NSCA Board of Directors

President, Brent Alvar, PhD, CSCS,*D, TSAC-F, FNSCA

Dr. Alvar is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Kinesiology at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. He has been a member of the NSCA since 1996 and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction, Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator with Distinction and recognized as an NSCA Fellow. He began his career as a Personal Trainer/Strength Coach working with the general population, various clinical populations, as well developing collegiate Sports Performance and Tactical Strength and Conditioning Programs. In addition, he has been instrumental in developing many college and university academic programs in the area of Sports and Tactical Strength and Conditioning, including programs from the Associate’s level to the PhD. His research focus is in the area of Dose-Response of Resistance Training as well as the various components of Exercise Testing and Prescription related to Human Performance and Occupational Preparedness. Dr. Alvar has over 50 published papers and book chapters as well as over 75 invited research and professional presentations both nationally and internationally. He is also extremely involved in the tactical area of the NSCA, helping to develop the NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning as well as the TSAC Strength and Conditioning Course. His teaching is centered on Evidence-Based Practice, Research Methods, Clinical Exercise Prescription, as well as Sport and Tactical Strength and Conditioning. He spends the majority of his time guiding young scholars in their professional and research pursuits and feels this is the most important aspect of his career.

Vice President and Educational/Institutional Strength and Conditioning Professional, Robert Alejo, CSCS,*D, RSCC*E

Mr. Alejo is the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Performance and Student-Athlete Welfare at CSU Northridge. He was previously the Director of Sports Science for Power Lift. 2011-2017: Assistant AD/Director of Strength and Conditioning, NC State, overseeing the strength and conditioning for the entire athletic department, while coordinating the day-to-day efforts of the men's basketball team. During that time, the Wolfpack men’s basketball team earned two trips to the Sweet Sixteen in four NCAA Tournament appearances. 1993-2001 and 2009-2011: Director of Strength and Conditioning, Oakland Athletics, which included the “Moneyball” period. During those 12 years, he was responsible for all aspects of the organization's year-round physical preparation at both the MLB and minor league levels. 2010 Season: Strength and Conditioning Consultant, San Jose, Earthquakes. 2005-2008: Director of Strength and Conditioning, UC Santa Barbara. 2017-present and 2001-2005: Alejo Athletic Performance Consulting.1984-1993: Assistant, Associate Head, Head Administrator/Strength and Conditioning, UCLA, working with 23 men's and women's teams. During that time, the Bruins racked up 25 national championships and produced more than 100 AllAmericans. 1982-1984: Program Coordinator/ Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Sports Medicine and Training Center, Chico, CA. Also, the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for CSU Chico Football, 1983- 84. U.S. Olympic Team: 2008 Beijing and 2012 London as strength and conditioning coach for men’s beach volleyball team Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser. 2007 World Champions, 2008 Olympic Gold. In addition to CSCS,*D and RSCC*E, he is ASCA Level 2 certified (Australian Strength and Conditioning Association).

Secretary/Treasurer, Helen M. Binkley, PhD, ATC-L, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, FNSCA

Dr. Helen Binkley is an Associate Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Athletic Training Program at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physical Education from the University of Delaware and her PhD in Physical Education from Temple University. Binkley’s areas of expertise include aquatic research, strength training and conditioning, and emergency response in athletic training. She has authored and co-authored numerous abstracts, texts, and manuscripts, in addition to presenting at local and national events. Binkley has held numerous volunteer positions with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and previously sat on the Board of Directors (2004 – 2007). She holds the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) certifications and is a Fellow with the NSCA.

Board Member, Darnell Clark, MS, CSCS,*D, RSCC*D

Darnell Clark has been the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Charlotte Country Day School (CCDS) in Charlotte, NC since 2004. In this role, Clark and his staff are responsible for the daily development and systematic implementation for 70 middle school, junior varsity, and varsity teams (24 sports). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Master’s degree in Physical Education from Arizona State University. He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® with Distinction (CSCS,*D®) and a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D). He has presented on multiple topics of strength and conditioning at the state, regional, and national level. In 2014, Clark was the recipient of the NSCA’s High School Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award. Under his direction, CCDS has earned the NSCA’s Strength of America Award for ten consecutive years. He has had the privilege of coaching 10 NSCA High School Strength and Conditioning All-Americans and over 200 college-bound student-athletes during his time at CCDS. From 2013 – 2016, he served as the NSCA’s North Carolina State Director and from 2016 – 2019, he served as the NSCA Southeast Regional Coordinator. Currently, Clark is pursuing his Doctor of Education degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where his research interest are long-term athletic development, physical education pedagogy, physical literacy, and coaching pedagogy.

