Research Team & Collaborators | Exercise and Sport Science

RESEARCH TEAM

Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC
Research Director, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Kenan Distinguished Professor
Senior Associate Dean, Natural Sciences
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Julian Bailes, MD
Medical Director, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Chair and Professor, Department of Neurosurgery
NorthShore University Health System

J.D. DeFreese, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor, EXSS & Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Program Manager, UNC Brain & Body Health Program
Department of Exercise and Sport Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Leah Cox Thomas, MS, CRC, LRT/CTRS
Social/Clinical Research Associate, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Assistant Program Manager, UNC Brain & Body Health Program
Department of Exercise and Sport Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Stephen W. Marshall, PhD
Senior Research Associate, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Professor, Departments of Epidemiology and Orthopedics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Zachary Kerr, PhD, MPH
Research Associate, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Director, NCAA Injury Surveillance Program
Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention

Kevin Carneiro, DO
Associate Medical Director, Center for the Study of Retired Athletes
Medical Director, UNC Brain & Body Health Program
Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
UNC Imaging & Spine Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

COLLABORATORS

Athletic Training/ Physical Therapy
Kent Falb, MS, ATC
Former Head Athletic Trainer, Detroit Lions
Past President, Professional Football Athletic Trainers’ Society

Daniel Hooker, PhD, ATC, PT
Associate Director of Sports Medicine
Campus Health Services
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Brian Pietrosimone, PhD, ATC
Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Cognitive Neuroscience
Kelly Giovanello, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Epidemiology
Kristen Kucera, PhD, MSPH, ATC, LAT
Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
Director, National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Johna Mihalik, PhD, ATC, LAT
Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Internal Medicine
James Kurz, MD
Chatham Crossing Medical Center
Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Paul Thananopavarn, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Neurology
Daniel Kaufer, MD
Associate Professor, Neurology
Division Chief, Cognitive Neurology & Memory Disorders
Director, UNC Memory Disorders Clinic
Co-Director, Carolina Alzheimer’s Network
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Ana Felix, MD
Assistant Professor, Adult Neurology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Neuropsychology
Karla Thompson, PhD
Neuropsychologist and Assistant Professor
Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Psychiatry
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Michael McCrea, PhD
Executive Director, Neuroscience Center, ProHealth Care
Wakeshau Memorial Hospital, Wakeshau, WI
Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Neurology
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

Chris Randolph, PhD
Clinical Professor & Medical Director, Neuropsychology & Neurology
Loyola University, Chicago, IL

Neuroradiology
J. Keith Smith, MD, PhD
Professor of Radiology, Neuoradiology
Vice Chair, Clinical Research
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dinggang Shen, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology, Biomedical Research Imaging Center
Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering
Director, Biomedical Research Imaging Center Image Analysis Core
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Feng Shi, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Neurosurgery
Robert Cantu, MD
Chief of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery
Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA
Co-Director, Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy
Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA

Daniel F. Kelly, MD
Director, Brain Tumor Center
John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA

Eldad Hadar, MD
Vice Chair, Associate Professor & Residency, Program Director, Department of Neurosurgery
Sectional Chief of Functional Neurosurgery
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Nutrition/ Body Composition/Exercise Physiology
Anthony Hackney, PhD
Professor and Assistant Department Chair, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
Professor, Department of Nutrition – School of Public Health
Director, Applied Physiology Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Adam Persky, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor and Pre-Pharmacy Advisor, Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, CSCS, CISSN
Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Orthopaedics
Leigh F. Callahan, PhD
Research Associate Professor, Department of Orthoapaedics, Medicine, and Social Medicine
Thurston Arthritis Research Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Moe Lim, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Timothy Taft, MD
Distinguished Professor, Department of Orthopaedics
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Psychiatry
Herndon Harding, MD
President, Herndon P. Harding, Jr., M.D Private Psychiatry Practice, Winter Park, FL
Clerkship Director in Psychiatry, Clinical Associate Professor
Florida State University College of Medicine at Orlando, Orlando, FL

Psychology
Donald Baucom, PhD
Richard Lee Simpson Distinguished Professor
Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Substance Abuse Counselor
Britta Starke, CCS
Director, UNC Hospital Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

CONSULTANTS

Retired Player Consultants
John Bunting
Former Head Football Coach, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Retired NFL Player – Philadelphia Eagles, 1972-1982

Bill Curry
Retired NFL Player – Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Colts, Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams, 1965-1974
Former Collegiate Head Coach: Georgia State, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia Tech

Chris Dieterich
Writer
Retired NFL Player – Detroit Lions, 1980-1986

Ken Huff
President, Ken Huff Builders, Inc.
Retired NFL Player – Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins 1975-1985

Donald McCauley
Major Gifts Officer
UNC Education Foundation
Retired NFL Player – Baltimore Colts, 1971-1981

Legal Consultant
Christopher Willard
Attorney at Law, Raleigh, NC

NFLPA Liaisons
Andre Collins
Director, Former Players Department
NFL Players Association, Washington, DC
Retired NFL Player Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions 1990-1999

Dee Becker
Assistant Director, Former Players Department
NFL Players Association, Washington, DC

Bahati VanPelt
Executive Director, The Trust
NFL Players Association, Washington, DC