GERARD WHITE - 2020

Gerard White, MEd, LAT, ATC is a native of Texarkana, TX and a current resident of Thibodaux, LA. He is the seventh of eight sons of the late Joseph and Margaret White. He is an active member to the athletic training profession with a long history of service in both professional organizations and athletic training education. Gerard has been an active member of the NATA since 1983 (37 years), with 36 of those years with SEATA practicing in Mississippi and Louisiana.

 

His passion for athletic training was instilled in him during his high school years where he volunteered as a student-aid for four years. His high school mentor, the late Charlie Reed, ensured Gerard’s journey by introducing him to the late Charlie Martin, LAT, ATC (NATA, SEATA, and LATA Hall of Famer), the head athletic trainer at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). During his undergraduate years at ULM (1982-1987), Gerard first experienced SEATA at a conference hosted by the Atlanta Falcons in Suwanee, GA. He continued his graduate studies serving as a graduate assistant athletic trainer and then as an assistant athletic trainer for ULM.

 

In 1989, Gerard was employed as the head athletic trainer for Waxahachie (TX) High School. One year later, he moved back into SEATA serving as the head athletic trainer at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS. Gerard was hired by Nicholls State University in 1992 as the head athletic trainer. During his 28 years tenure at Nicholls, he initiated the athletic training education program serving as the Program Director and then the Clinical Education Coordinator. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Health Sciences in the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

 

Gerard’s professional service in both state and district leadership roles began with his election as LATA Treasurer (1999-2007), with three of those years serving as the Louisiana Representative on the SEATA Executive Board (2004-2007). He was appointed as the SEATA Parliamentarian (2008-2010) and elected as President of LATA (2010-2016). In the summer of 2016, he began his first term as SEATA President. Additionally, he continues to serve to the Commission on Athletic Training Education (CAATE, 2008-present) as a Site Visitor.

 

He has been recognized for his contributions to athletic training and the community. Gerard was inducted into the LATA Hall of Fame (2016), the recipient of the SEATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2015), the SEATA Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit (2015), the SEATA President’s Award for Service (2011 & 2007), Nicholls State University Service Award (2011), the SEATA Educator’s Award (2008), Nicholls State University Academic Council Salute (2008), University of Louisiana at Monroe Athletics Hall of Fame (2007), NATA Service Award (2006), the SEATA Memorial Graduate Scholarship (1987), and the SEATA Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship (1985).

 

Gerard and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Thibodaux, LA where they are the proud parents of their daughter, Megan, age 16, who attends ED White Catholic High School. Gerard is a 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus member of the St. Genevieve of Paris Council #13397.

 

 

 

PATRICIA TRIPP - 2020

Patricia “Pattie” Tripp, PhD, LAT, ATC, CSCS is a Long Island, New York native. Mentored by Laurie Wright Doody, Mike Wasik, Chris Patrick, MaryBeth Horodyski, Christine Stopka and Tom Kaminski, Pattie successfully challenged the Board of Certification Examination and graduated from the University of Florida in December 1998. Pattie accepted a Graduate Assistantship at Auburn University and learned from Mike Roberts, Cindy Wall and Dr. Michael Goodlett. She earned her Master of Science in Biomechanics from Auburn in 2001. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Biomechanics) in 2004, at the University of Kentucky, under the direction of Carl Mattacola and Robert Shapiro. After finishing her PhD, she worked at the University of South Carolina with Women’s Basketball under Rod Walters. From 2005 – 2008, she was the Clinical Education Coordinator at Nova Southeastern University.

 

Dr. Tripp has been proudly working at her alma mater, the University of Florida, since 2008. She is a Clinical Associate Professor, who serves as the Associate Director of the Doctor of Athletic Training Program and Director of the CAATE Professional Athletic Training Program. Along with her husband, Dr. Brady Tripp, Pattie helped create the University of Florida’s Doctor of Athletic Training program. In collaboration with Dr. Guy Nicolette and Joan Frosch, Dr. Tripp initiated the inter-professional collaboration with Athletic Training and the School of Theatre and Dance to launch the Dance Wellness Clinic at the University of Florida, which she oversees.

