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Chris Leary and Erin Koukopoulos Selected to National Athletic Trainers' Association Committees

General

Chris Leary and Erin Koukopoulos Selected to National Athletic Trainers' Association Committees

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Southern Connecticut State University Head Athletic Trainer Chris Leary and Assistant Athletic Trainer Erin Koukopoulos have been selected to serve on national committees for the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA).

Both appointments run through 2030 and recognize their leadership and commitment to advancing athletic healthcare at the collegiate and national level.

"We are incredibly proud of Chris and Erin," Director of Athletics & Recreation Terrance Jones said. "Their selection to these prestigious national committees is a testament to their dedication to our student-athletes and to the profession. They will be outstanding voices for Division II, for District One, and for Southern Connecticut State University."

Leary was selected as one of the NCAA Division II representatives to the NATA Intercollegiate Council for Sports Medicine (ICSM), formerly known as the College/University Athletic Trainers' Committee (CUATC).

The ICSM addresses issues affecting the student-athlete and athletic trainers at the collegiate level. The council identifies relevant, timely issues in the field of athletic training and collaborates with various organizing bodies of collegiate and intercollegiate athletics to improve student-athlete safety, wellbeing and healthcare by influencing policy and providing resources.

"I'm grateful to be selected to the ICSM as the NCAA Division Two representative," Leary said. "I am excited to contribute to the future of collegiate athletic healthcare and committed to collaborating with colleagues along the way. Serving on the ICSM will continue the advancement of this great profession and ensure the highest quality of care for collegiate student-athletes."

Koukopoulos and was selected as the District One representative — representing Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — to the NATA Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee (EDAC).

The mission of the Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee is to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors of the NATA. Its aim is to identify and address issues relevant to the ethnically diverse populations to better serve the needs of patients, as well as members of the profession. 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.

"I am honored to be able to serve as the D1 representative on the NATA EDAC board," Koukopoulos said. "I take pride in being a part of a committee that's core values revolve around advocacy and support for diverse and ethnic cultures and I am hopeful to bring what I learn at the national level back to Southern."

The selections place two members of the SCSU Owls sports medicine staff in influential national roles shaping policy, education, and advocacy for the athletic training profession.
 
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