We would like to congratulate Joseph Greene, MS, ATC, who was inducted into the 2019 Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Hall of Fame. Joe currently serves as the Program Manager for Outreach and Development for the Department of Orthopedics at UW Health.

The highest honor a member of the Wisconsin Athletic Trainers’ Association (WATA) can receive is induction into the WATA Hall of Fame. The WATA invites eligible and deserving candidates to make application for this most prestigious honor and be recognized for their contributions to the field of athletic training. Any worthy individual, regardless of race, creed, color, sex or physical disability, based on their contributions not only to the WATA, but to the profession of athletic training can be nominated by any WATA member. The candidates that are nominated are reviewed for final approval by the Awards Committee and the Board of Directors of the WATA.

Joe is a native of Three Lakes, WI and graduate of Three Lakes High School in 1985. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education – Teacher Certification from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1990 with a specialization in Athletic Training. Following the completion of his undergraduate work, Joe headed west to the University of Oregon where completed his Master of Science Degree in Athletic Training and Clinical Anatomy in 1991. After working at the University of Wisconsin Hospital for 13 years, Joe returned to school at the University of Minnesota within their School of Public Health and earned a Credential of Healthcare Management Studies in 2006 from their Executive Study Program with a Specialization in Ambulatory Care Administration.

Joe accepted his first full time position with the University of Wisconsin Hospital in July of 1991 after being offered a position by Brad Sherman. He initially worked as an outreach athletic trainer, as a sports rehabilitation provider and as an athletic trainer in the sports medicine physician clinic. These experiences prepared him to become the Manager of Athletic Training Services in 1997, a position that evolved and grew until the time he left it in 2010. Beginning in 2011, Joe became the Program Manager for Outreach and Development for the University of Wisconsin Hospital Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation and the University of Wisconsin Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. This position coordinates business and philanthropic development activities for all UW orthopedic subspecialties. In addition to his work within the UW Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Joe became the Owner and CEO of OrthoVise in 2011. OrthoVise is an independent orthopedic and sports medicine consulting firm. This allowed him to formally assist many orthopedic sports medicine practices, the NATA, the WATA, and industry as they considered how to optimally utilize athletic trainers within hospital and clinic settings. Through OrthoVise, Joe and his team were able to establish and facilitate the NATA Third Party Reimbursement Initiative beginning in 2017.

Over the course of his career, Joe spent his volunteer time supporting the NATA and the WATA in many capacities. He served on the WATA Board and multiple WATA Committees from 1999-2010 and was the WATA President from 2006-2010. He has received the WATA Athletic Training Distinguished Service Award in 2007, the NATA Athletic Training Service Award in 2007, the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer in 2013, and the GLATA President’s Excellence Award in 2016.

He hopes that his greatest contribution to the athletic training profession has been to provide new opportunities to athletic trainers in the areas that he has been able to effect through his work at the UW, with OrthoVise, and with the NATA and WATA. He also encourages current and future athletic trainers not to accept the status quo just like his mentors taught him not to do.

Joe spent his professional career in Madison with his wife Jacki and currently resides there. They have three children, Owen, Bailey and Lindsey. They are all his greatest achievements.