Board Member, Paul Comfort, PhD, CSCS,*D

Dr. Comfort is a Reader in Strength and Conditioning and program leader for the MSc Strength and Conditioning at the University of Salford. He is also an adjunct professor at Edith Cowan University. Dr. Comfort has applied experience across a range of sports and consults with numerous professional and semi-professional sports teams, which he has undertaken throughout his approximately 20-year academic career. He is a founder member and accredited member with the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association, has been a member of the NSCA for nearly 20 years, and is a CSCS,*D. He is a senior associate editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and associate editor for the European Journal of Sport Science and Sports Biomechanics. Dr. Comfort has co-authored more than 150 peerreviewed journal articles, along with numerous book chapters, and is co-editor of the textbooks Advanced Strength and Conditioning: An Evidence Based Approach and Performance Assessment for Strength and Conditioning.

Personal Trainer Member, Robert Linkul, MS, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA

Robert Linkul is the owner of TOA (TrainingTheOlderAdult.com), a personal training studio and online continued education provider for fitness professionals in Shingle Springs, California. Linkul is an internationally known continuing education provider for fitness professionals who shares his expertise in resistance training strategies for the Older Adult with physical limitations and/or decreased quality of life. He has his master’s degree in personal training, is the NSCA’s 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year award winner, and is a 2017 NSCA Fellowship inductee.

Sports Medicine Professional, Sally Paulson, PhD, ATC, CSCS,*D

Dr. Paulson earned her PhD from the University of Arkansas in Kinesiology. She has been a certified athletic trainer and strength and conditioning specialist for over 20 years. As an active professional member of the NSCA, she has attended the National Conference and presented research via a poster or podium presentation annually since 2006. Dr. Paulson is also an engaged member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and Gerontological Society of America.  While her expertise lies in the areas of biomechanics and athletic training, Dr. Paulson also teaches courses in health and wellness, research design, and stress management. Her research interests include gait analysis, functional fitness of aging adults, impact of wellness programs on health and fitness measures of employees, and acute biomechanical responses to exercise training and footwear. Her research has been published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, BMC Geriatrics, Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, and the International Journal of Sports Medicine. Dr. Paulson also has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate student research in areas such as biomechanics, functional fitness, and physical activity intervention programs. Additionally, she has served as a reviewer for numerous journals, such as Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, and as a member of the NSCA’s Women’s Committee.

Academician/Researcher Member, Brandon Roberts, PhD, CSCS,*D, TSAC-F

Dr. Brandon Roberts is a Captain serving in the U.S. Army as a Research Physiologist with the mission of optimizing Warfighter health and performance through medical research. His career has been focused on muscular adaptations to exercise and nutrition. His background in research began at the University of Florida where he completed a bachelors in microbiology, a masters in human performance, and then a PhD in muscle biology. While a student, he also worked as a personal trainer and strength coach, both in-person and online. Later, he completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in exercise medicine and nutrition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to his educational pursuits, he has experience competing as a natural bodybuilder. His involvement in the NSCA began as an undergraduate student participating in NSCA conferences and state clinics, then serving in several leadership positions before being elected to the NSCA Board of Directors.

Public Member, Kacie Wallace, JD, LLM

Kacie Wallace joined the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the Athlete Ombudsman in January 2015. She serves as an independent adviser to athletes regarding their rights and responsibilities under national and international rules in the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. She also works with athletes to help resolve disputes and as a liaison between athletes, National Governing Bodies, the USOPC, and other stakeholders. Kacie earned a B.A. in art-design from Duke University, a law degree from North Carolina Central University, a master of laws in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University, and a certificate in documentary studies from Duke University. Kacie spent the previous decade teaching negotiation, mediation and international conflict management at Duke University, the University of North Carolina and through Rotary International. She also taught courses at Duke University that examined global conflict through the lens of documentary film and how film can be used as a persuasion tool. She partnered with experts in the video gaming industry and won a $250,000 digital innovation award from the MacArthur Foundation to build virtual training environments for NGOs, governments and other agencies to simulate coordination efforts necessary to address relief needs following large scale natural disasters. She also has designed exhibits for a children’s museum and taught art therapy in a state psychiatric institute. She was a swimmer through university, has competed in international open water competitions, and now competes in long distance races for the YOLOboard standup paddle team. She has paddled in the standup paddle World Championships across the Molokai Channel in Hawaii, around islands in Hong Kong, down the Tennessee River, and 304.6 miles up the coast of North Carolina from South Carolina to Virginia. She is married to Richard Stockmans and lives in Colorado Springs.