Athletic Training
At Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, we recognize the value in athletic training, which is why the standards for our trainers are so high. Athletic trainers (AT) are well-educated healthcare professionals skilled in the prevention, recognition, management, and rehabilitation of injuries that result from physical activity.
Specifically, the AT specializes in five practice areas or domains: prevention of athletic injuries, recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries, rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries, health care administration, and professional development.
Athletic trainers function as an integral member of the health care team. The AT works under the direction of a licensed physician and in cooperation with other health care professionals, athletics administrators, coaches and parents. Each athletic trainer has fulfilled the requirements for certification established by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification, Inc. He/she must also be licensed by the state through the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board.
To help support the health and well-being of our local high school athletes, Beacon provides many of the top schools with athletic trainers. See below for more details on our athletic trainers or for a list of the schools and teams, click the button below:
Mike Slemons – Manager of High School & College Outreach
Mike is joining Beacon Orthopaedics with over 30 years of experience as an Athletic Trainer and is currently the Manager of High School & College outreach, allowing him to maintain and develop new business as it relates to the sports medicine needs of our community.
He obtained his master’s degree in health and nutrition sciences from the University of Cincinnati and is fellowship trained in human biomechanics from the Gray Institute.
Mike was formerly the Director of Human Movement and Strength at Wellington Sports medicine and co-founder of the Running Academy. Mike spent 15 years as the athletic trainer for Anderson High School, while treating patients in the physical therapy department. Mike also serves as a biomechanical consultant to the Kansas City Royals.
Mike and his wife, Dawn, reside in Anderson Township. They have two children who attend the University of Cincinnati. Their daughter Jordan is majoring in Health and Exercise Science and their son Grayson is attending the Lindner School of Business, majoring in business and finance.
Craig Lindsey – ATC Manager
Craig has served as the Head Athletic Trainer at Archbishop Moeller High School since 1995. In 1992 he earned his B.A. Degree in Physical Education and Health from Berea College. He then completed the Athletic Training Curriculum from Wright State University in the Spring of 1995.
In addition to his duties at Moeller High School, Craig also serves as the Lead Athletic Trainer for Beacon Orthopaedics, where he works extremely close Mike Slemons, who serves as our Manager of High School & College Outreach.
Craig is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Greater Cincinnati Athletic Trainers’ Association. He proudly serves as an Approved Clinical Instructor for the following Athletic Training College Programs: University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University and Wright State University; which provides high school internship opportunities for their athletic training students.
Craig and his wife, Robin reside in Hebron, Kentucky with their two children, Austin & Ashlee.
Brittany Bingham
Brittany Bingham currently serves as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Wilmington College. Her primary responsibilities are women’s volleyball, men’s basketball, and baseball. She received her B.S. in Athletic Training from High Point University and her M.A. in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. Brittany’s Athletic Training career has taken her all over the United States, working with athletes in the high school setting, NCAA DI and DII, as well as club and recreational sports. Brittany currently serves as the NATA Liaison to NIRSA and is a part-time instructor at Wilmington College.
Susan Blackson
Susan is a certified athletic trainer at Indian Hill High School and also works with Craig Lindsey and Mike Slemons organizing outreach event coverage. She has been with Beacon since 2012. Susan is a native of Strongsville, OH and received her bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from Marietta College in 2001 and her master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Florida in 2003. Since being certified as an athletic trainer in 2001, she has worked at both the high school and collegiate levels and has also worked in the education of undergraduate athletic training students. She is currently an approved clinical instructor for the Master’s program at Xavier University. She lives in Northern Kentucky with her husband, Cory, their daughter, Emily and their son, Colin.
Morgan Cabe
Morgan Cabe is currently a Certified Athletic Trainer at Oak Hills High School and Middle School. Morgan is a Cincinnati native and alum of Oak Hills High School. She recently graduated Ohio Northern University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, where she was a cheerleader all 4 years. She is currently getting her Master’s in Education with the goal of becoming a high school science teacher. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Kendall Cramer
Kendall Cramer is a Certified Athletic Trainer at Talawanda High School. She is originally from the Oxford area and is a Talawanda High School alumni. Kendall attended Miami University where she graduated with a B.S. in Athletic Training in 2021 and is currently pursuing her MBA. In her free time, Kendall enjoys skiing, hiking, reading, and spending time with family.
