DALLAS – The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has announced that two current board members will take on new leadership roles. The board of directors elected Marisa Brunett, MS, ATC, LAT, as vice president, and Chris Hall, MA, ATC, LAT, was appointed by President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC, to the position of secretary/treasurer. Brunett replaces Lindley, whose presidential term began June 28; Hall replaces Timothy Weston, MEd, ATC, who completed his board term in June.
“Marisa and Chris have brought an undeniable commitment and great vision to the boardroom, and we are excited to increase their responsibilities as we move into the next year,” said Lindley. “Both have played a critical role in advancing NATA’s strategic plan and the athletic training profession and will continue to be champions on behalf of our members.”
Marisa Brunett, MS, ATC, LAT
Marisa Brunett, MS, ATC, LAT, is currently the director of public relations and outpatient and community services for Nirvana Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Services & Nirvana Health Services, Inc. in Central Florida. Her focus includes working to expand sports medicine/athletic training services, as well as marketing and public relations within the community for outpatient rehabilitation and home health services. She previously served as the director of Marketing and Professional Services Development for Orlando Orthopaedic Center where she also managed the sports medicine program.
In addition to serving on numerous National Athletic Trainers’ Association committees, in June 2015, Brunett completed her second term as Public Relations Committee chair. Previously, she was on the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association (SEATA) executive board, including her role as vice president and chair of several committees. In addition, she held several positions with the Athletic Trainers’ Association of Florida (ATAF) including president and vice president.
Brunett was inducted into the SEATA Hall of Fame in 2011 and the ATAF Hall of Fame in 2008. She received many awards including NATA’s Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award and Athletic Trainer Service Award. A native of Clarksburg, West Virginia, Brunett currently resides in Winter Springs, Florida. She earned her undergraduate degree at West Virginia University and graduate degree from Florida State University.
Chris Hall, MA, ATC, LAT
Chris Hall, MA, ATC, LAT, is an athletic trainer and manager of business services for Texas Health Sports Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas, where he supports the five clinics that serve 16 counties in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He previously was the assistant athletic director for sports medicine at Texas Christian University before retiring after 30 years of service. During his tenure at TCU, he reached 1000 games covering the men’s basketball team.
Hall has volunteered in numerous roles for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association (SWATA), including his service on the SWATA executive board, as well as SWATA convention committee co-chair and relocation committee chair.
Among the many awards Hall has received are the NATA Athletic Trainer Service Award, Eddie Wojecki Award and Bobby Gunn Award, both from SWATA, and the Doug Gibbons Above and Beyond Award from the North Texas Athletic Trainers’ Society. In July 2018, he was elected to the SWATA Hall of Fame for his service to the profession and to the membership of SWATA. Under Hall’s leadership, the TCU sports medicine staff was named Staff of the Year by the Mountain West Conference in 2010. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Hall currently lives in Colleyville, Texas. He received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from TCU.
NATA is divided into 10 geographic districts. District Six, which Hall leads, covers Arkansas and Texas; District Nine which is championed by Brunett, includes Alabama, Florida