaching certification in Jumps and is working towards his Level III coaching certification in Sprints/Hurdles.  This passion fueled a unique training pathway that eventually included working as both a physician and performance coach with approximately 140 football players who were later selected in the NFL Draft as well as numerous Olympic track and field athletes.

During his residency and fellowship, Dr. Ng worked as a physician and sports performance coach for the NFL Combine Preparation Program at Bommarito Performance Systems in Florida. In addition to his role as a physician, Dr. Ng also helped design and lead speed and strength training sessions, created meal plans, performed video analysis, and developed rehabilitation plans.

After his fellowship, Dr. Ng moved to Florida to work with IMG Academy, where he served as a primary care sports medicine physician for the students, US Soccer U-17 Men’s National Team Residency Program, and the Elite/Professional athletes that train there. He was the Medical Director for the IMG Academy NFL Combine Preparation Program from 2013-2016 while also assisting as a sports performance coach. In addition, he has designed county-wide concussion protocols and numerous institution-wide concussion protocols for the surrounding community.

Dr. Ng developed the Lecture Series at IMG Academy for athletic trainers, physical therapists, EMS personnel, and school nurses to offer free continuing education units, encourage and promote evidence-based practice, and provide a meeting place and forum to discuss issues effecting the local sports medicine community. The Lecture Series focuses on the causes of sudden death, preparation for mass gatherings and optimizing sports performance.

Dr. Ng has provided medical coverage for professional, college and high school sports programs including the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, the University of Pennsylvania, and Rowan University. He travels extensively with the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Men’s National Team, has covered the NFL Combine for IMG athletes and has worked as a physician for the Penn Relays and Philadelphia Marathon.blank

Julie K. Nolan, PhD, ATC

Assistant Professor, Athletic Training Education Program, Sacred Heart University

Julie (DeMartini) Nolan is an assistant professor in the Athletic Training program at Sacred Heart University. Julie is a
co-author on the National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement on exertional heat illnesses, and has several other peer-reviewed publications related to her research interests involving optimizing athlete safety and performance in sport. In addition, she has more than 15 years of experience working mass medical events including the Falmouth Road Race, Boston Marathon and Marine Corps Marathon.

Julie received her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Duquesne University in 2006, and her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Exercise Science from the University of Connecticut in 2009 and 2013, respectively.

Francis O’Connor, MD, MPH

Professor, Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University
Medical Director, Consortium on Health and Military Performance
US Army Liaison to the Korey Stringer Institute

COL(Ret) Francis G. O’Connor is currently the Medical Director, Consortium for Health and Military Performance, and a Professor in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, USUHS. A retired Colonel from the United States Army Medical Corps, he began his career as a graduate from the United States Military Academy in 1981.  Dr. O’Connor earned his degree in Medicine from the State University of New York, Syracuse in 1985, and obtained a Master’s in Public Health from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in 2005.  He completed a residency in Family Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY in 1988, and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Nirschl Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center, Arlington, Virginia in 1992. He is board certified in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine and certified in  Musculoskeletal Ultrasound.

COL O’Connor has been a leader in sports medicine education and research for the military for over 25 years. Dr. O’Connor has authored over 100 peer reviewed articles in scientific journals and numerous book chapters/technical reports/health promotion resources for the military. In addition, Dr. O’Connor is the editor of ten texts on sports medicine including, the Textbook of Running Medicine, and Sports Medicine for the Primary Care Physician 4th Edition and ACSM’s Sports Medicine: A Comprehensive Review.

He has been on the board of several leading organizations in sports medicine including the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the American Medical Athletic Association and is a past President of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine.  He is a Fellow of the ACSM and AMSSM. Dr. O’Connor is the recipient of  several awards for excellence in sports medicine research and education including the Korey Stringer Institute’s Lifesaving Research Award, presented by the NFL and Gatorade in 2012, an ACSM Citation Award in 2016, and the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine Founder’s Award in 2017.

James Onate, PhD, ATC, FNATA

Director, Division of Athletic Training Education Program
Associate Professor, Athletic Training Division
Director, OSU MOVES Research Laboratory
Co-Director, OSU Movement Analysis & Performance Lab (MAP)
The Ohio State University

Dr. James Onate brings considerable research, education, and clinical experience as an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University.  He earned his PhD in Human Movement Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002 and has nearly two decades of experience working with various aspects of human performance groups.  His background as an academic faculty leader has been the intersection of injury prevention to human performance optimization to enable individuals/teams to maximize their potential. Funding for his work totaling approximately $4 million has been provided through the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Naval Research, the United States Special Operations Command, and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group.  Dr. Onate acts as the Director of the Division of Athletic Training Education program and is a faculty member of the OSU Human Performance Collaborative as a key component in building the bridges across academia, industry, and clinical models relative to human performance in the hopes of developing proactive integrative approaches for optimizing and sustaining human performance.  Dr. Onate has worked with collegiate-level athletes, military special forces groups, elementary school aged children ranging across various topic areas consisting of sport related concussion, lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries, functional movement assessments, neuromechanical motor learning, high performance model development, and tactical athlete holistic health and fitness.  His main focus lies in optimizing and sustaining human performance.

