George Roberts, MEd, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1976 and master’s degrees from Slippery Rock University in 1980 and Edinboro University in 1990. Roberts started his career as a teacher and athletic trainer at Titusville Senior High School in 1976 in Titusville, Pennsylvania. In 1985, he moved to the collegiate setting as an associate professor/head athletic trainer until 2016. Since then, Roberts has continued work in various clinics, per diem work and, most importantly, serving on the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society Executive Board. With PATS, he has served as Governmental Affairs Committee chair, northwest representative, president elect, president and, currently, past president. Roberts was active in the U.S. Olympic Committee’s volunteer sports medicine program, serving as a member of the medical staffs for the Summer Olympic Team in 1984 (Los Angeles), 1992 (Barcelona) and the 1983 World University Games (Edmonton, Alberta). In 2010, he was appointed to the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine by Gov. Ed Rendel, serving as vice chair (2011-13).
NATA Hall of Fame
Robb S. Rehberg, PhD, ATC, NREMT, earned his bachelor’s degree from West Chester University in 1991 and master’s degree from the U.S. Sports Academy in 1999. He went on to earn his Doctor of Philosophy from Touro University International in 2003. He began his career as an athletic trainer in 1991 at Westwood Regional High School in New Jersey, and currently serves as professor of athletic training and sports medicine at William Paterson University. Rehberg is a Senior Medical Advisor and Coordinator of Gameday Medical Operations for the NFL. He is also a subject matter expert for emergency care for the National Safety Council, president/CEO of Sport Safety International and co-founder of The Rehberg Konin Group. Rehberg’s list of volunteer service is extensive, most notably having served as president of the Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey (2007-09), treasurer for both NATA District Two (2015-20) and the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (2011-14) and member of the NATA Government Affairs Committee (2020-present). He also served on the NATA Research & Education Foundation Board of Directors (2010-16).
Bart C. Peterson, MSS, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 1989 and his master’s degree from the U.S. Sports Academy in 1998. Peterson has worked his entire career in the secondary schools, including positions at Campbell County High School (1990-2000) in Gillette, Wyoming, and Palo Verde High Magnet School (2000-present) in Tucson, Arizona. He began serving the athletic training profession early in his career, becoming president of the Wyoming Athletic Trainers’ Association (1992-98). Among his roles at the state, district and national levels, he served as secretary of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association (2004-10), NATA District Seven director (2010-14) and NATA Research & Education Foundation District Seven director (2014-20). He served on the NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee (1998-2004) and returned to the committee to serve as chair (2016-20). Peterson is a 2015 inductee of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.
Marisa Brunett, MS, LAT, ATC, earned her bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University in 1986 and her master’s degree from Florida State University in 1988. She is currently a senior athletic trainer with ManTech International Corp., working with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center Warfighter Wellness Program. Brunett has worked with various patient populations in the clinic, hospital, secondary school, youth sports, Division I and junior college settings. An active member of NATA, Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association and Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida, Brunett has filled various leadership roles throughout her 35 years of service. This includes serving as the NATA vice president (2018-21), NATA District IX Board of Director (2016-21), NATA Finance Committee (2018-20), NATA Public Relations chair (2006-11), SEATA vice-president (2005-10), SEATA Executive Board member (2001-05), ATAF president (2000-05) and vice president (1995-99). She was appointed by the governor to serve on the Florida Department of Health’s Board of Athletic Training, where she served as vice-chair and a member. She has received several service-related awards including induction into the SEATA Hall of Fame in 2011 and ATAF Hall of Fame in 2008.
Scott Anderson, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1979. In 1987, after seven years with the university as the assistant athletic trainer, Anderson started his nine-year tenure as head athletic trainer at Tulane University. He returned to the University of Oklahoma in 1996 as the Sooners head athletic trainer, a position he held until his retirement in May. Anderson has provided his expertise on research initiatives related to heat stroke in football and exertional sickling in athletes with sickle cell trait, and has collaborated with colleagues in the NCAA and Big 12 Conference on concussion research. Anderson has filled many service roles throughout his career. He co-directed the Inter-Association Task Force on Sickle Cell Trait in Athletes as well as the 2014 and 2016 Summit on Safety in College Football and 2022 Summit on Prevention of Exertional Heat Stroke Death in Football Lineman. He is a member of the Big 12 Conference Medical Aspects of Sport Committee, having served a term as chair, and the Big 12 Conference Medical Professionals Advisory Group. Anderson was inducted into the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2015.
