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Congratulations,National Award Winners!2020 & 2022

NATA Hall of Fame InducteesClass of 2020Larry Cooper, MS, LAT, ATCLarry Cooper, MS, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University ofPittsburgh in 1983 before earning his master’s equivalency from the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania in 1995. For the majority of his career, Cooper worked as a teacher andathletic trainer in various schools, both collegiate and secondary, spending from 1991to 2018 at Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City, Pennsylvania. Cooper also has along list of volunteer service to the athletic training profession, including the NATAAppropriate Medical Care for Secondary School Aged Athletes Task Force (2017-19);ATLAS (Athletic Training Location and Services) project co-founder (2016-present);NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee chair (2012-16); NATACollaborative Solutions for Safety in Sport Founding Member/Planning Committee(2015-18); and Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Sports MedicineAdvisory Committee (2002-present). He currently sits on the Rocky MountainUniversity Athletic Training Advisory Board, Eastern Athletic Trainers’ AssociationExecutive Council, Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League SportsMedicine Advisory Committee and various other groups.Denise Fandel, MBA, CAE, AT Ret.In 1982, Denise Fandel, MBA, CAE, AT Ret., earned her bachelor’s degree from St. CloudState University. She then went on to earn her master’s degree from the University ofNebraska at Omaha. In 2011, Fandel earned her Master of Business Administrationfrom the University of Phoenix. In 1983, Fandel was hired as an assistant athletictrainer at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and became the head athletic trainer in1985. Fandel stayed until 1997. Following her collegiate career, Fandel went on tobecome the first CEO of the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. She retiredfrom the BOC in 2019. Now, Fandel is the president of Breakthrough Growth LLC. Someof Fandel’s volunteer service includes District Five representative for the NATAPlacement Committee (1986-88), Nebraska State Department of Health’s Bureau ofExamining Boards (1988-99) and Nebraska State Athletic Trainers’ Associationpresident (1988-90).Greg A. Gardner, EdD, LAT, ATCGreg Gardner, EdD, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University ofWyoming in 1984 and his master’s degree from the University of Arizona just a yearlater. In 1995, Gardner went to the University of Southern Mississippi to earn hisDoctor of Education. His first job was as an athletic trainer and teacher atRockport-Fulton High School. He was there from 1985 to 1988, when he shifted into thecollegiate setting as an athletic trainer and assistant professor at Howard PayneUniversity. Gardner is now a clinical professor of athletic training at the University ofTulsa. Some of his volunteer service includes Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ AssociationStudent Session chair (1996-99), CAATE president (2008-10) and World Federation ofAthletic Training and Therapy U.S. vice president (2011-18). He presently serves as amember on the Athletic Rehabilitators and Therapists of Ireland accreditation paneland received a Fulbright award in the fall of 2021. He is currently the OklahomaAthletic Trainers’ Association vice president and serves as a member of the NATAResearch & Education Foundation Board of Directors.