 

Pattie served as a Board of Certification (BOC) Examiner for seven years at multiple test sites in Alabama, Kentucky and Florida. She represented District 9 (Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association) as a member of the NATA’s International Committee under the leadership of Mark Gibson. Mentored by Mike Wilkinson, Ray Castle and R.T. Floyd, Pattie served SEATA on the NATA Research & Education Foundation Board of Directors. She serves as a faculty member for the SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium, previously as lab coordinator and currently as co-chair for the Foundations Session. She is an active member of The Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida (ATAF), having served as a member and co-chair of the Education Committee, followed by two terms of service as Vice President of ATAF alongside President Erik Nason.

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Dr. Tripp has been a member of the NATA since 1995. She’s been recognized for her service with the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer (MDAT) Award from the NATA, the SEATA R.T. Floyd District Service Award, the MDAT from the ATAF, MDAT from SEATA, the NATA Service Award and the College/University Athletic Trainer of the Year Award from ATAF.

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Karen Lew Feirman - 2023

Karen Lew Feirman Karen Lew Feirman, DHSc, LAT, ATC is a New Orleans, LA native. Mentors Bob Goodwin, Ray Burr, Greg Harrod, and Dr. Reiss Plauche’ encouraged and supported Karen as she embraced a career in athletic training. In 1996, Karen received her Bachelor of Science degree and Certification in K-12 Health and Physical Education from the University of New Orleans. She then accepted a graduate assistant position working women’s basketball at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, where she earned a Master of Education degree in Human Performance. Karen graduated from Nova Southeastern University in August of 2016 with a Doctor of Health Science degree. Karen’s career began as a part-time assistant athletic trainer and instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University in 1998. In 2002, Karen was named the program director for the first CAATE accredited athletic training program in the state of Louisiana, a position she held until 2010. In 2010, she was hired as the clinical coordinator of the athletic training program at the University of Miami. After accepting a full-time position as the Director of Safety and Compliance for Varsity Spirit and an adjunct faculty position at the University of West Florida, Karen moved to Mobile, AL. She was named Vice President of Varsity University, while maintaining her position in safety and compliance for Varsity Spirit in 2020. Karen has been a member of the NATA since 1993 and involved with the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association throughout her career. In 2016, she was inducted into the Louisiana Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Athletic Trainer Service Award in 2016 and the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 2020, both from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. In 2018, she received the Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit from SEATA. She currently serves on the USA Cheer Medical Advisory Committee specializing in injury and illness prevention for cheerleading and dancers. In November of 2013, she was appointed the Director of Safety for USA Cheer. Karen has been a speaker at numerous state, district, and national meetings. She has given presentations at SEATA, NATA, LATA, MATA, ATAF, and iLead. Karen enjoys working with students and serving as a mentor for the NATA’s Student Leadership Committee. She served as the Director of Continuing Education for the LATA from 2004-2010. Since 2002 Karen has been a member of the SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium, currently serving as the Student Symposium Co-Chair. She is the co-chair of the PreProfessional Athletic Trainers Committee for ATAF and previously served as the Education Committee Co-Chair. Karen has several publications including, Athletic Training Exam Review: “A Student Guide to Success”, Seventh Edition, and has been published by the NATA and Cramer Athletics for her work in preventing and reducing injuries in cheerleading. She has participated as an athletic trainer and medical support staff for Varsity Spirit, including the National Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the London New Year’s Day Parade. Karen and her husband, LCDR Dan Feirman, USCG currently live in Milton, Florida with their two boys, Harrison (3) and Maxwell (8 months).

