Welcome & Keynote: Athletic Training Pioneers - Then and Now

"Stephanie Kuzydym is a sports enterprise and investigative journalist for The Louisville Courier Journal, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. For the last decade, Kuzydym’s reporting largely focused on health and safety of athletes. In “Safer Sidelines,” a four-part series based on several months of reporting, Kuzydym uncovered the many ways high schools, athletic associations and lawmakers have failed to prepare for the worst-case scenario – sudden death in sports. The project included a first-of-its-kind searchable database of U.S. athlete deaths, as well as a survey and expert assessment of athletic emergency action plans for Kentucky high schools.

Safer Sidelines was heralded as a catalyst for change and called "the single most impactful contribution to the health and safety of high school athletes that has ever been produced from a media source in our country’s history," by Dr. Doug Casa, the CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, who has dedicated his career to shining a light on sudden death in athletes.

Kuzydym’s work received the 2023 National Athletic Trainers' Association’s President’s Service Award, the 2023 NATA Secondary School Committee’s Advocacy Award, the 2023 Korey Stringer Institute’s Lifesaving Education Award and the 2023 Jon Fleischaker Freedom of Information Award."

Nancy Burke is a highly accomplished and pioneering professional in the field of athletic training, with over four decades of experience in education, public safety, and sports medicine.

Throughout her illustrious career, Nancy has held various teaching positions, leaving a lasting impact on students across different educational institutions. From her early years teaching Health, Physical Education, and Driver Education in Galax City Schools to her role as a Science instructor at George C. Marshall High School and later as a Health and Physical Education instructor at South Lakes High School, Nancy's dedication to educating young minds has been unwavering.

Nancy's expertise in athletic training has been a cornerstone of her career. She held licenses and certifications from prestigious organizations such as the Board of Medicine, Commonwealth of Virginia, and the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). Her tenure as an athletic trainer spans from her early days at James Madison University, where she provided care for women's athletic teams, to her extensive work with Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax County Police Department.

At Fairfax County Public Schools, Nancy not only served as an Athletic Trainer but also played a pivotal role in curriculum development, particularly in the establishment of the first sports medicine class in the county. Her contributions extended beyond the school walls as she mentored students from various universities and spearheaded initiatives to promote athletic training in public safety agencies nationwide.

In addition to her teaching and athletic training roles, Nancy has been actively involved in research, professional presentations, and community service. Her dedication to advancing the field of athletic training is evident in her numerous publications, presentations at national and international conferences, and involvement in research projects aimed at improving safety standards in sports.

Nancy's contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including induction into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame and the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame. She continues to inspire future generations of athletic trainers through her mentorship and leadership roles in professional organizations.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Nancy is deeply committed to serving her community, participating in various charitable events and organizations aimed at promoting health and wellness.

Tim Kelly has been the Head Athletic Trainer at the United States Military Academy for the past 37 years where he oversees a staff of 20 full-time ATC’s that cover 28 sports and provide athletic training services to 1,050 cadet-athletes. He has served in numerous capacities at the state, regional and national levels. He is a former NY state president and has sat on New York State Board of Athletic Training for over 13 years. He has lectured extensively on the need for more certified athletic trainers in the military and is the former President of the Armed Forces Athletic Training Society. He is graduate of the University of Iowa Athletic Training Education program and received a Master’s Degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Linda’s 30 plus years of health care experience boasts an extensive management leadership background spanning clinical, outpatient rehabilitation, business ownership, as well as national roles in expanding worth and value to ancillary services and program development for outpatient clinics. She has served for state, regional and national health care associations including the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society, Athletic Trainers’ Society of New Jersey, National Athletic Trainers’ Association and Board of Certification, as well as the West Chester University Health Sciences Advisory Board, West Chester University Athletic Training Alumni Association Board, Harcum College Business Advisory Board and Alumni Award Committee. She recently retired as the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society and is currently Manager of Clinical Operations for Rothman Orthopaedics in Pennsylvania.Linda earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Student Design, Athletic Training from West Chester University and her Associate of Science degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant from Harcum College. Linda completed her Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion in 2004 at the California University of Pennsylvania.

Elaine is the Director of Athletic Training & Wellness for the Radio City Rockettes Madison Square Garden Entertainment. She has been part of the performing arts industry for her entire career. Following her time as a Radio City Rockette, Elaine integrated her professional experience as a dancer with the profession of athletic training and created the first in-house Athletic Training & Wellness Program for the Rockettes, where she currently works as the program’s director and head athletic trainer.

Elaine holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Master of Science Degree in Applied Physiology & Nutrition from Columbia University. She is a Certified Licensed Athletic Trainer and NY State Emergency Medical Technician and has held athletic training positions in a range of settings including high school, collegiate, corporate/industrial, and performing arts.

Elaine has served as the performing arts liaison for both the NATA’s Council on Employment and the Clinical and Emerging Practice Athletic Trainers’ Committee. Throughout her career, she has mentored many athletic trainers, teaching them the importance of demonstrating their value in their respective settings.

In addition to her work with the Rockettes, Elaine has implemented health and wellness programs for performing arts companies nationwide including Blue Man Group, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Troika Entertainment, and The Museum of Modern Art. Elaine is skilled at designing in-house programs, all resulting in significant injury reduction, allowing performers to have lasting careers.

She refers to dancers as performing athletes, uniting their abilities as refined artists with their capabilities as highly skilled athletes and is passionate about bringing healthcare to the performing arts industry.