Dan Forcum
Dan has been the Head Athletic Trainer at LaSalle HS since 2005. He graduated from the College of Mount St Joseph in 2003 with a B.S in Athletic Training. Dan has been employed by Beacon Orthopedics since the spring of 2007 serving the La Salle community and helping in the West PT office. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, hiking and camping, obstacle course racing and training, the Bengals, and spending time with his family. Dan and his wife Nicole live in Westwood with their 2 children Logan and Holli.
Tanner Harned
Tanner Harned is the Head Athletic Trainer for the Florence Y’alls baseball team. Tanner is from Berea, Kentucky and first came to the Cincinnati area to attend college at Northern Kentucky University. After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, he worked at Lexington Clinic Orthopedics and Sports Medicine before going back to school to pursue his masters in exercise science at Auburn University. After graduating from Auburn, Tanner returned to Cincinnati, working at Cincinnati Children’s hospital for 5 years in the outreach program. He primarily served at Woodward Career Technical High School, but also helped at Western Hills and Hughes STEM school. Tanner is passionate about service, and helping athletes reach their maximum potential. Outside of work, Tanner enjoys spending time with his wife, Sicari, and their animals. He loves being outdoors to hike and camp. He also enjoys hockey and playing guitar.
Vanessa Heath
Vanessa has been serving as an Athletic Trainer for Mason High School since 2022. She originally grew up in the Mason area and is an alumnus of Mason High School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Miami University in 2022. She has prior experience with Varsity Cheer and has traveled out of state for nationwide tournaments. Her future endeavors include getting a master’s degree in dietetics or pursuing a Physical Therapy career. In her spare time, she likes to kayak and attend sporting events as a spectator.
Sammy Hendricks
Sammy Hendricks is the Head Athletic Trainer at East Central High School & East Central Middle School in St. Leon, IN. She teaches an Athletic Training class at East Central High School as well. Sammy started with Beacon in 2017. She is an Ohio native from Harrison, where she is a graduate of Harrison High School. Sammy attended Northern Kentucky University for college where she graduated with a B.S. in Athletic Training in 2017. She is a licensed Athletic Trainer in both Indiana and Ohio, a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, and is a certified instructor in CPR/AED/First Aid through the Emergency Care & Safety Institute. She is so proud to serve her athletes at East Central as well as the community of St. Leon. In her free time, Sammy loves to attend Country Music concerts, sporting events, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. She currently lives in Harrison with her husband, Kyler, and their German Shepherd fur-baby, Cooper.
Hayley Wullenweber
Hayley Wullenweber is a Certified Athletic Trainer at Wyoming High School & Middle School since starting with Beacon Orthopaedics in 2016. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and a Colerain High School alumni, Hayley attended Xavier University and graduated with a BS in Athletic Training from their athletic training program in 2016. She is a licensed athletic trainer (Ohio) and a member of the NATA, OATA, and GCATA. In addition to her duties at Wyoming City Schools, she also assists Josh Clarke with implementing the Beacon Orthopaedic and Research Foundation’s Bioskills Lab Program, helps with the many outreach events Beacon covers and spends time in the Miamisburg PT Clinic. In her free time she enjoys traveling, hiking in National Parks and spending time with her soon to be husband Andrew.
CJ Hubbard
CJ is a Certified Athletic Trainer for Lakota West High School and Freshman School. CJ is a local native and alumnus of Monroe High School. He attended Wright State University where he earned a BS in Athletic Training and earned his Athletic Training certification and Ohio licensure in August 2019. CJ began his career with another health organization, practicing in the greater Dayton area until Summer of 2021 when he began his career with Beacon Orthopedics. CJ is familiar with Beacon Orthopedics because he was here as an intern in multiple roles in the clinic before graduating in Summer of 2019. CJ is a Member of NATA, OATA, GLATA, and GDATA.
Mark Keiser
Mark Keiser is a Certified Athletic Trainer and a part of the Beacon Bridge and Tactical Programs, specializing in Beacon’s Baseball Throwing Program. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Ohio University and a Master’s degree in Athletic Training from East Carolina University. Mark is also the assistant athletic trainer at Moeller High School. Mark is dedicated to helping athletes heal from injuries and optimize their performance. He has previously worked as a Minor League Athletic Trainer and was with the Kansas City Royals for several years, including 2015 for their World Series win.
Mark is an Ohio native and currently resides in Taylor Mill, KY with his wife Rachel and their children Blair and Barrett.