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Scott Byrd - 2023

Scott has been involved with athletic training and sports medicine for over 30 years. A graduate of Carson Newman University, Scott’s experience has been very diverse. While at Carson Newman, Scott completed a summer internship with the Knoxville Blue Jays. Upon graduation, Scott worked for Grainger County Schools and Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic as a Friday night football outreach staff from 1993-1997. Scott was then hired as the first full-time athletic trainer at Walters State Community College from 1997- 1999. Scott realized his passion was working with the secondary school setting and providing athletic training services to younger athletes that might not have access to an ATC. Scott was given the opportunity to create a comprehensive sports medicine program from scratch with the Sevier County School System. Over the next 20 years, he has consulted with over 50 secondary school programs to help place a full time AT in each high school. Scott has been recognized on many occasions for his efforts at the state, district and national levels. He has received the Clinical AT Award from both Tennessee and SEATA, the SSATC Award from SEATA, the Gatorade National Secondary School Service Award, the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award and was listed as a top 10 finalist in School Health Excellence by Magnus Health. Scott has served as the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association All-Star football medical coordinator since 2008. He also served as the Medical Coordinator for the National Guard Border Bowl Football KY-TN all-star game from 2007-2018. Scott has served as a member of the TSSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and TATS President. He is currently President of SEATA. Scott is a member of the Tennessee Athletic Trainers Society Hall of Fame. He has been with Ortho Tennessee as the Director of Sports Medicine Outreach since August of 2019. Scott feels that the mission and vision of Ortho Tennessee is second to none in terms of the sports medicine field. Scott serves as a Deacon at First Baptist Church in Dandridge as well as a member of FBC’s Safety and Security team. Scott enjoys spending time with his family, Carla and Sons, Colton, Jackson, and Hayden. He also enjoys playing golf and outdoors activities with his family.

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Christopher King - 2024

Born in Oneonta, Alabama, Chris King graduated from Oneonta High School in 1987. In 1985 he attend- ed a Cramer camp where he was mentored by Hall of Famers Chuck Kimmel and David Green. After high school he attended East Mississippi Junior College as a student athletic trainer in 1987-88 where he was introduced to Hall of Famer R. T. Floyd at Livingston University and has been a great influence on him to this day. In 1992, he graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Secondary Education/Athletic Training and studied under Hall of Famers Jim Gallaspy and "Doc" Harrington. With a strong desire to become a teacher and athletic trainer, he started his career back in Alabama. He spent 1992- 1993 at Boaz High School, then 1993-2000 at Pinson Valley High School, and eventually at Mortimer Jordan High School from 2000-2018. Since retiring from teaching, he now continues to teach young athletic trainers by overseeing multiple high schools and school systems.

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Early in his career, he was inspired to get involved in the growth of athletic training. He soon learned that change was best made through governmental affairs activities and that has been his passion. A proud member of the NATA since 1988; he has served in various roles of leadership including ALATA State President, GAC Chair, and Parliamentarian. He has served as Chairman of the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. In SEATA, he has served on the Executive Board, the Elections Committee, the Governmental Affairs Commit- tee, the Secondary School Committee, and the NATA GAC for District 9. GAC has been a passion of his including lobbying successfully for multiple laws in Alabama with his proudest being the 2021 Alabama Athletic Training Practice Act.

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He has had the honor of receiving the following recognitions: NATA Service Award (2018), NATA 25 Year Service Award (2013). SEATA High School AT of the Year (2011), SEATA R.T. Floyd District Award (2019), SEATA Nick Pappas Legislative Advocacy Award (2023), ALATA Hall of Fame (2018), ALATA Award of Merit (2019), ALATA Secondary School AT of the Year (2002).

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In 1996, he served as medical staff for the Olympics in Atlanta. His school was one of the first Safe Sports Schools in the country and the only high school to produce two Jack Cramer Scholarship winners. In 2001, he was recognized as Jefferson County Teacher of the Year. One of his proudest achievements is the multitude of former high school students that are now medical professionals, especially those that became athletic trainers.

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He is married to Amy King, a teacher and has two sons, Tyler a police officer and Andrew also a teacher. Both sons are Southern Miss Alumni.

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Amanda Benson - 2024

Amanda Benson, PhD, LAT, ATC is a native of Dunkirk, New York. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Buffalo and then pursued her master's degree at Eastern Kentucky University under Dr. Bobby Barton who ignited her passion for teaching. Amanda then received her doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2003 and had the privilege to be mentored by Jim Gallaspy.

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Amanda spent 11 years at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. During her tenure as a faculty within the Athletic Training program, she held various positions including Clinical Education Coordinator, Program Director, and Department Chair following in the foot- steps of John Anderson.

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Tn 2015, Dr. Benson moved to Baton Rouge to serve as the Clinical Education Coordinator and Assistant Program Director for Louisiana State University's Athletic Training Program. She assisted in the development of the Master of Science in Athletic Training degree and in 2022 she was appointed the Program Di- rector of that program.