NATA Hall of Fame InducteesClass of 2020Kevin M. Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, FNATAIn 1989, Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, FNATA, earned his bachelor’s degree from WestChester University. In 1992, he earned his master’s degree from the University ofPittsburgh before enrolling at the University of Virginia where he earned his Doctor ofPhilosophy in 1995. Guskiewicz then began his academic career as an assistant professorand athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. Over a26-year career at UNC, he has served in a variety of roles, including director of theaccredited undergraduate athletic training education program, founding director of theMatthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, department chair,senior associate dean, dean and interim chancellor. Guskiewicz was named UNC-ChapelHill’s 12th chancellor Dec. 13, 2019, after serving as interim chancellor for 10 months. Hisvolunteer service includes NATA Pronouncement Committee on Mild Head Injury(1997-2004), NATA Convention Committee (1998-2001), NATA Education Council’s GraduateProgram Review Committee (1999-2005), NATA Convention Committee program chair(2000), Journal of Athletic Training associate editor (2001-13), NATA Position Statement onManagement of Sport Concussion lead author (2004) and NATA Position Statement onManagement of Sport Concussion co-author (2014).Jeff G. Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATAJeff Konin, PhD, ATC, PT, FACSM, FNATA, earned his bachelor’s degree from EasternConnecticut State University in 1988 and his master’s degree from the University ofVirginia in 1989. He continued his education to earn a master’s degree in physical therapyfrom the University of Delaware in 1994 and his Doctor of Philosophy from NovaSoutheastern University in 2004. Konin started his career as an athletic trainer withHealthSouth Sports Medicine in 1989 and is now the director of the Doctor of AthleticTraining Program at Florida International University. Some of Konin’s volunteer serviceincludes Clinical/Corporate/Industrial Athletic Training Committee (1992-97), PositionStatement PPPE writing member (2008-14), Outcomes Advisory Panel SSISOS chair(2009-10), Best Practice for AT Documentation Task Force (2015-17), Sexual AbuseEducation Task Force (2018), Transitional Employment Work Group (2019-21) andCannabinoid Task Force chair (2021-present). He is also a representative of the NATAInternational Committee.Mark A. Letendre, ATCIn 1978, Mark Letendre, ATC, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine atOrono. 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 directorof sports medicine and performance-umpire administration for the MLB. Letendre’s list ofvolunteer service includes inventor-founding member of the Professional BaseballAthletic Trainers’ Society Product Review Symposium (1999-2000); founding chairpersonand alumni liaison of the PBATS Alumni Program (2006-16); NATA Political ActionCommittee chair and charter board member (2007-10 and 2021-present); PBATS 25th YearAnniversary Celebration chair (2007); NATA Clinical/Industrial/CorporateCommittee/CEPAT (2008-11); Arizona Athletic Trainers’ Association Public RelationsCommittee chair (2008-12); Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association PublicRelations Committee chair (2009-11); NATA Public Relations Committee (2009-12); MLBMedical Advisory Committee charter athletic trainer (2013); PBATS MLB & MiLB ServiceRing co-chair (2015-16); and NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award Committee (2021).

NATA Hall of Fame InducteesClass of 2022Scott Anderson, ATCScott Anderson, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in1979. 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. Hereturned to the University of Oklahoma in 1996 as the Sooners head athletic trainer, aposition he held until his retirement in May. Anderson has provided his expertise onresearch initiatives related to heat stroke in football and exertional sickling in athleteswith sickle cell trait, and has collaborated with colleagues in the NCAA and Big 12Conference on concussion research. Anderson has filled many service roles throughouthis career. He co-directed the Inter-Association Task Force on Sickle Cell Trait in Athletesas well as the 2014 and 2016 Summit on Safety in College Football and 2022 Summit onPrevention of Exertional Heat Stroke Death in Football Linemen. He is a member of theBig 12 Conference Medical Aspects of Sport Committee, having served a term as chair, andthe Big 12 Conference Medical Professionals Advisory Group. Anderson was inducted intothe Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2015.Marisa Brunett, MS, LAT, ATCMarisa Brunett, MS, LAT, ATC, earned her bachelor’s degree from West Virginia Universityin 1986 and her master’s degree from Florida State University in 1988. She is currently asenior athletic trainer with ManTech International Corp., working with the U.S. Navy andMarine Corps Public Health Center Warfighter Wellness Program. Brunett has workedwith various patient populations in the clinic, hospital, secondary school, youth sports,Division I and junior college settings. An active member of NATA, Southeast AthleticTrainers’ Association and Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida, Brunett has filledvarious leadership roles throughout her 35 years of service. This includes serving as theNATA vice president (2018-21), NATA District Nine Director (2016-21), NATA FinanceCommittee (2018-20), NATA Public Relations chair (2006-11), SEATA vice-president(2005-10), SEATA Executive Board member (2001-05), ATAF president (2000-05) and vicepresident (1995-99). She was appointed by the governor to serve on the FloridaDepartment of Health’s Board of Athletic Training, where she served as vice-chair and amember. She has received several service-related awards including induction into theSEATA Hall of Fame in 2011 and ATAF Hall of Fame in 2008.Bart C. Peterson, MSS, LAT, ATCBart C. Peterson, MSS, LAT, ATC, earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham YoungUniversity in 1989 and his master’s degree from the U.S. Sports Academy in 1998. Petersonhas worked his entire career in the secondary schools, including positions at CampbellCounty 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 earlyin 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 secretaryof the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association (2004-10), NATA District Sevendirector (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 2015inductee of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.