MARQUETTE, Mich.—Julie Rochester, professor and director of the athletic training program at Northern Michigan University, recently received the Golden Pinnacle Award from the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ Association. She also was elected as the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s district 4 director.

Nominees for the Golden Pinnacle Award must be active members of the GLATA for at least 15 years who have served in a leadership capacity for the organization for at least five years and exhibited exemplary leadership in their service role, advancing the mission and goals of the association and the profession of athletic training.

This is Rochester’s fourth honor from the GLATA in recent years. She previously received the Dedicated Service Award, the Captain of the Great Lakes Award and the Paving the Way Award as GLATA celebrated 40 years of women in athletic training.

Athletic trainers are licensed health care professionals in the State of Michigan and recognized by the American Medical Association as allied healthcare professionals. They specialize in evaluation and acute care of injuries. They also are trained in therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation, risk management and injury prevention.