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Amanda has actively been engaged in giving back to the Profession of Athletic Training for over 20 years at the State, District and National level. She was a member SEATA workshop committee for 10 years, 5 of which she served as the laboratory coordinator. She began the Student SEATA Senate and mentored that group for 7 years. She served as the District TX representative on the NATA Foundation Scholarship Committee which she ultimately chaired in for 6 years. She has also served as an exam writer and BOC examiner

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for the National Certification Exam, the District TX representative on the National College and University Committee, and numerous Ad HOC committees for SEATA. She is currently the Director of Professional Development & Continuing Education for the State of Louisiana.

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As a passionate educator, Dr. Benson has been extremely involved in providing a voice to the Southeast within the CAATE. As a peer reviewer for over 15 years she has conducted over 25 site visits, chaired the CAATE Review Team, worked on multiple CAATE development groups and is currently a member of the CAATE Peer review team. She has been part of the team that has developed numerous apps for students, ancillary study materials for textbooks and been a reviewer for numerous textbooks and journals.

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She has been a member of NATA since 1996 and a member of SEATA since 2000. She has been recognized for her service by receiving the NATA Service Award, the SEATA Education/Administration Award, the SEATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, the CAATE President's Award, the Alabama College Athletic Trainer Award and the Outstanding Teaching award at Troy University. She also has been the recipient of the Service and Community Engagement award for CHSE at Louisiana State University.

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Amanda and her husband Scott currently reside in Baton Rouge Louisiana are the proud parents of Jack (12) & Caroline (9).

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Mike Van Bruggen - 2025

Mike Van Bruggen is the head athletic trainer at Halls High School, provided by Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic. He served as an athletic trainer at West Greene High School in Mosheim, Tennessee, from 2023-24 and as associate athletic director for Sports Medicine at Carson-Newman University from 2001-2023. In addition to being a licensed and certified athletic trainer, Mike is a state-licensed advanced emergency medical technician. Van Bruggen is an active volunteer. Currently, he serves as a CPR instructor for both the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. He is a volunteer for the Medical Reserve Corps in East Tennessee and is currently the Vice President of Finance and chair of the Finance Committee for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation. Previously, Mike was the District 9 Director on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and was a State Ambassador prior to that. Mike has served the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer as a member of the Continuing Professional Certification Advisory Group and the Continuing Professional Certification Workgroup. Van Bruggen has been a member of the SEATA Executive Board and has chaired both the College & University Athletic Trainers’ Committee and the Governmental Affairs Committee. Mike has also been a member of the SEATA CUATC, Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Committee, Finance Committee, and the Policy & Procedures Workgroup. Mike was the Executive Board Liaison to the SEATA ATs Care Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee. Van Bruggen has served the National Athletic Trainers’ Association as a member of the State Association Advisory Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee as well as the Tim Kerrin Award for Excellence Workgroup. Additionally, Mike serves as an ATs Care CISM Team Member for NATA,, SEATA, and TATS. Mike has provided distinguished service to the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society, serving as a member and chair of numerous committees. He served four years as East Tennessee Representative to the TATS Executive Board followed by an additional four years as TATS Vice President and two years as President of the Society. In 2009, TATS awarded Mike the Eugene Smith/Mickey O’Brien College Athletic Trainer of the Year. In 2012, he was recognized as the NATA College & University Athletic Trainers’ Committee NCAA Division II Head Athletic Trainer of the Year. In 2016, he earned the R.T Floyd District Award from SEATA and the Athletic Training Service Award from NATA. In 2020, Van Bruggen was inducted into the TATS Hall of Fame. Mike was recognized as the Kenny Howard College/University Athletic Trainer of the Year by SEATA in 2023. In 2025, Mike was honored with the Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit by SEATA. In 2021, Carson-Newman University presented Mike with the SOAR Award, as the University’s staff person of the year. Also in 2021, The South Atlantic Conference presented Mike with the David Riggins Service Award for hiss leadership in developing policies and protocols to manage the return to sport during the COVID pandemic for the SAC’s member institutions. That same year, Van Bruggen and his staff were recognized by their peers as the Athletic Training Staff of the Year in the SAC. Prior to arriving in Tennessee, Mike was the head athletic trainer and assistant athletic director at Howard Payne University in Texas. He also has held appointments at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Arizona, and in the New York Mets Minor League Baseball system. Mike earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree from the University of Arizona and his EMT certificate from Walters State Community College.

