At-Large One
Greta Romei
Greta Romei is a young professional Athletic Trainer at Jacksonville State University, where she has dedicated the past nine months to enhancing the performance and well-being of student-athletes in Softball, Men’s Basketball, Rifle, and Bowling. A proud graduate of Jacksonville State with a Master’s degree in Athletic Training, Greta blends her passion for sports with a commitment to injury prevention and rehabilitation.During her time at the university, Greta has implemented innovative training programs and effective injury management strategies. Her hands-on experience across various sports and settings has sharpened her skills in injury assessment, rehabilitation protocol design, and educating athletes about recovery and mental health. This dedication has earned her the trust and respect of both athletes and coaches.Greta is also focused on advancing the field of Athletic Training in Alabama. She aspires to serve on the Executive Council of the Alabama Athletic Trainers Association, aiming to work with other Athletic Trainers and give back to the community that shaped her career. Through this involvement, Greta seeks to advance the profession in both practice and legislation while becoming a voice for clinicians in the collegiate and professional settings.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Greta enjoys hiking and outdoor activities, believing that a well-rounded approach to health and fitness is essential for athletic success. As a retired student-athlete herself, she is passionate about mentoring current athletes and inspiring them to prioritize their health while achieving their goals.
With a strong foundation and a vision for the future, Greta Romei is poised to make a lasting impact in Athletic Training and the broader athletic community. Her dedication and forward-thinking approach will benefit her athletes and contribute to the profession's evolution in Alabama.
Jennifer Ballard
A native of Slocomb, AL, Jennifer Ballard is a 2000 graduate of the University of Alabama where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training and her BOC credential. From there, she completed an athletic training graduate assistantship and master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. Jennifer then moved to the Montgomery, AL area where she practiced athletic training at the high school and collegiate levels, as well as provided orthopedic physician extender services. She completed her doctorate in physical therapy from Alabama State University in 2007 and primarily practiced in an outpatient orthopedic setting, providing physical therapy and athletic training services with Rehab Associates until 2015. Jennifer then transitioned into academia, where she served as core faculty in the physical therapy program at Alabama State University for four years. In fall of 2019, she joined Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL to help create the first graduate program in the history of the college, where she currently serves as program director of the Master of Athletic Training Program. She completed her Ph.D. From Auburn University in 2023. Jennifer has found her true passion in educating future athletic trainers at the graduate level and advocating for the profession of athletic training. Jennifer has been married to Mark Ballard for twenty years and they have four children, two biological (Jaycie and Will) and two adopted from Ukraine (Myroslava and Tymofii). Their family currently resides in Pike Road, AL with their dog Rosie.
Whitley Williams
Whitley Williams currently serves on the Sports Medicine staff at Samford University as Director of Sports Medicine and Head Football Athletic Trainer, working primarily with the Bulldogs football program. Williams provides oversight to the Sports Medicine Student Assistant Internship Program as well as coordinating the emergency planning for the Sports Medicine Department. Williams also serves on the Sports Medicine team for the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, where she joined the staff for the 95th East-West Bowl Game in 2020 and continues to serve on staff. Prior to her arrival at Samford, Williams served as the Assistant Athletic Trainer at Furman University, providing care to the Paladins football team and co-ed cheerleading squad from 2017-2021 and completed her Athletic Training Fellowship at Furman University in 2017 while providing care to the men's lacrosse program and assisting with coverage of the football program. Williams earned a master's degree in athletic training from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she completed her graduate assistantship with the Mocs football program. She attended Auburn University where she completed her bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with a secondary concentration in Psychology. Her professional involvement includes serving as a preceptor for The University of West Alabama, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky University, and Moravian College. Williams also holds certifications in Dry Needling, QPR Suicide Prevention, and is a Professional Yoga Therapist in Medical Therapeutic Yoga.