Sir Roger Bannister (center), Gene Verel, one of the vice-presidents of WFATT (left) and Dr. Ortega (right)
Printer Friendly Format

Catherine Ortega, Ed.D., P.T., A.T.C., O.C.S., assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the Health Science Center, was named president of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT) at the 2005 WFATT World Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland.

WFATT is a coalition of national organizations of health care professionals in the fields of sport, exercise, injury/illness prevention and treatment. The federation also promotes the highest quality of health care and functional activity through the collaborative efforts of its members.

The 2005 WFATT World Congress was sponsored by the British Association of Sport and Exercise in Medicine (BASEM)and the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sport Medicine (ACPSM) in conjunction with the 500th Anniversary Celebration of the Royal College of Surgeons. The Congress was the first meeting of its kind with international cooperation among elite sports medicine associations.

Dr. Ortega was also one of only two Americans invited to present at the 4th European Sports Medicine Congress in Cyprus, Greece. The Congress is a regional affiliate of the Federation of International Sports Medicine (FIMS).

A native San Antonian, Dr. Ortega earned her doctorate in education from the University of Texas at Austin, master of science in physical therapy from Texas Women’s University and master of science from West Virginia University. Dr. Ortega’s research interests include manual therapy, core stability and issues relevant to performance enhancement such as training, equipment and motivation. She has also been a consultant with the United States Olympic Committee, the WTA Tour and a consultant with shoe design for FILA, NIKE-USA and Adidas and Head.