Announcing MoATA President-Elect Candidates
MoATA President-Elect Election will be August 1-21. On this page you can learn about each candidate through their interviews hosted by past president, Karen Fennell. In addition, through their President-Elect Statements to you, the members of MoATA. Please take time to learn about each candidate and have your voice heard by voting for our next President-Elect.
President-Elect Candidate, W. David Carr
MoATA Membership,
It is with a mixture of excitement and humility that I apply for the president-elect position. I am excited to be considered for a leadership role within an organization that gave me a start in the profession. My first state meeting as a newly minted clinician was here in Missouri back in 1994 while employed as an assistant athletic trainer at Saint Louis University. While my career took me to several other states, I have come full circle back to where it really started. I am humbled to be in consideration for a role previously filled by so many great leaders.
As my career took me to other states, I have learned from many excellent leaders about how to organize and run a membership organization. I believe that the core functions of any organization are membership benefits, advocacy in governmental affairs, and fiscal responsibility. My experience in membership benefits involves working on meeting planning committees in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and for District 5. While advocating for the profession through governmental affairs, I worked in Kansas on the State Board of Healing Arts, eventually chairing the Athletic Training Board, and as the Governmental Affairs representative. To support fiscal responsibility, I have served on the NATA Foundation Board of Directors and currently serve as the MoATA Treasurer. My work at the state, district, and national level has equipped me with a network of contacts to advance MoATA. This variety of experiences and contacts has given me a broad perspective of how membership organizations run, what works, and what does not work.
My vision for MoATA is to continue building upon previous success by expanding our annual meeting and CEU opportunities as direct benefits to the membership. I will continue advocating for legislative changes that benefit the profession with our practice act and third-party reimbursement efforts. I will work to ensure our fiscal solvency by proposing surplus budgets and advocating for investments that will benefit the organization over the long term.
Sincerely,
W. David Carr
President-Elect Candidate, Joe Whetstone
To the Members of the Missouri Athletic Trainers’ Association,
It is with great enthusiasm that I humbly enter my name to be considered for the position of President-Elect for the Missouri Athletic Trainers’ Association. Over the last several years, I have had the privilege to serve MoATA in varying capacities. Through this involvement, I have better learned the history and structure of the association. Our organization has had a long lineage of service-based leadership that has laid a foundation for us to build upon and better serve the physically active population of Missouri.
As athletic trainers today, we are part of an evolving, growing profession. Now, more than ever, we need to continue to promote our professional image while asserting ourselves as the qualified and competent healthcare providers that we have been educated to be.
The groundwork has been set with the recent passing of the Practice Act. This Act removes artificial barriers in patient populations and better defines the capabilities of the athletic trainer. We will be able to reap the fruits of this labor for years to come as this Act serves as a catalyst for change and presents new opportunities. Our future leadership will outline these prospective avenues and areas of growth, which should involve work towards non-discriminatory legislative language, thus leading to third party reimbursement and better recognition with payers.
Healthcare is at a crossroads and will be modeling towards a value-based care approach. The value an athletic trainer provides within any team, be it on the sidelines, in the clinic, backstage, in an assembly plant, or any other venue of care, is second to none. Given the depth and breadth our educational backgrounds provide, ATs will continue to be sought after more and more in the future. Through this demand, we will be able better leverage our worth, as well as negotiate better salaries and working conditions, thus improving the quality of life. Given the recent global situation, many have felt the effects personally and professionally. We will learn much in the coming months and years as we adapt to new standards and ways we can care for our patients. A lens will be drawn on wellness and the prevention of health issues, and ATs will serve in the forefront. A push towards increased utilization of athletic trainers in underserved areas is vital.
In this role, I will continue to educate others on the value of athletic training, as well as listen to the needs of our members from around the state. I plan to help us make new partnerships with key stakeholders in the healthcare industry and find opportunities to grow within our communities statewide. Missouri is a leader within District V, as well as the nation. We have several initiatives to advance our cause, and it is imperative for all to be involved. Together, we can transform healthcare. A deep respect of the past, awareness for the present, and preparation of the future is my approach to leadership. I would appreciate the chance to represent you, make your voice heard, and make a difference in our great profession.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Joe Whetstone, MS, ATC, LAT