Congratulations to this year’s NATA committee award winners! Learn more about NATA’s awards and attend the 76th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo June 24-27 in Orlando, where many of these recipients will be recognized.
Athletic Training Education Journal
2024 Athletic Training Education Journal Award for the Outstanding Manuscript
Cailee Welch Bacon, PhD, ATC, Sara Nottingham, EdD, ATC, and Tricia Kasamatsu, PhD, ATC
“Development and Validation of an Active Educational Resources To Address Quality Gaps Regarding Clinical Documentation”
Career Advancement Committee
Career Advancement Committee National Distinction Award
Kelly Ellis, MS, LAT, ATC
Early Professionals’ Committee
Early Professionals’ Excellence Award
Joseph Eberhardt, MEd, LAT, ATC
Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee
Bill Chisholm Professional Service Award
Kysha Harriell, PhD, LAT, ATC
René Shingles EDAC Apple Award
Florida International University, Department of Athletic Training
Barnes/Horton/Johnson EDAC Entrepreneurship Award
Ronald Wagner, PhD, LAT, ATC
Marsha Grant-Ford EDAC Distinguished Research Award
Shane Caswell, PhD, LAT, ATC
Frank Walters EDAC Trailblazer Award
Andrea Durham, MS, LAT, ATC
Executive Council for Education
Preceptor of the Year Award
Jonathan Jenkins, MS, LAT, ATC
Professional Development Excellence Award
Aric Warren, PhD, LAT, ATC
Emerging Educator Award
Zachary Winkelmann, PhD, ATC
Government Affairs Committee
William T. Griffin Award for Outstanding Leadership in Legislative Advocacy
Anna August, MS, LAT, ATC
Daniel L. Campbell Legislative Award Class I
Arkansas Athletic Trainers’ Association
California Athletic Trainers’ Association
Kansas Athletic Trainers’ Society
Honorable Mention
West Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association
Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine
Head Athletic Trainer of the Year Award: Division I
Melanee Johnson, MS, LAT, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer of the Year Award: Division III
Jessica Rhodes, MEd, LAT, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer of the Year Award: NAIA
Kara Werner-Sanders, MAC, LAT, ATC
Staff Athletic Trainer of the Year Award
Trev Muth, MS, LAT, ATC
Doug Boersma New Horizon Award
Steve Hillmer, ATC
Historical Commission
Pioneer Athletic Trainer Legacy Award
James Robinson – 1881
Wallace Denny – 1899
Frank Kavanaugh – 1937
International Committee
NATA International Committee International Service Award
Mark Gibson, MSEd, MS, AT Ret.
Journal of Athletic Training
2024 Journal of Athletic Training Kenneth L. Knight Award for the Outstanding Research Manuscript
Johna Register-Mihalik, PhD, ATC, Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, LAT, ATC, Stephen Marshall, PhD; Karen McCulloch, PhD, PT, Jason Mihalik, PhD, ATC, CAT, Martin Mrazik, PhD, Ian Murphy, MBChB, MBA, Dhiren Naidu, MD, Shabbar Ranapurwala, PhD, Kathryn Schneider, PhD, PT, Paula Gildner, MPH, Danielle Salmon, PhD, Brandon Auton, BS, ATC, Thomas Bowman, PhD, ATC, Eric Hall, PhD, Loriann Hynes, PhD, CAT, Elizabeth Jewell, MA, ATC, Caroline Ketcham, PhD, Caroline Wesley Siler, MS, ATC, S. John Sullivan, PhD, AT Ret., Vasiliki Kostogiannes, MA, ATC; and Michael McCrea, PhD
“Symptom Exacerbation and Adverse Events During a Randomized Trial of Early Stage Rehabilitation After Sport-Related Concussion: Safety Outcomes From the Active Rehab Study”
2024 Journal of Athletic Training Clint Thompson Award for the Outstanding Clinical Practice Advancement Manuscript
Alli Gokeler, PhD, PT, Filippo Tosarelli, MD, Matthew Buckthorpe, PhD, Francesco Della Villa, MD
“Neurocognitive Errors and Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Professional Male Soccer Players”
LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee
LGBTQ+ Award for Inclusive Excellence
Rebecca Lopez, PhD, LAT, ATC
Amy Schork, MBA, LAT, ATC
Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee
Athletic Trainer of the Year
District One: Kelly Griffin-Brown, MS, NHLAT, ATC
District Two: Gina Harris, MS, ATC, CES
District Three: Sheila Gordon, MEd, LAT, ATC
District Four: Chris Hall, MEd, LAT, ATC
District Five: Alicia Wells, MS, LAT, ATC,
District Six: Trent Cox, MS, LAT, ATC
District Seven: Monica Orti, MAT, LAT, ATC
District Eight: Karin Carido, MS, ATC
District Nine: Kyle Southall, PhD, LAT, ATC
District Ten: Taylor Purchio, MAT, LAT, ATC
Servant’s Heart Award
District One: Kyle Peckham, MS, ATC
District Two: Carla Pasquarelli, ATC
District Three: Jessica Shanks, MS, LAT, ATC
District Four: Elizabeth Miotke, PTA, LAT, ATC
District Five: Michael Pelton, MS, LAT, ATC
District Six: Shaketha Pierce, MEd, LAT, ATC
District Seven: Bart Peterson, MSS, LAT, ATC
District Nine: Larry Ullery, MS, ATC
District Ten: James Capp, MS, LAT, ATC
District Eleven: Jenna Arnold, LAT, ATC
State Association Advisory Committee
Emerging Leaders Award
Samantha Scarneo-Miller, PhD, LAT, ATC – West Virginia
Zachery Richards, MS, LAT, ATC – South Carolina
Excellence in Leadership Award
Shelly Fetchen-DiCesaro, PhD, LAT, ATC – Pennsylvania
Valerie Moody, PhD, LAT, ATC – Montana
Student Leadership Committee
Chuck Kimmel First-Time Attendee Award
Hailey Calkins
Audrey Cannon
Gabrielle Curtis
Bobby Gunn Student Leadership Award
District One: Stephen Woods
District Two: Sharese Johnson
District Three: Landon Murray
District Four: Sara Grossniklaus
District Five: Hayley Bassett
District Six: Dominic Fraire
District Seven: Collins Vinacco
District Eight: Nikoles Geraci-Medina
District Nine: Brielle Liverman
