Committees & Officers of Kansas Athletic Trainers’ Society

The more our members get involved the stronger our state organization and athletic training profession becomes. The NATA is only as strong as its districts, the districts are only as strong as its individual states, and the profession of athletic training in Kansas is only as strong as its ACTIVE members involved with KATS.

BE ACTIVE within your profession!

KATS Officers

Dr. Phillip Vardiman, PhD, LAT, ATC

Dr. Phillip Vardiman, PhD, LAT, ATC

Past - President

Manhattan, KS

t: (785) 532-5568

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Justin Clark, LAT, ATC

Justin Clark, LAT, ATC

President

Abilene, KS

t: (785) 466-1365

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Caitlin Truhe, MHPE, LAT, ATC

Caitlin Truhe, MHPE, LAT, ATC

President - Elect

Topeka, KS

t: (785) 554-8661

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Gary Stevanus, MSE, LAT, ATC

Gary Stevanus, MSE, LAT, ATC

Treasurer

Baldwin, KS

t: (785) 979-4940

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Leigha Limbach, MS, LAT, ATC

Leigha Limbach, MS, LAT, ATC

Secretary

Emporia, KS

t: (620) 341-5955

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Erin Washington, MS, LAT, ATC

Erin Washington, MS, LAT, ATC

Public Relations

Olathe, Kansas

t: 913-223-7325

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KATS Committees & Chairs

Dr. Pete Manely

College/University Athletic Training Students

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The Student Leadership Committee (SLC) provides a voice for students within the athletic training community. The SLC promotes learning about issues impacting the athletic training profession, getting involved in volunteer opportunities and taking a stand on matters impacting students in the present and future. SLC members are selected to represent each NATA district and are appointed to the committee by the district director and the committee chair.

Shawna Jordan

Governmental Affairs

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The Governmental Affairs Committee will oversee the Association’s governmental relations and regulatory efforts. Advocate for regulation favorable to athletic training, as well as:

  1. Serve as a resource on the governmental affairs process and support member activities pertaining to state regulation of athletic training.
  2. Work with federal, state and local regulatory bodies to facilitate regulations and laws compatible with athletic training.
  3. Recommend positions to the board on specific athletic training regulatory and governmental issues.

Brad Jones and Chris Flemming

History and Archives

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The Historical Commission (HC) preserves the history of athletic training, provides athletic training historical education and serves as a resource to the NATA on historical issues.

Amy Cahill and Mark Padfield

Honor and Awards

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The Honors and Awards Committee (H&A) develops, supervises and administers the awards process for national association awards. The awards program is in place to annually recognize professional excellence of NATA members and associates.

Pete Manely

Intercollegiate Committee on Sports Medicine

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The NATA Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine (ICSM) will address issues affecting the student athlete and athletic trainers at the collegiate level. The ICSM will identify relevant, timely issues in the field of athletic training and collaborate with various organizing bodies of collegiate and intercollegiate athletics to improve student athlete safety, well-being and healthcare by influencing policy and providing resources

Caitlin Truhe (President-Elect)

KSHSAA/SMAC

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Jennifer Raybern

LGBTQ+

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The NATA LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee (LGBTQ+ AC) is committed to the advancement of diversity within the athletic training profession by advocating for an environment of inclusion, respect, equity and appreciation of differences in both athletic trainers (ATs) and their diverse patient populations. The LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee will identify, explore, address and provide educational resources regarding emerging topics and concerns relevant to diverse sexualities, gender identities and gender expressions within the profession and health care topics affecting patients in the LGBTQ+ community.

Note: The plus sign represents diverse sexualities, gender identities and gender expressions, which may not be explicitly included in the “LGBTQ” acronym.

Open

Career Advancement

As defined by the NATA, the CAC committee chair will work with their committee to support athletic trainers as they advance their careers from early professionals. Supportive initiatives include: work-life balance, career satisfaction, career growth and professional retention

Jeff Kreuser

Practice Advancement

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The mission of COPA is to represent the professional practice settings of athletic training by increasing awareness, demonstrating value and assisting in efforts to expand and advance the profession.

Steve Barrett MS LAT ATC

Third Party Reimbursement

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The topic of athletic trainers receiving reimbursement for services from third party payers (i.e. insurance companies) has been an area of focus for the profession for decades. As third party reimbursement for athletic training services is a complex issue, the resources contained within this section are intended to serve a wide ranging audience from those new to the concept to advanced professionals with years of experience on the issue. The intent of providing these resources is to increase awareness, education and advocacy on this topic with the end goal of consistent recognition of autonomous athletic training services by third party payers.

Steve Barrett

Scholarship

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Jamie Blackim

Secondary School Athletic Trainers

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The Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee (SSATC) is dedicated to recognizing the unique concerns and responsibilities associated with the secondary school athletic training practice setting, and to developing and providing materials and information that may enhance the effectiveness and marketability of athletic trainers working in this setting.

Brian Conway

Symposium

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Arianna Meikel and Faith Day

Early Professionals

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In line with the NATA EPC, the EPC Chair will lead a committee in supporting athletic trainers in the early stages of their career by fostering leadership, developing educational initiatives and promoting professional and ethical values. Additionally, this committee will address issues with transition to practice, create opportunities to develop career skills and leadership development opportunities and foster professional networking and mentorship.

Mattie Silva

Ethnic Diversity Advisory

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The NATA Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors, aiming to identify and address issues relevant to the ethnically diverse populations to better serve the needs of both patients and fellow athletic trainers. EDAC advocates sensitivity toward cultural diversity, development of cultural competence within the profession and promotion of athletic trainers as leaders in issues related to cultural competence and professional diversity within the health care professions.