 

 

 

 

Peggy Bratt - 2025

Peggy Bratt, ATC, LAT, NREMT, is a graduate of Maryville College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. Certified since 2000, Peggy has been the Head Athletic Trainer at Alcoa High School since 2000 and has served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Maryville College. Peggy served as Outreach Coordinator at Appalachian Therapy Center from 2000-2009, where she was responsible for coordinating athletic trainer coverage for five local high schools. In 2009, Appalachian Therapy merged with Blount Memorial Hospital, where in June 2009; Peggy took over as Sports Medicine Coordinator. The lion’s share of her time as an Athletic Trainer is at Alcoa High School, serving 15 varsity sports and coordinating all sports medicine care. It is notable that during Peggy’s tenure at Alcoa High, the football team has won 19 state championships in football, including the last 10. Peggy most recently was President of SEATA after moving up from her role as Vice-President. Prior to that, she served the Tennessee Athletic Trainers Society as President (2018-2020), Vice-President (2015-2018), Secretary (2010-2014), and Public Relations Chair (2006-2010). She has been active in both state and district organizations since 2004, first serving on the Secondary Schools Committee where she remained until 2010. She has been the Tennessee Representative to the SEATA Public Relations Committee (2010-2014). She has been the Tennessee representative to SEATA’s Women in Athletic Training Committee, and then the Life Balance Task Force, from 2006-2012. She has been a member of the TSSAA Wrestling Weight Management Executive Committee since its inception in 2003. She has served several other organizations as either Head or Assistant Athletic Trainer. Those include the TACA Tennessee All-Star football team from 2000-2005, the United States Field Hockey Association from 2001-2003, the Tennessee East/West football game from 2023-2024, and the AAU Junior Olympics in 2002. Since 2006, she has coordinated an annual week-long student athletic trainer camp at Maryville College for local Blount and Monroe County students. She implemented a shortened version of this camp in Elizabethton beginning in 2011. She received the Sandy Sandlin High School Athletic Trainer of the Year award in 2007. She was a columnist for The Blount Today, a local weekly newspaper, a First Aid/CPR instructor for the American Red Cross and The American Heart Association and has been an ASEP Sports First Aid instructor for the TSSAA. In 2019 she received the NATA Athletic Training Service Award. She has served on the TSSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee since 2021. In 2021, Peggy was awarded the SEATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and was in the 2023 TATS Hall of Fame class. Peggy is married to Steve Covington and the parent to three children, Chloe, Robert, and Greyson. In her free time, she enjoys travel, scuba diving, and reading.

 

 

 

Ray Burr - 2025

James Rayford "Ray" Burr is a native of McCall Creek, Mississippi, and a 1982 graduate of Franklin County High School. He attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College from 1982-1984 and The University of Southern Mississippi from 1984-1988. While at Southern Miss he was privileged to work under NATA and SEATA Hall of Famer’s Larry “Doc” Harrington and Jim Gallaspy. In 1989 Ray was hired as a certified athletic trainer at Slidell Memorial Hospital providing athletic training services to 5 area high schools. In January of 1992 Ray re-entered The University of Southern Mississippi to complete his Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. He was an assistant athletic intern with The University of Arkansas in 1993, an assistant athletic trainer at The University of New Orleans from 1993-1997, and an assistant athletic trainer at The University of Memphis from 1997-2002. In 2002, Ray began an 18-year run as an athletic trainer with Mississippi Sports Medicine covering high schools in Southwest Mississippi. He was an athletic trainer for the 1992 US Olympic Track and Field Trials and the 1993 NCAA Track and Field Championships which were both held in New Orleans, LA. In 1995 Burr was selected as a volunteer certified athletic trainer at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. He was a proud instructor at the Southern Miss Student Athletic Training Workshop for 30 years. From 2003 to the present, he has been a member of the SEATA Honors and Awards committee, serving as chair from 2015-2023. He also resides as a member on the SEATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer committee. He has also served on the Mississippi Athletic Trainers Association Executive Committee as Treasure. Burr is the receiptant of the 2017 NATA Service Award. Ray has 2 younger sister, Nan, and Jan, and 4 beautiful nieces; Abby, Caleigh, Macie, and Carmon.