Nic Keuler
Nic is the lead athletic trainer at Lakota West High School. Originally from Salem, Oregon, Nic received his undergraduate degree from Oregon State University in 2004, and his Master’s in Science from the University of Idaho in 2006. After finishing grad school, Nic moved out to Ohio to be an intern athletic trainer with the University of Cincinnati working closely with future MLB players and an Olympic gold medalist. He then moved on to Hamilton High School, where he was for 13 years until 2020 when he came to Lakota West and Beacon Orthopaedics. Nic lives in Liberty Township with his wife Kelsy and their 2 children, Lucas and Lilah.
Terri Konte
Terri has been an athletic trainer for Indian Hill High School since 1990 (Head Athletic Trainer since 1996). A native of Mentor, Ohio, Terri attended the University of Cincinnati where she earned an undergraduate degree in Athletic Training/Health Education and Promotion (1990) and a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology (1994). She is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, Ohio Athletic Trainers Association, Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association and a Licensed Athletic Trainer (Ohio). She is also a Certified Instructor in CPR/First Aid through the Emergency Care & Safety Institute (ECSI). Terri is also currently an approved clinical instructor for the Master’s program at Xavier University. In her free time, Terri likes to travel, cheer on her Cleveland teams and spend time with family.
Becca Lemmel
Becca is the certified athletic trainer for Mount Notre Dame High School, and spends some time in the physical therapy clinic at Beacon Summit Woods. She has been with Beacon since 2012. Becca received her BS in Athletic Training from Ohio University (2012). She is a licensed athletic trainer, a member of the NATA, GLATA, and OATA. She is a Cincinnati native and McAuley High School alumna. After facing sport-ending knee injuries, Becca still partakes in Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit classes. She loves hiking with her dogs, traveling, and attending FC Cincinnati games all with her husband, Chris.
Joe Lucas
Joe has been the Head Athletic Trainer at CHCA since 2004. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion & Education with emphasis in Athletic Training from the University of Cincinnati in 1998. He spent one year as an intern with the Cincinnati Bengals, then completed his graduate assistantship with a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Auburn University in 2001. During his free time he likes to work on home improvement projects, watch UC and Auburn sports. He lives in Northern Kentucky with his wife (Sacha), son (Andrew) and daughter (Parker).
Nico Martin
Nico is a Certified Athletic Trainer at Mason High School and a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association. She has a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and a Master of Science in Exercise Science and Human Performance, as well as being a certified exercise physiologist. Her services encompass knowledge and guidance with physiological health, physical fitness, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. Nico’s career has allowed her to chase her passion for sports, with an emphasis on the physiology and biomechanics of athletic movement, with experiences in many hospital, military, and collegiate athletic settings.
Abigail Mathews
Abigail Mathews is currently a Certified Athletic Trainer at Ross High School. During her time at Beacon, she has had a significant role assisting many of our schools on an as needed basis. Abigail is a Cincinnati native and alum of Lakota East High School. She recently graduated Ohio Northern University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, where she played collegiate soccer all 4 years. In her free time, she enjoys working out, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Amanda Merrell
Amanda is the Head Athletic Trainer at Lawrenceburg High School. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio Amanda graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Cedarville University in 2020. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Exercise Science from Liberty University. Amanda is proud to serve the Lawrenceburg High School student athletes alongside the LHS staff.
Katie Miller
Katie has served as an Athletic Trainer at Oak Hills High School since 2011. Katie graduated from the College of Mount St. Joseph with a B.S. in Athletic Training in 2007. Katie is also a 2003 alum of Oak Hills. In addition to her work at the high school she also works with the Little Highlanders and all 3 middle schools in the district. Katie and her husband Elliott live in the Oak Hills District with their son Kaden.
Alex Mueller
Alex Mueller serves as the athletic trainer for Hopewell and Liberty Middle schools and helps with coverage at Lakota East High School. Originally from Cincinnati, and a Fairfield High School alumni, he graduated from Miami University in 2018 with his Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training.
Joining the Beacon staff in 2019, he has provided coverage for various sporting events, including the rodeo. In his spare time he enjoys watching the Bengals and Reds, along with spending time with friends and family.
Mike Olds
Mike is the Head Athletic Trainer at Kings High School, works with athletes of Midland Baseball, and also sees patients at Beacon Summit Wood’s physical therapy clinic.