In 1978, Mark Letendre, ATC, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Orono. Letendre started his career as an athletic trainer for the New York Yankees in 1978, and continued his career in Major League Baseball. He is now the advisor to the director of sports medicine and performance-umpire administration for the MLB. Letendre’s list of volunteer service includes inventor-founding member of the Professional Baseball AtCoophletic Trainers’ Society Product Review Symposium (1999-2000); founding chairperson and alumni liaison of the PBATS Alumni Program (2006-16); NATA Political Action Committee chair and charter board member (2007-10 and 2021-present); PBATS 25th Year Anniversary Celebration chair (2007); NATA Clinical/Industrial/Corporate Committee/CEPAT (2008-11);Arizona Athletic Trainers’ Association Public Relations Committee chair (2008-12); Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association Public Relations Committee chair (2009-11); NATA Public Relations Committee (2009-12); MLB Medical Advisory Committee charter athletic trainer (2013); PBATS MLB & MiLB Service Ring co-chair (2015-16); and NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award Committee (2021).
Jeff Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATA, earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University in 1988 and his master’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1989. He continued his education to earn a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Delaware in 1994 and his Doctor of Philosophy from Nova Southeastern University in 2004. Konin started his career as an athletic trainer with HealthSouth Sports Medicine in 1989 and is now the director of the Doctor of Athletic Training Program at Florida International University. Some of Konin’s volunteer service includes Clinical/Corporate/Industrial Athletic Training Committee (1992-97), Position Statement PPPE writing member (2008-14), Outcomes Advisory Panel SSISOS chair (2009-10), Best Practice for AT Documentation Task Force (2015-17), Sexual Abuse Education Task Force (2018), Transitional Employment Work Group (2019-21) and Cannabinoid Task Force chair (2021-present). He is also a representative of the NATA International Committee.
In 1989, Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, FNATA, earned his bachelor’s degree from West Chester University. In 1992, he earned his master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh before enrolling at the University of Virginia where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy in 1995. Guskiewicz then began his academic career as an assistant professor and athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. Over a 26-year career at UNC, he has served in a variety of roles, including director of the accredited undergraduate athletic training education program, founding director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, department chair, senior associate dean, dean and interim chancellor. Guskiewicz was named UNC-Chapel Hill’s 12th Chancellor December 13, 2019 after serving as Interim Chancellor for 10 months. His volunteer service includes NATA Pronouncement Committee on Mild Head Injury (1997-2004), NATA Convention Committee (1998-2001), NATA Education Council’s Graduate Program Review Committee (1999-2005), NATA Convention Committee program chair (2000), Journal of Athletic Training associate editor (2001-13), NATA Position Statement on Management of Sport Concussion lead author (2004) and NATA Position Statement on Management of Sport Concussion co-author (2014).
Greg Gardner, EdD, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming in 1984 and his master’s degree from the University of Arizona just a year later. In 1995, Gardner went to the University of Southern Mississippi to earn his Doctor of Education. His first job was as an athletic trainer and teacher at Rockport-Fulton High School. He was there from 1985 to 1988, when he shifted into the collegiate setting as an athletic trainer and assistant professor at Howard Payne University. Gardner is now a clinical professor of athletic training at the University of Tulsa. Some of his volunteer service includes Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Student Session chair (1996-99), CAATE president (2008-01) and World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy U.S. vice president (2011-18). He presently serves as a member on the Athletic Rehabilitators and Therapists of Ireland accreditation panel and received a Fulbright award in the fall of 2021. He is currently the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association vice president and serves as a member of the NATA Research & Education Foundation Board of Directors.
In 1982, Denise Fandel, MBA, CAE, AT Ret., earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University. She then went on to earn her master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In 2011, Fandel earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. In 1983, Fandel was hired as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and became the head athletic trainer in 1985. Fandel stayed until 1997. Following her collegiate career, Fandel went on to become the first CEO of the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. She retired from the BOC in 2019. Now, Fandel is the president of Breakthrough Growth LLC. Some of Fandel’s volunteer service includes District Five representative for the NATA Placement Committee (1986-88), Nebraska State Department of Health’s Bureau of Examining Boards (1988-99) and Nebraska State Athletic Trainers’ Association president (1988-90).