Michael J. Ormsbee, PhD, FISSN, FACSM, CSCS*D

Professor, Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology
Director, Institute of Sports Science and Medicine
Florida State University

Michael J. Ormsbee is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, the Director of the Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine at Florida State University, and an honorary research fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. His research expertise involves the interaction of exercise training, nutrition, and supplementation to improve metabolism and achieve optimal body composition, human performance, and health in both athletic and clinical populations. Dr. Ormsbee was honored as the 2014 FSU Teacher of the Year, 2017 Nutrition Researcher of the Year (NSCA), 2018 FSU Graduate Student Mentor of the Year, 2020 FSU Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and the 2020 Sport Scientist of the Year (NSCA). His course, “Changing Body Composition Through Diet and Exercise” is available through The Great Courses. 

Julien D. Périard, PhD, FACSM, FECSS

Deputy Director, University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise 

Alicia Pike Lacy, PhD, ATC

Assistant Professor of Athletic Training, School of Kinesiology, Physical Education, and Athletic Training, University of Maine

Alicia Lacy is currently an Assistant Professor in the athletic training program at the University of Maine. Prior to this position, she completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship within the Arizona School of Health Sciences at A.T. Still University. Alicia served multiple roles for the Korey Stringer Institute during her 6 years at UConn, including the Assistant Director of Youth Sport Safety, Associate Director of Research, and Director of Education. Alicia’s area of research expertise focuses on the role of unlearning in athletic health care, particularly the value of unlearning in promoting evidence-based practice.

She has presented on her research numerous times at regional and national conferences and has 26 peer-reviewed articles published/currently in review. Additionally, Alicia serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Athletic Training, International Journal of Athletic Therapy & Training, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, and Clinical Practice in Athletic Training journal. She is a member of the NATA Foundation’s Educational Resources Committee and a volunteer with the Board of Certification. She has clinical experience at both the high school and collegiate club sport levels.

Alicia received her Bachelor’s degree in athletic training from High Point University in 2013, and her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in the Department of Kinesiology from the University of Connecticut in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Riana R. Pryor, PhD, ATC

Margot Putukian, MD, FACSM, FAMSSM

Chief Medical Officer, Major League Soccer
Team Physician, US Women’s National Soccer Team
Past President American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
Senior Advisor NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee

Margot Putukian previously served as the Director of Athletic Medicine and Head Team Physician at Princeton University.  She received her BS degree from Yale University, where she played soccer and lacrosse.  Margot is board certified in Internal Medicine and Subspecialty Certification in Sports Medicine.  She was one of the USOPC Team Physician for the Beijing Olympics 2022 (& Paris 2024), US Men’s National Lacrosse Team Physician, 2010-2018 (World Cup Champions 2018).
She serves as the Senior advisor for the NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee.  Margot also serves on the US Soccer Medical Committee, NFL General Medical Committee, FA Research Task Force, IOC Mental Health Work Group, USOPC Mental Health Task Force, NOCSAE Scientific Advisory Committee and is the Advisor on Concussion for the CDC.  She was the former Chair for the USA Lacrosse Sport Science & Safety Committee.

Margot was the invited expert and co-author for the Zurich, Berlin and Amsterdam Concussion in Sport Conferences.  She Co-authored on several Team Physician Consensus Statements, AMSSM Position Statements on Concussion, Mental Health, and Mononucleosis, and the IOC Mental Health in Elite Athletes Statement.  She was the editor for the Netter’s Sports Medicine textbook, involved in concussion research, and has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, more than 60 book chapters and given more than 240 regional, national or international presentations.

Sébastien Racinais, PHD

Head of Research, Aspetar

Sébastien Racinais obtained his PhD in 2004. Following research on the neural responses to fatigue and hyperthermia, he developed a research programme on the chronic adaptations to hot ambient conditions and their repercussions on sport performance for elite athletes. Prof Racinais has successfully guided over 20 professional and national teams in developing environmental training. Sébastien is also collaborating with international sports federations including UCI and World Athletics on consensus guidelines relating to exercising in hot ambient conditions. He has published more than 160 research articles, with a citation index (H-index) of 49. His research is currently developing heat therapy for muscle rehabilitation.

