Mayrena Hernandez PhD, MPH, LAT, ATC

Sam Houston State University

Dr. Mayrena Isamar Hernandez is an Assistant Professor of Athletic Training at Sam Houston State University and Director of the Healthy Activity Toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) Lab. A certified and licensed athletic trainer, she earned her BS in Athletic Training with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington, an MPH in Nutrition from Kansas State University, and a PhD in Kinesiology (Biomechanics) from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her mixed‑methods research explores how sport specialization and socioeconomic status affect youth athletes—particularly in underserved communities—and examines how clinicians’ decision‑making may be influenced by athletes’ backgrounds. She has published in leading journals like Sports Health and Journal of Athletic Training and received the 2024 NATA Doctoral Research & Education Foundation Award. A former collegiate athletic trainer and first-generation scholar, she is deeply committed to advancing health equity in sports medicine.

Sessions by Mayrena