The Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research, The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Research Award and The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Research Award are presented annually to deserving researchers among the NATA membership.
Research Awards Eligibility Criteria.

Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research
The NATA Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research recognizes an established researcher who has sustained a prolific body of work that has contributed to research in the field of athletic training and health care.

2023 Award Recipient: Tamara C. Valovich McLeod, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAK

Dr. Tamara Valovich McLeod is the Chair of the Department of Athletic Training, Professor of Athletic Training, Research Professor in the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, and the John P. Wood, D.O., Endowed Chair for Sports Medicine at A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. Dr. McLeod completed her bachelor’s degree in sports medicine from Mercyhurst University, her master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Colorado, and her doctor of philosophy degree in education with an emphasis in sports medicine from the University of Virginia. She was the founding director of the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network and her research has focused on pediatric sport-related concussion and youth sports safety. Her primary research line investigates academic outcomes and health-related quality of life following concussion. Dr. McLeod’s research has provided some of the first evidence that concussion affects patients beyond physical functioning, impacting emotional, social, and school functioning, addressing important gaps in our understanding of pediatric sport-related concussion. Her focus on the patient perspective has elevated the management and care of pediatric patients following concussion, ensuring that clinicians provide whole person, patient-centered healthcare to optimize outcomes.

Dr. McLeod was a contributing author for the 2004 and 2014 NATA Position Statements on the Management of Sport-Related Concussion, the lead author on the NATA Position Statement on the Prevention of Pediatric Overuse Injuries, and a consultant and contributing author on the Appropriate Medical Coverage for Secondary School-Aged Athletes and Appropriate Medical Care Standards. She is heavily involved in professional service with the Arizona Interscholastic Association, NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee, Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society (PRiSM), the Journal of Athletic Training, and the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. Dr. McLeod has been recognized with the PRiSM National Achievement Award for Athletic Training and was inducted as a fellow of the NATA in 2011, the National Academy of Kinesiology in 2022, and will be inducted into the National Academies of Practice – Athletic Training as a Distinguished Scholar Fellow in 2023.

Outside of work, Dr. McLeod is an avid runner and hiker hitting the trails in the many mountain preserves near Phoenix. She enjoys spending time outdoors and traveling with her husband Ian, children, Allister and Kalyn, and labradoodle Skye.

The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Award
The Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu New Investigator Award (formerly named The New Investigator Award), recognizes a researcher who is likely to continue to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge in athletic training and health care.

2023 Award Recipient: Neal Glaviano, PhD, ATC

Dr. Neal Glaviano is an Assistant Professor and co-director of the Sport Optimization and Rehabilitation Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. He is also a member of the University of Connecticut Institute for Sports Medicine. Dr. Glaviano received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut and then a Masters in Education degree in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia. Dr. Glaviano worked clinically for four years in a private physical therapy clinic and high school in Connecticut before returning to the University of Virginia, where he completed his doctoral studies in Sports Medicine in 2016. He served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toledo for four years before returning to the University of Connecticut in 2020. Dr. Glaviano’s research interest is centered on improving the long-term negative consequences experiences by individuals with patellofemoral pain, with an emphasis on developing successful interventions to improve patient outcomes.

The NATA Foundation is grateful for the endowment established honoring Dr. Freddie & Mrs. Hilda Pang Fu.  Read more about the Fu’s endowment and legacy here.

The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award
The David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding doctoral student research in athletic training and health care.

2023 Award Recipient: Allyssa Memmini, PhD, LAT, ATC

Dr. Allyssa Memmini earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015, followed by a Master’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Kentucky in 2018. She then completed her Ph.D. in Movement Science at the University of Michigan in 2022, where she served as a graduate research assistant in the Concussion Center under the guidance of Dr. Steven Broglio.

Dr. Memmini is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. Her work focuses on improving communication pathways between medical and academic teams in higher education to support students returning to learn after sustaining a concussion. In addition, she is interested in understanding how the intersection of student identity (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, first-generation status, etc.) influences the likelihood of seeking academic supports following a concussion. Ultimately, she hopes her work will influence both medical and academic disciplines to ensure all students feel supported as they transition back to their coursework.