Prof Racinais is head of Research at Aspetar. He leads the European Network in Sports Sciences (ENSS) in environmental physiology. He is also the Chair of the IOC Adverse Weather Impact expert working group for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024; and a member of the Medical and Scientific Commission Games Group for the protection of athlete’s health.

Neha Raukar, MD, MS, FACEP

CAQ Sports Medicine
Vice Chair – Academic Affairs and Faculty Development
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Neha Raukar, MD, MS, FACEP is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and is a practicing physician in both sports medicine and emergency medicine. Her sideline experience includes treating youth, high school, collegiate, professional, extreme, and Olympic athletes. Throughout her career as a clinician, researcher, and educator, she has partnered with national organizations to develop advocacy and policies to protect and enhance the health and safety of all athletes. Dr. Raukar has led national efforts to address appropriate readiness on the sideline and has taught thousands of athletes and healthcare providers across the world to have the best care in settings both within and outside the well-resourced emergency department.

Peter F. Robinson, MD, FACC

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Sciences Center
Interventional Cardiologist, Division of Cardiology, University of Connecticut Health Sciences
Cardiology Fellowship Associate Program Director, UConn Health, JDH

Dr. Robinson has over 15 years of experience as a clinical and interventional cardiologist, including the acute care and treatment of individuals suffering from acute coronary syndromes and sudden cardiac death (SCD) with extensive experience with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), mechanical circulatory support, and cooling/targeted temperature management in the setting of SCD.

Dr. Robinson earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1998. He completed internship and residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center before serving as Chief Medical Resident followed by a fellowship in cardiovascular disease, also at the University of Colorado. He then stayed on to complete a fellowship in interventional cardiology before beginning his clinical career at Baystate Medical Center in Massachusetts where he started their structural heart program with the first closure of congenital heart defects at the institution in 2007 and held multiple leadership positions at the hospital and its associated Physician Hospital Organization, Baycare Health Partners.

He has a special interest in prevention and treatment of cardiac arrest in sport and is currently a Cardiology Consultant for UConn Athletics. He is heavily involved in medical student, residency, and fellowship training and education and has given invited lectures on preventative cardiology, treatment of sudden cardiac death, and ECG interpretation in athletes.

Michael Ryan, MS, ATC, PT

Sports Medicine Analyst, NBC Sports/Sunday Night Football and Amazon Prime/Thursday Night Football

Mike Ryan is a renowned sports medicine and physical rehabilitation expert. His diverse background includes the National Football League, 6 Ironman triathlon finishes, international lecturing, heat illness specialization and the US Olympic Training Center. Mike’s speaking career focuses on improving the health and lifestyle of active individuals.

Mike, the Sports Medicine Analyst for both NBC Sports/Sunday Night Football and Amazon Prime/Thursday Night Football. He’s the former Jacksonville Jaguars’ Head Athletic Trainer/Physical therapist (1994 – 2014). Mike served as the Assistant Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist for the New York Giants (1988 – 1994) for six seasons before becoming the youngest head athletic trainer in the NFL in 1994.

In addition to his role with Sunday Night Football, Mike is founder of Mike Ryan Sports Medicine, Inc. sharing his expertise on physical therapy, injury prevention, wellness and fitness to expand his Personal Mission Statement: To Enhance the Health of Others.

During his 26 years in the NFL, Mr. Ryan served as President of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers’ Society Research & Education Foundation (1999 – 2014), Chairman of the NFL Collegiate Athletic Trainers’ Committee and a member of the NFL Foot & Ankle Committee.

Mike is proud of his role as mentor for young sports medicine professionals. Three of his former NFL assistants have been employed as head athletic trainers in the NFL: Andre’ Tucker, Chicago Bears, Joe Sheehan, Cleveland Browns and John Burrell, Washington Redskins.

Mr. Ryan attended Central Connecticut State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 1985. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Connecticut in 1988.

He’s the author of “Foam Rolling for Dummies” book to help athletes and non-athletes stay active and injury-free.

Mike, a life-long fitness enthusiast, continues to expand his athletic career having competed in 3 world championships in 3 different sports. His latest being the DekaFit World Championships in November 2022. His passion for physically challenging races include Spartan Races, triathlons, off-road obstacle course races, and running races of any distance. Mike’s love for extreme sports include airplane wing walking, bungee jumping in New Zealand, great white shark cage diving in South Africa, sky diving, and boogie boarding the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.

