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Certified Athletic Trainers

Reno Orthopedic Clinic’s certified and licensed athletic trainers specialize in preventing, recognizing, managing, and rehabilitating injuries resulting from physical activity. The ROC Sports Medicine Team also includes physical and occupational therapists, and board-certified orthopedic surgeons who together provide a continuum of care.

Washoe County School District and Reno Orthopedic Clinic have teamed up to provide outreach athlete training support for area high schools. We believe this community relationship will benefit the student athletic population with quality health care. This includes nutrition, prevention, recognition, management, referral and rehabilitation of athletic related injuries sustained during high school sponsored athletic events and activities. Both Washoe County School District and the Reno Orthopedic Clinic believe in the total body and mind benefits that organized sports provide.

Injuries are an unfortunate part of participation in athletics. Proper care of the injuries that occur during sports can make the difference between a safe and quick return to play or a lingering injury that never seems to get better. Most injuries can be taken care of in the athletic training room saving time, inconvenience and health care cost to the athlete’s family. This can include referral to a physician, a home care program or rehabilitation and/or treatment. If a referral to a physician is necessary, the athletic trainer will provide recommendations to physicians who specialize in the area to be addressed. The on-site athletic trainer performs emergency management and evaluation of injuries sustained during practices and competitions, as well as treatment and rehabilitation of these injuries.

ROC Galena Office NATA Certified Athletic Trainers

Elizabeth Brinkley-Pateta

Elizabeth Brinkley-Pateta is a NATA Certified Athletic Trainer since 2001. She has over 14 years of experience with athletics: 9 years at the collegiate level and 5 years in a clinical outreach setting. In 2001 she graduated from Kansas State University with a BS in Kinesiology. She became a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Nevada Reno primarily working with Football, Cross Country and Track and Field. She earned her master’s degree in 2004 from UNR. She has been with the Reno Orthopedic Clinic since 2007, working rehabilitation, injury education and return to activity with patients. Her work experience includes working with all age groups and abilities. She has worked with numerous sports including football, cross country, track and field, rugby, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball.

Katy Stromswold

Katy has been an NATA Certified Athletic Trainer since April 2013. She graduated from University of Nevada, Reno in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Ecology. She worked as a student intern in the Athletic Training Department at UNR, Focusing on football, from 2007 to 2010. She received a Master’s in Athletic Training from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah in 2013. Katy has been with the Reno Orthopedic Clinic since May, 2013. She is also the athletic trainer at Damonte Ranch High School. Contact Katy at katys@renoortho.com

Rich Bennett

Rich Bennett is a NATA Certified Athletic Trainer since 2000. He has over 24 years of experience in athletics. In 2000, he graduated from Boston University with a BS in Athletic Training. Rich earned a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Sports Management and Administration in 2003 from Eastern Michigan University while working as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Athletic Department. Upon graduation, he continued his career as an Assistant Athletic Trainer for the University at Albany where we covered men’s soccer, men’s basketball, and men’s lacrosse for the Great Danes. In 2006, Rich became the Director of Sports Medicine for St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY. He managed the health care of over 250 student-athletes along with being the primary athletic trainer for the men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse teams. In 2009, Rich Bennett moved west to accept the Director of Sports Medicine for the University of Portland. In addition to managing the healthcare of nearly 300 student-athletes, his primary sports coverage was with the men’s basketball and men’s and women’s cross country and track teams. In 2014, he was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for the Pilots. During his time at UP, he made significant advancements in mental health services, sports nutrition, disordered eating management, sports performance testing, and the addition of many other healthcare resources for the university. Rich began his tenure with ROC in September of 2019.