Candidate for ALATA Vice President

• Michael Stevenson

• Karen Straub-Stanton

Candidates for ALATA Non-Officer Position

• Paul Crawford

Voting Information and Ballot

Michael Stevenson
Candidate for Vice President

Michael Stevenson is currently an ATC at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, AL, serving Butler High School through their Sports Center outreach program. Michael has been working with Butler High School since April 2008. Michael received his B.S. in Physical Education with an Emphasis in Athletic Training from Cumberland University (Lebanon, TN) in December 2003. Michael was employed with Huntsville Hospital’s Sports Center in February 2004, serving as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the arenafootball2 league. Michael accepted the position of Assistant Athletic Trainer at Alabama A&M University in October 2004, with his coverage including men’s basketball and women’s volleyball. Michael then accepted the Head Athletic Trainer position at Alabama A&M University in June 2005. He returned to Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN, to serve as the Assistant Athletic Trainer, covering football and men’s basketball, beginning in July 2006. Upon completion of his M.A. in Education in April 2008, Michael returned to Huntsville Hospital where he currently works as an ATC. In addition to being a speaker at the ALATA Symposium in 2009 and 2010, Michael received the ALATA Secondary School Athletic Trainer of the Year Award in May 2010.

Michael is married to the former Amanda Reece, and they reside in Meridianville, AL, and are expecting their first child in August 2010.

Karen Straub-Stanton
Candidate for Vice President

Karen Straub-Stanton, a native of Conyers, GA is in her 6th year as an assistant athletic trainer at Auburn University, assignments beginning with football and currently lending her talents to the administrative side of Sports Medicine.   Karen came to Auburn after spending four years as Associate Athletic Trainer / Clinical Coordinator at the University of West Alabama.  Her responsibilities included all aspects of sport health care for UWA's 11 intercollegiate sports with primary responsibility for baseball, softball and football.

Straub-Stanton is a 1998 graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Exercise Science.  She earned her Master's Degree in Sport Health Care from the Arizona School of Health Science in (then in Phoenix, AZ) in 2000.  After graduation, Straub-Stanton began her professional experience at Marcos De Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona serving as the Head Athletic Trainer from 1998-2000.  She moved back to the southeast and attained a position as Director of Sports Medicine for CCPT in New Orleans from 2000-2001.

Karen has maintained a high level of professional activity and service throughout her career.  Once returning to Alabama in 2001, she began her service with ALATA as a member of the public relations committee and coordinator and author of the ALATA News.  She was elected to the Executive Council in shortly after as a non officer and continued supporting the leadership of the state association.  She has served as Treasurer for the ALATA  for the past two terms.  In addition, Karen has served as the SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium  Case Study Coordinator since 2005 and is a faculty speaker for SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium.  She feels giving back to the profession is key to it's success and enjoys taking the field to the classroom at each opportunity and working to promote athletic trainers at the state, district and national levels.  She has lectured at the state, district and national level and is an integral part in the organization of the annual SEATA Athletic Training Student Symposium and the annual ALATA Symposium.  Currently, Straub-Stanton is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), the Southeast Athletic Trainers' Association (SEATA), and the Alabama Athletic Trainers'  Association.. 

Karen is married to Nathan Stanton of Coffeen, Illinois, and they have two children: Nathan Ezra Stanton born in May 2007 and Kalynn Virginia Stanton born November 15, 2009.

Paul Crawford
Candidate for Non-Officer Position

Paul Crawford received his BS degree from the University of North Alabama in 1988, a Masters degree from University of West Alabama in 1990, and his EdD degree from Delta State University in 1999.  He has been a Certified Athletic Trainer since 1989.  Paul currently works in the secondary setting at Central High School in Florence, AL as a teacher and an athletic trainer.  Paul worked as a clinical athletic trainer for the former Healthsouth Corp, from 1996-2000.  He also served as Head Athletic Trainer in the collegiate setting at Delta State University from 1992-1996.  Prior to 1992, he served as graduate assistant athletic trainer at UT-Chattanooga for a year and also worked for a year for the North Alabama Sports Medicine Institute.  Paul is also currently serving as adjunct Instructor in HPER department at University of West Alabama.

Paul has served ALATA as the chair of the Scholarship Committee for several years and also served a term on the Executive Board as a Non-Officer Member.

Paul resides in Florence, AL with his wife, Dana, and two children, Caitlyn and Cayla Dee.

Voting Information and Ballot

Leah Taylor, Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers Executive Secretary, will be presiding over these elections.  Please go to https://www.SignUp4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=ALAT11E to vote online OR print this ballot and mail so that is received by July 5, 2010 to:

Ms. Leah Taylor, Executive Secretary
Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers
PO Box 243011
Montgomery, Alabama  36124

Only certified/licensed athletic trainer or licensed athletic trainer members of ALATA are eligible to vote.  Voting begins June 20, 2010 and closes July 5, 2010 at 11 PM CDT; if mailed, the ballot must be received by July 5, 2010.