The NATA Foundation is grateful for the endowment established honoring David H. Perrin, PhD, ATC. Read more about the David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award Endowment here.

The NATA Research & Education Foundation Board of Directors recognizes those representative of advancing the athletic training profession through the Foundation’s mission, efforts and initiatives.
The awards currently include: the Lifetime Contribution Award; the Rachael Oats Leadership Award (formerly the President’s Award); the Volunteer Service Award; and the Impact Service Award (formerly the New Initiative Award).

Rachael Oats Leadership Award
The Foundation’s “President’s Award” was renamed in 2020 to honor the legacy of the Foundation’s former Director, Rachael Oats – this award allows the President of the NATA Research & Education Foundation to recognize those representative of Rachael’s exemplary characteristics of leadership, selflessness, commitment, and loyalty to the NATA Foundation, its volunteers and its donors.

2023 Award Recipient: Velma Meza
Velma has served the Foundation with the highest level of professionalism and loyalty for over 15 years. She began her career with NATA as “Foundation Associate” (2006-2009), providing support for the Foundation’s fundraising events and programs.  After transitioning to the Knowledge Initiatives department in 2010, she has continued  to provide administrative support and leadership to the Foundation’s Free Communications Committee including: assisting with issuing the annual call for abstracts, receiving and preparing submissions for review by the committee, troubleshooting problems with the submission portal, and notifying applicants of the outcome of review. She also plays an integral role in the scheduling of all free communications sessions during NATA’s annual convention, and coordinating the publication of accepted abstracts in the Journal of Athletic Training. Though Velma’s primary duties are now with the NATA, she has said on several occasions that her work with the Free Communications Committee is one of her most valued roles.

In addition, Velma contributes to the advancement of the Foundation’s mission through her Circle of Champions membership.  All of her efforts demonstrate her long standing leadership and unwavering support for the Foundation’s mission, it’s programs, and it’s volunteers.

Volunteer Service Award
Awarded to an individual for their exemplary volunteer service advancing the NATA Research & Education Foundation.

2023 Award Recipient: Stephanie Singe, PhD, ATC, FNATA
Stephanie has demonstrated a substantial commitment to serving the NATA Foundation. She has served in numerous roles including: Scholarship Committee member (2009-2015); Free Communications Committee member (2013-2019); Student Writing Contest Committee member (2016-2022); Athletic Training Research Agenda Committee member (2020-2023); Research Committee member (2022-2025).

Most notably, Stephanie has served as the Co-Chair and Committee Chair of the Foundation’s Faculty Mentor Program (2015-2024).  Working closely with Sara Nottingham, she provided exceptional leadership and successfully recruited and matched mentees and mentors. Stephanie also played a critical role in moving this program to the committee level and in recruiting committee members to execute the program, and developing policies and procedures to codify the important work of the committee. During her time with the Faculty Mentor Program, they have matched nearly 100 early career faculty members with experienced faculty members and established researchers to support successful career trajectories for these individuals.

Impact Service Award
Awarded to an individual for their exemplary grass roots initiatives which provided significant advancement of the NATA Research & Education Foundation.

2023 Award Recipient: Dawn Emerson, PhD, ATC
Dawn is recognized for her tireless efforts and strong leadership to support the Foundation’s commitment to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She served on the Foundation’s original DEI task force in 2020,  followed by leading one of 3 board-member workgroups, charged to ensure DEI is thoughtfully considered and applied throughout all of the Foundation’s processes, programs, and volunteer recruitment.

Since 2021, Dawn has led the Foundation’s consolidated DEI workgroup. Under her leadership the consolidated DEI workgroup has developed and implemented training for all  Foundation volunteers including board members, programmatic chairs and committee members. She has also led this group with developing a plan to evaluate barriers to the Foundation’s programs. Dawn’s leadership and commitment to the Foundation’s DEI initiatives will impact the trajectory of the NATA Research & Education Foundation for years to come.