Samantha Scarneo-Miller, PhD, ATC

Assistant Professor & Program Director, Division of Athletic Training, School of Medicine, West Virginia University

Dr. Samantha Scarneo-Miller serves as an Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Master of Science in Athletic Training in the Division of Athletic Training, School of Medicine at West Virginia University. She works to improve overall safety for all athletes, and has most recently focused on the high school setting. Dr. Scarneo-Miller is a licensed athletic trainer and has experience at the high school level, youth sporting events and mass medical tents. Her research interests include policy implementation to improve sport safety, dissemination and implementation science, and public health frameworks with regards to sports medicine interventions. Dr. Scarneo-Miller is the principal or co-investigator of several grants and has spoken at various national meetings and state meetings such as the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association, National Athletic Trainers’ Association and American College Health Association. She has been a lead or co-author on several publications. She has also been recognized by the NATA for her research with the Dave Perrin Dissertation Award in 2022.

Dr. Scarneo-Miller received her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training at the University of New Hampshire in 2011, and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Connecticut in 2017. She and her partner, Jelan, live in Morgantown with their son, Jrue and dog, Milo.

Zachary Schlader, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology
Indiana University-Bloomington

Zachary Schlader, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University-Bloomington (IUB). He came to IUB from the University at Buffalo, where he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences from 2014-2019. Zac completed his BS in Health at Austin Peay State University (2006), his MS in Exercise Physiology at IUB (2008) and his PhD in Sport and Exercise Science at Massey University (New Zealand, 2011). He subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and UT Southwestern Medical Center) in Dallas TX under the mentorship of Dr. Craig Crandall in the Thermal and Vascular Physiology Laboratory. Zac’s research interests involve understanding the implications of thermal (i.e., heat, cold, humidity) and other environmental-related (e.g., dehydration, hypoxia, water immersion) stressors on integrative physiology. Current research foci include: (a) Understanding the mechanisms of autonomic and behavioral thermoregulation during exercise and/or heat exposure; (b) Examining the impact of heat exposure, dehydration and/or exercise on kidney function and injury risk; (c) Elucidating adaptations to diving related environmental exposures. These studies are carried out in healthy and clinical populations, and with relevance to at-risk populations (e.g., military, manual laborers, etc).

Jay Sedory, MEd, ATC, EMT-T

Athletic Trainer, United States Marine Corps
Specialist, US Department of Health Tactical Medicine Branch

Jay Sedory has been an athletic trainer for over 11 years and an emergency medical professional for more than 9 years. The majority of his work experience is in law enforcement and military settings such as; The United States Marine Corps, The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration.  His unique experience, background, and skill set allow him to serve with multiple roles and responsibilities.

He is a staff instructor for Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical Support (CONTOMS) and a deployable asset for the United States Department of Health Tactical Medicine Branch.  He is directly involved in operations, prevention, and disaster relief programs.

He has been instrumental in bringing awareness and education of environmental injuries to other federal agencies such as The State Department and Department of Interior – Wildland Fire.  He was the principle contributor in the “Prevention” domain of Board of Certification Role of Delineation Study/ Practice Analysis 7^th edition.

Professionally, Jay has been a leader and volunteer in many areas.  Currently, he serves on the Board of Certification under the Reinstatement Panel and is the Past-President for the Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association. During his state presidency (2014-2016), the VATA was able to include the use of “Oxygen” during emergency events such as sickle cell in the state regulations.  He was the District 3 representative to the National Young Professional’s Committee.

Jay Sedory received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education – Athletic training from Southern Illinois University.  He received his Master’s in Education – Athletic Training from University of Virginia.

Robert Sefcik MS, LAT, ATC

Executive Director, Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program (JSMP)
CEO, Florida Alliance for Sports Medicine (FASMED)

Bob Sefcik is a passionate advocate of sports safety and an outspoken sponsor for certified athletic trainers, especially within the high school setting.  He is active locally, regionally, state-wide and nationally promoting student-athlete safety.  Sefcik has hosted multiple state-wide sports safety meetings in Florida and has worked together with multiple organizations to increase collaboration on safety issues which reduce sports injuries and death in Florida.  Sefcik has held various roles as an athletic trainer in his 27 years in the profession, including:   High school (teacher/AT), professional sports, hospital/clinical, physician extender and administrator.  He has been responsible for creating many new full-time positions for certified athletic trainers in each of his professional roles.  Most recently, as the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program, Sefcik and close colleagues lobbied the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL and many local agencies to create a unique  community collaborative that has created 18 full-time positions for certified athletic trainers within the Duval County Public Schools and serve more than 16,000 student-athletes.  Sefcik credits his relationship with Doug Casa and the support provided by KSI staff as a motivational force for his accomplishments in Florida.

