Mayrena Isamar Hernandez '18
Dr. Mayrena Isamar Hernandez, Ph.D., MPH, LAT, ATC is an Assistant Professor of Athletic Training in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and Athletic Training at Sam Houston State University and the Director of the Healthy Activity toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) Lab. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training with honors from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2016 and her Master of Public Health from Kansas State University in 2018, where she served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer for the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams and as a teaching assistant for the Kansas State Athletic Training program.
She went on to complete her Ph.D. in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Biomechanics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2022, where she was a graduate research assistant in the Wisconsin Injury in Sport Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. David Bell and a graduate assistant athletic trainer for UW Recreation and Wellbeing/Health Services.
A licensed and certified athletic trainer, Dr. Hernandez’s research integrates biomechanics and public health to examine how socioeconomic status and social determinants of health influence youth sport participation, sport specialization, and injury risk particularly among underserved and minority populations. Her work aims to advance equitable access to athletic training services and promote injury prevention through inclusive, movement-based interventions.
As a first-generation Latina scholar, Dr. Hernandez is dedicated to mentoring emerging professionals and leading interdisciplinary initiatives that bridge science, advocacy, and community engagement in athletic training and public health.