Dennis Perkey, PhD, ATC

Dennis Perkey is affiliated with the Nebraska Athletic Medicine program, serving as the Director of Athletic Training Education at the University of Nebraska. Dennis became the Clinical Education Coordinator of Athletic Training Program in 2015, with an appointment in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science.
 
Along with his clinical education responsibilities Dennis also leads an interprofessional sports medicine study abroad program to Greece with students from UNL’s Athletic Training, Nutrition and Exercise, and Dietetics Programs. Prior to joining UNL’s Athletic Training Program, Dennis served as the Clinical Education Coordinator for 12 years, and one year as the interim program director for the athletic training program at Arkansas State University. 
 
Dennis’s athletic training clinical experience includes; summer internships with the Atlanta Falcons Professional Football Club, serving as a Head Athletic Trainer for Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, MS while working for Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center in Jackson, MS; Head Athletic Trainer for Williams Baptist College in College City, AR; Assistant Athletic Trainer for Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR; Outreach Athletic Trainer for Healthsouth one of the nation’s largest rehabilitation hospitals. While working at the collegiate levels Dennis also gained experience as a clinical preceptor for two different accredited athletic training programs.
 
Dennis has also served 15 years as a Certified Doping Control Officer for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). While working with USADA Dennis served as a Lead Doping Control Officer at many Olympic and Paralympic events including:

• 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England
• 2014 New York City Marathon
• 2016 USA Swimming Olympic Team Trials
• 2016 USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials
• 2018 & 2019 USA Track and Field Outdoor National Championships
• 2019 Chicago Marathon.

During the summer of 2014 Dennis traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to assist with training new Doping Control Officers for Brazil’s newly formed Anti-Doping agency in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
 
Native of Batesville, Arkansas, Dennis earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in Athletic Training from Arkansas State University, and his master’s degree in Social Psychology of Sport from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He earned his specialist degree in Community College Administration from Arkansas State University, and his doctorate of Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University.  
 
Dennis resides in Lincoln with his wife Tracy a Speech and Language Pathologist for Lincoln Public Schools, son Aaron and daughter Alexa. Dennis enjoys traveling and hiking with his family and dogs.