Sefcik has been recognized by Athletic Trainers Association of Florida as the clinical athletic trainer of the year, has received the Award of Equity from the Duval County Schools and the Innovations in Education Award by Jacksonville University.  He has received recognition within the Jacksonville Business Journal, the Florida Times Union and local television and radio spots for efforts promoting sports safety.

He is most proud of his role as loving husband to Jill and father to their three daughters, Madeline, Frankie and Charlotte and son, Morgan.

Yasuki Sekiguchi, PhD, CSCS

Assistant Professor, Director of Sports Performance Lab, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Management, Texas Tech University 

Dr. Yasuki Sekiguchi is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Sports Performance Lab at the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas Tech University. He received his bachelor’s degree at Kobe University in Japan, master’s degree at the University of Arkansas, and PhD and post-doctoral fellow at the University of Connecticut in exercise science. His area of expertise is enhancing thermoregulatory response (i.e., heat acclimation, heat acclimatization, cooling), optimizing hydration status and fluid balance, athlete training load and recovery monitoring, sleep monitoring, and wearable technology validation to improve exercise performance and overall health. He has managed and completed many research studies and published peer-reviewed manuscripts in those areas. He also has been working with youth to professional and Olympic athletes as a sports scientist and strength and conditioning coach. His expertise in sports science has been instrumental in applied sports settings. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Enhancing exercise performance and recovery with practically applicable and widely accessible methods based on science is a broad aim of his Sports Performance Lab at Texas Tech University. 

Stephanie M. Singe, PhD, ATC, FNATA

Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut

Stephanie Singe is an associate professor; a position she has held for over 15 years and currently serves as the Director of Teaching and Learning within the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut.

Her research interests include the prevention of sudden death in sport, particularly as it relates to implementation of best practices and educational techniques used to instruct health care professionals, coaches, parents, and other medical professionals.  Pressures to return athletes back to play following injury is an area that her work will extend over the next few years. She has expertise in the area of survey methods and qualitative methodologies. Her recent work with KSI has focused on athletic training services within the secondary school setting and how to overcome the barriers to hiring athletic trainers within the setting. Two of her publications in the Journal of Athletic Training, related to exertional heat stroke and evidence-based practice, were awarded second runner up for the 2011 Clint Thompson Award for Clinical Advancement.

She received her bachelor’s degree in athletic training at the University of Connecticut in 2000, her master’s degree in Athletic Training at Old Dominion University in 2002 and graduated from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut in 2005 with her doctorate in sport management.

Caroline Smith, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Health and Exercise
Appalachian State University, NC
Adjunct Professor, Department of Physician Assistant Studies
Wake Forest School of Medicine, NC
Editorial Board, Frontiers in Physiology

Caroline Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Exercise at Appalachian State University, NC, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, Wake Forest School of Medicine, NC. She directs the Thermal and Microvascular Physiology Laboratory at Appalachian State, which primarily focuses on human thermoregulation and physiological responses to environmental stressors. Current research includes utilizing novel approaches for assessing dermal contaminant absorption and elucidating key factors modulating absorption during occupational exposures. Understanding carcinogen exposure routes is of fundamental importance in various occupational settings to inform risk mitigation strategies and improve long term health outcomes. Other ongoing lines of investigation include examining in vivo signaling mechanisms underlying thermoregulatory and microvascular dysfunction in primary aging and cardiovascular disease groups. Prior work includes development of the modified absorbent technique with Professor George Havenith, Loughborough University, for the production of whole body sweat maps in multiple populations.

Dr. Smith has served on multiple editorial boards, including the American Journal of Physiology – Integrative, Regulatory and Comparative Physiology, and currently serves as the Environmental and Occupational topical representative on the program committee for the American College of Sports Medicine. Recently, Dr. Smith was the recipient of the UNC Board of Governors 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award, which also recognized the involvement of students in research.

Originally from the UK, Dr. Smith received her Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Human Biology and PhD in Thermal Physiology from Loughborough University before completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Noll Laboratory, Penn State University.

Michael Seth Smith MD, CAQ-SM, PharmD

Assistant Professor, Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Florida

Dr. Seth Smith is currently an assistant professor in the Division of Sports Medicine at the University of Florida Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine. He obtained his pharmacy degree from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and medical degree from the Florida State University College of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Florida and completed a Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Florida.

He is currently the head team physician for the Santa Fe College athletic program and Co-Medical director for the University of Florida Department of Orthopedics High School and Adolescent Outreach Program that oversees 18 high school sports programs and numerous adolescent and youth sports programs.

