Jeff Allen

Senior associate athletics director for sports medicine Jeff Allen is in his 19th season at The University of Alabama and his 37th consecutive season working as an athletic trainer in college football. 

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Before joining the Crimson Tide, Allen was the head athletic trainer at the University of Central Florida and was responsible for all the sports medicine needs for the entire department. Prior to UCF, Allen was head athletic trainer at Chattanooga from 2000-04. Allen was an assistant athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky from 1997-2000 and earlier served as an assistant athletic trainer from 1995-97 at Valdosta (Ga.) State, where he was head athletic trainer for the football and baseball teams. 

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Allen has many accolades including the National Athletic Trainers Association’s Division I Head Athletic Trainer of the Year Award at their 2018 symposium, the original inventor of the SidelinER, a medical tent that is now used on almost every sideline in college football and in the NFL, and he has authored several published articles and is a regular speaker at national and state athletic training conferences. 

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He earned a master’s degree at Valdosta State University in 1995 and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University in health and physical education in 1993. Jeff’s wife Mary is a professor in The University of Alabama Speech-Language pathology program. They have one daughter, Makennah, who is an assistant coach for the Crimsonettes with the Million Dollar Band. 

Chris Clark

My name is Dr. Chris M. Clark, and I am excited to run for the position of At-Large 2 Representative on the ALATA Executive Council. I have been a Certified Athletic Trainer in Alabama since 2006, working in the settings of the secondary schools, clinics, and education, and currently serve as an Associate Professor and Program Director in the Master’s in Athletic Training Program at Jacksonville State University.

I have been fortunate to serve the ALATA previously as Secretary and on various committees. These experiences, along with numerous opportunities to lead and collaborate within athletic training and education, contribute to my strong beliefs that emphasize the importance of communication, teamwork, and building connections across our profession. My goal is simple—I want to continue fostering collaboration among athletic trainers in our state. By working together, we can strengthen our voice, support one another in the challenges we face, and celebrate the great work being done across Alabama.

As an educator, I work every day with future athletic trainers, and I take pride in preparing them to enter a profession built on service, care, and community. At the same time, I know the value of staying connected with clinicians in all settings as well as listening to our membership..

If elected, I look forward to continuing my strong working relationship with members of the Executive Council while also building new relationships with athletic trainers across our state. Thank you for considering me for this opportunity to serve.