Caitlin Perry
Caitlin graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. Her work experience includes: Troy High School, Atrium Medical Center with Middletown High School, and now with Beacon at Lakota East High School.
Alex Popken
Alex currently works as a Certified Athletic Trainer at LaSalle High School and Beacon West Physical Therapy Clinic. She received her BS in Athletic Training from The Ohio State University in 2017. She is from Cincinnati (White Oak) and attended Mount Notre Dame High School. In her free time she enjoys working out, running Spartan Races, and hanging out with family and friends.
Sara Reuscher
Sara is a certified athletic trainer for Lakota West High School. She is a Cincinnati native and alumna of Mount Notre Dame High School and the College of Mount St. Joseph where she earned a BS in Athletic Training. She obtained her Athletic Training certification and licensure in 2008 and has since worked with the Lakota School District through another organization until 2016 where she transitioned to Beacon Orthopaedics. She is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, Great Lakes Athletic Trainers Association, Ohio Athletic Trainers Association, and Greater Cincinnati Athletic Trainers Association.
Jacob Steinmetz
Jacob Steinmetz, is a certified athletic trainer at Oak Hills High School, working alongside Katie Miller. He is a graduate of Thomas More University, where he completed his Master of Science in Athletic Training in 2021. While at Thomas More University, Jacob was able to gain valuable experience providing athletic training services at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels throughout his clinical rotations. He currently lives in Bright, Indiana and enjoys spending his free time watching the Cincinnati sports teams, lifting weights, and spending time with friends.
Kevin Stokes
Kevin Stokes is the lead athletic trainer for Lakota East High School. Kevin comes to Lakota East and Beacon from Middletown High School and Premier Health. Kevin is from Morehead, KY, and he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville. From there, he went to University of Arkansas for his Master’s degree. While at Arkansas, Kevin worked with the Razorback’s nationally ranked women’s track and field team, along with their women’s soccer and tennis teams. After receiving his master’s degree, Kevin went on to work at the University of Cincinnati. While with the Bearcats, he worked with the track and field, rowing, and swimming and diving programs. He then went to the University of Mississippi and worked with the track and field team. Kevin left Ole Miss and started working with Campbell Clinic out of Memphis, TN. He moved back to the Cincinnati area to work at Middletown High School and Premier Health, prior to joining Lakota East and Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Kevin currently lives in Lebanon, OH with his wife Nikki, and three kids Kylei, Georgia and Joey.
Josh True
Josh True is the lead Certified Athletic Trainer for Beacon’s Bridge Program. Josh is a Certified Athletic Trainer through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as certified in the Functional Movement Screen, Y Balance Test, Functional Capacity Screen, and Selective Functional Movement Assessment through Functional Movement Systems. He is certified in Graston Technique and Myofascial Decompression Treatment. Josh is a member of the NATA, GLATA, OATA, GCATA, NSCA, and FMS. Josh is originally from Nebraska. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and his Master of Arts in Exercise Physiology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Josh began his career at Washington High School in Indiana, then continued his career at Warren Central High School/Methodist Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, and Indiana State University. He previously served as an athletic trainer at Lakota West High School as part of the partnership with Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. He has worked with athletes of all ages, including middle school to collegiate, professional, and Olympians, as well as presented at local and state levels on Functional Rehabilitation and Progression. He also works with people of all ages who are looking to get back to a full level of function after injury. He and his wife Erika reside in Loveland, Ohio with their three children Lillyan, Landon, and Kyler.
Corey Whipple
Corey currently works as a certified athletic trainer at Kings High School. She joined Beacon after having practiced in the greater Dayton area since 2006 with other healthcare organizations. She returned to southwest Ohio after working at a large high school in the Atlanta area for the 21-22 school year. Her experiences include sports performance training, assisting with physical abilities testing for firefighter candidates and other various administrative duties. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and watching her nieces play sports.
Becky White
Becky is the athletic trainer at Ursuline Academy, she first worked at UA from 2011 until 2018 then returned in 2020. She is originally from Connecticut and graduated with her Bachelors of Science from the University of Connecticut in 2006. Becky then moved to Cincinnati and earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2009. She is a licensed athletic trainer in Ohio and belongs to the NATA and OATA. During her free time she enjoys running, baking and spending time with family. She lives in Mason with her husband, Mike, son, Hudson and stepson, Reid.