His clinical and research interests include exertional heat related illness, sports related concussions, youth overuse injuries, sports pharmacology, and musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Paul Sparling, MEd, AT, ATC

Head Athletic Trainer, Cincinnati Bengals

Barry Spiering, PhD

Lead Physiologist, New Balance Sports Research Lab

Barry A. Spiering, Ph.D., has diverse experiences in sports & exercise science, while serving populations ranging from Olympic & professional athletes to soldiers & astronauts.  Dr. Spiering is currently the Lead Physiologist in the New Balance Sports Research Lab.  Prior to joining New Balance, Dr. Spiering held positions at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), the Nike Sport Research Lab, California State University – Fullerton, and NASA – Johnson Space Center.  Additional professional experiences include serving as a Sports Physiologist at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, managing the Human Performance Laboratory at Marywood University, and interning with the New Orleans Saints strength & conditioning staff.  Ultimately, these experiences have led to numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications, as well as presentations at regional, national, and international meetings.

June Spector, PhD

Physician Scientist and Researcher, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program
Faculty Member in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington

Dr. Spector is a physician scientist and researcher at the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ Safety & Health Assessment & Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program and a faculty member in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington. Her research and work focuses on the prevention and management of heat stress, particularly among outdoor working populations. She has served as a member of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)^®Threshold Limit Values for Physical Agents (TLV^®-PA) Committee and on the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Work Group of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.

Erik Swartz, PhD, ATC, FNATA

 Professor and  Chair, Department of  Physical Therapy and Kinesiology
UMass Lowell

Dr. Swartz received his PhD in Applied Biomechanics at the University of Toledo. Dr. Swartz’ primary research interest involves studying the acute management of athletes with a cervical spine injury. Dr. Swartz was selected to chair the writing group for the NATA Position Statement on the Acute Management of the Cervical Spine Injured Athlete. Dr. Swartz has received grant awards from The NATA Foundation, the National Football League, and the National Operating Committee for Standards in Athletic Equipment. He has been published in multiple journals including Spine, New England Journal of Medicine, Prehospital Emergency Care, Journal of Athletic Training, The American Journal of Sports Medicine, and Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. He has presented his research on state, regional and national levels. He serves on the NFL Head Neck and Spine Committee’s Subcommittee on Safety Equipment and Rules and on the NATA Conference Programming Committee. He is on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Athletic Training and Athletic Training and Sports Health Care Journal.

James L. Thornton, ATC

Head Athletic Trainer, Clarion University Athletics

Jim embraced his Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) collaborations and became one of the nationally recognized experts in health care for wrestlers.  When chairing the NCAA Athletic Trainer Task Force from 1997-2006 and then later serving as the Athletic Training Liaison to the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee, Jim contributed to the creation of health and safety rules related to safe weight management practices, and the prevention and treatment of common skin infections. He also helped to create several health and safety publications, instructional videos, and practice standards that have been distributed and shared widely by USA Wrestling.  In addition to sharing his over thirty years of clinical expertise with health issues in wrestling, Mr. Thornton recently co-authored four different peer-reviewed publications on liability in sports medicine and the role of athletic trainers.  Jim’s clinical expertise and contributions at the collegiate level were recognized in 2008 when he received the NATA College and University Committee’s Division II Head Athletic Trainer of the Year recognition.

For many, these achievements would have been a pinnacle of their successes; however, that was not the case for Mr. Thornton.  These achievement only served to fuel Jim’s desire to give back to the profession of Athletic Training even further, culminating in his election as President of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.  During Jim’s leadership as NATA President from 2012-2015, the NATA marked a time of unrivaled progress and recognition of Athletic Training in the ever-expanding and competitive health care arena.  He was well respected and admired by his colleagues, his peers, administrators of other national organizations, and legislators. Jim Thornton has made a difference for Athletic Trainers in Pennsylvania, across the United States and on an international level.  Through all that he has given back to the profession, and how he has represented all of his colleagues and friends in Pennsylvania and District Two so admirably, James L. Thornton is recognized as many things to many different people – leader, teacher, outstanding clinician, and visionary, but most importantly as loving husband of Bridget Gates Thornton, who is also an Athletic Trainer, and their three daughters, Matti, Maci and Maya.  Athletic Trainers in Pennsylvania and across the United States have benefitted greatly from the unselfish contributions that Jim Thornton has made to the advancement of the profession.

