About
Ron Walker, Ed.D., is recognized as an educational leader and consultant, an expert teacher, and an athletic trainer. His expertise in each of these areas has been continuously refined over 25 years of experience in leadership, education, mentorship, and providing care. These experiences result in a unique approach and skills set that are beneficial at the organizational and individual levels.
Walker is a clinical professor of athletic training, where he also serves as an associate dean of the college and was the founding director of the University Center for Academic Advising. Previously, he served as the founding director of both the graduate AT program at UTulsa and the undergraduate AT program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Additionally, he is a sought after educational consultant nationally and internationally.
Walker is very active in service leadership at state, regional, and national levels. He has served as president and treasurer of the Oklahoma AT Association; as the treasurer of the Mid-America AT Association and chair of the finance committee; as vice chair and chair of the NATA District Secretary and Treasurer Committee; as an accreditation peer review chair for the Commission on Accreditation of AT Education; on the BOC Regulatory Conference advisory panel; and on the BOC International Committee. He is a 2015 recipient of the NATA’s Most Distinguished AT Award and the 2012 AT Service Award. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Mid-America Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2023, and was recognized in 2016 by The University of Tulsa as an Outstanding Teacher, the highest honor bestowed upon faculty.
Awards
2012 National Athletic Trainers’ Association AT Service Award
2014 The University of Tulsa, Department of Athletics, Faculty Member of the Year Award
2015 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Most Distinguished AT Award
2015 The University of Tulsa, Oxley College of Health Sciences Teaching Excellence Award
2016 The University of Tulsa Outstanding Teacher Award
2017 Inducted into the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame
2023 Inducted into the the Mid-America Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame
Education
- Ed.D., Oklahoma State University
Dissertation: “The effect of sex congruence in athletic training students’ clinical education dyads” - M.A., The University of Tulsa
- B.S., Athletic Training, The University of Tulsa
Research interests and areas of expertise
- Athletic injury
- Leadership development
- Youth sports policy
- Community health
- Clinical education