Chris Troyanos, ATC

Medical Coordinator, Boston Marathon
Executive Director, International Institute for Race Medicine

Founder and President of Sports Medicine Consultants, Chris Troyanos is a successful entrepreneur and business owner who has served as the Medical Director and Coordinator for a number of athletic events. As the Medical Coordinator to the Boston Athletic Association, he is the primary architect, designing the medical coverage provided at the Boston Marathon each year.

Chris has an extensive record when providing road race medicine because of his many years as the Medical Coordinator of the Boston Marathon. From 1977 to 1995, he volunteered as the coordinator of athletic training services with the Boston Athletic Association. Since 1996, he has taken on a leadership role organizing a medical committee of over 65 medical professionals and another 1800 on-site medical volunteers.

He has been the primary liaison to the various cities and towns supporting the race. His partnerships and relationship building skills have created strong ties with the Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and ten participating hospitals. His ability to bring people together and forge relationships has truly allowed many competing agencies to act as one during this historic marathon.

In addition to his organizational skills, Chris has established vital partnerships with several key corporate supporters by partnering with Stryker, Abbot Health Care and Nova Bio Medical. His efforts have allowed the Boston Marathon to enjoy the largest level of medical sponsorship and “gift in kind” support in the country.

He has over 40 years of experience when it comes to organizing medical programs and the public safety response at several mass participatory events. He is a sought-after lecturer on the subject of health care for large-scale athletic events, and has extensive experience working with local, state and federal agencies as it relates to mass casualty concerns for major marathons.  It is estimated that Chris has coordinated medical support for over 1 million athletes since 1980.

Chris recently stepped down from a 12 year run as the Executive Director for the International Institute for Race Medicine.  He now works in conjunction with World Athletics supporting a similar mission to improve athlete safety for all types of road races and mass participation events.

Lesley Vandermark, PhD, LAT, ATC, PES

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo

After achieving a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from California University of Pennsylvania, Lesley went to the University of Connecticut for a Master of Science in Exercise Science, and Doctorate of Philosophy in Kinesiology.  During that time, she worked closely with the Korey Stringer Institute on outreach and research initiatives.  Lesley also previously taught at the University of Arkansas in athletic training and exercise science programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.  

Jennifer Vanos, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University 

Dr. Jennifer Vanos holds an interdisciplinary appointment studying climate and human health in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University (ASU). As a human biometeorologist, she works to strengthen the understanding and practice surrounding how we protect people from extreme heat and air pollution in a changing climate. Her work on extreme heat addresses risks and challenges within vulnerable groups, including children, athletes, and outdoor workers.  Dr. Vanos was awarded an NSF Early Career research grant in 2021, and is co-authoring new WMO/WHO Heat & Health guidance. She is PI of the new Human Biometeorology lab at ASU and Chair of the American Meteorological Society’s Board on Environment & Health. Dr. Vanos has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. She previously worked at UC San Diego, Texas Tech, and Health Canada, and received her Ph.D. and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Guelph in Canada.

Mark Verstegen, MS, CSCS

Founder, EXOS

Mark Verstegen is the Founder and President of EXOS, the industry leader in performance training, nutrition, and physical therapy for elite athletes and teams, and Core Performance, the proactive leader in redefining corporate wellness by helping employees take simple, actionable steps to achieving better health.  Verstegen has revolutionized the health industry by creating a proven methodology for helping athletes achieve their goals and transitioning into a leading wellness solution that has transformed how companies think about wellness.

Lisa Walker, ATC

Athletic Trainer, Springville High School

Lisa Walker, began her athletic training career in 1993 when she graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She has worked as the athletic trainer at Springville (Utah) High School ever since.

Lisa has held numerous positions within the Utah Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association, and the National Athletic Trainers Association. She has provided service with the Red Cross of America, the Australia Down Under Bowl (American football) in 2000 and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Medical oversight at college football, as well as other local events and organizations.

Lisa was the secretary/treasurer of the Utah Athletic Trainers’ Association from 1998-2002, president of the UATA from 2002-2007, president of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainer’s Association from 2007-2012, and she continues to serve on the UATA board of directors, the Sports Medicine Advisory Council of the Utah High School Activities Association and the NATA Connections and Engagement committee. Lisa has served on the NATA Secondary Schools Committee and Honors and Awards Committee, and the Strategic Planning Committee to prevent sudden death in secondary school athletes.

During her time with the UATA, she helped produce “Advocates of the Student Athlete,” an NATA award-winning video in 2000. She was instrumental in passing a law mandating licensure for all athletic trainers in the state of Utah and helped champion concussion legislation. She helped athletic trainers gain recognition as official healthcare providers, passed mandatory heat acclimatization for all athletes, pre-participation exams and concussion policies with the Utah High School Activities Association, as well as mandatory CPR and first aid certification for all Utah coaches and a thorough weight management system for all high school wrestlers.

In 2018 Lisa was an award winner of the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer award. Lisa was named to theUATA Hall of Fame 2016, RMATA Hall of Fame in 2014, the public advocacy award winner by the Board of Certification in 2013, NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award in 2013, NATA Governmental Affairs award in 2006, and several other honors within the UATA, RMATA and other local organizations.

Lisa resides in Provo, Utah, where she continues her work as a high school teacher and athletic trainer and serves as a preceptor for athletic training students at Brigham Young University while championing for athletic training reform with the Utah state legislature. Lisa continues to promote safety for the physically active of all ages. She and her husband, David, are the parents of three children and 7 grandchildren.

W. Jon Williams, PhD

Senior Research Physiologist, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
Vice Chair, AIHA Thermal Stress Work Group

Dr. W. Jon Williams is currently a Senior Research Physiologist in the Research Branch of the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL)/NIOSH/CDC.  Dr. Williams has 31 years of experience in human experimental physiology beginning with a National Academies/National Research Council Resident Research Associateship (post-doc) at the NASA Johnson Space Center in the Medical Sciences Division. Dr. Williams was then hired by a NASA contractor (Wyle Life Sciences) as a Senior Research Scientist/Section Supervisor of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory.  Dr. Williams conducting studies on the effects of simulated and actual microgravity on human physiology. In 2003, he was recruited to the NPPTL to establish a human research capability which included the Human Physiology, Biochemistry, and Thermo-Physiology Laboratories. Dr. Williams has mentored 2 NRC post-doctoral fellows, supervised the research of a PhD student (University of Cincinnati), recruited and mentored several junior physiologists and had served as PI on a dozen physiological research protocols involving the physiological burden imposed by personal protective ensembles (PPE). Dr. Williams served as the Lead, Human Factors and Ergonomics Team at the NPPTL for 4 years.

Dr. Williams has active collaborations with faculty at the University of Cincinnati, researchers at the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Army Research Laboratories, the US Army Natick Soldier Center, North Carolina State University, and has been associated with the Korey Stringer Institute of the University of Connecticut for several years.  Dr. Williams has also served as a scientific consultant for 6 commercial interests primarily developing wireless physiological monitoring systems and personal cooling systems to be worn with PPE.  Dr. Williams served as a scientific expert on the International Standards Organization (ISO) Project Group 5 for 10 years and authored two technical specifications for that group that were used in the development of ISO respiratory protection standards.  Dr. Williams is also serving as the current Vice Chair, AIHA Thermal Stress Work Group in addition to serving as a subject matter expert for the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) which provides information on the health effects of heat, recognizing the symptoms and signs of heat injury, the role of medications in susceptibility to thermal stress, and ways to mitigate thermal stress on the public.

Dr. Williams has served on national/international standards organizations, co-authored a revision of a NIOSH [2016] document on occupational heat stress and has authored/co-authored a total of ~125 peer-reviewed scientific articles, conference papers/abstracts, book chapters, and government documents.

Dr. Williams received BS and MS degrees in Biology from San Diego State University and MS and PhD degrees in Physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jonathan E. Wingo, PhD

Professor and Chair, University of Alabama

Jonathan Wingo earned his BS in Exercise Science from Berry College in 1999, his MA in Exercise and Sport Science from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2002, and his PhD in Exercise Science from the University of Georgia in 2006. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in integrative physiology while jointly appointed at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He became a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist in 2013. Dr. Wingo is currently an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Alabama. His research focuses on human cardiovascular and thermoregulatory physiology in response to heat stress and exercise.

Susan Yeargin, PhD, ATC

Associate Professor of Athletic Training
University of South Carolina

Susan Yeargin is an Associate Professor of Athletic Training at the University of South Carolina. Her research line includes the prevention, recognition, and treatment of exertional heat illness in active populations with a focus on children. She also conducts research on sickle cell trait in athletes and the impact of policy on emergency preparedness. She was a task force member and author of the Pre-Season Heat-Acclimatization Guidelines for Secondary School Athletics and a co-author of both the NATA and ACSM Position Statement updates on Exertional Heat Illnesses. She has over 20 years of experience conducting research, over 70 peer-reviewed publications, on exertional heat illnesses, thermoregulation and hydration behaviors. She currently serves as the Chair of the NATA’s Pronouncements Committee. Dr. Yeargin received her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University in 2001, and in 2003 she earned her master’s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Florida. She continued her education at the University of Connecticut and graduated with her doctorate in 2007.