Our Staff

Brian Blackburn, ATC, SCAT
Lead Athletic Trainer
Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute

An avid sports fan and enthusiast, Brian wanted to be part of a Sports Health program early on in his career. Brian graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sports Medicine from Central Michigan University in 1996.

"I'm looking forward to helping build the Sports Health Division into a valuable community resource. I see it as my mission to teach young athletes the proper techniques to avoid injury and older athletes methods of maintaining an injury-free lifestyle," he says.

Before joining Providence Hospitals, Brian worked as the Head Athletic Trainer and teacher at Brookland-Cayce High School. Prior to that, he worked as an outreach Athletic Trainer at several local high schools while an employee of The Moore Orthopaedic Clinic and Healthsouth. Brian is married and has a son and a daughter.

Niki Ferguson, MS, ATC
Clinical Outreach Athletic Trainer
Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute

A die-hard Buckeye fan, Niki graduated from The Ohio State University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in sport and leisure studies. She received her master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of South Carolina in 2004. Niki is a certified Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor for the American Heart Association.

“My favorite thing about being an athletic trainer is how no two days are the same. I enjoy the opportunity to watch many different types of sports and help the athletes be the best they can be,” explains Niki.

Prior to joining Providence as an athletic trainer, Niki was a teacher and athletic trainer at Lexington High School. Niki began working with Providence in February 2006, and became a full-time employee in August, 2007.

George Harkness, MHA, ATC, NASM-PES
Clinical Outreach AthleticTrainer
Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute

A die-hard Gator and Steelers fan, George graduated from the University of Florida in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science. He recieved his athletic training education and master's in health administration from the Univeristy of South Carolina in 2001. George obtained the Performance Enhancment Specialist credential from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Prior to joining Providence, George was an assistant athletic trainer at South Carolina State University for four years primarily working with men's basketball and football and women's soccer.

Julie Sandy, MS, ATC
Clinical Outreach Athletic Trainer
Providence Orthopaedic & Neuro Spine Institute

A certified athletic trainer and avid sports enthusiast, Julie has worked with athletes in a wide variety of sports to prevent and rehabilitate athletic injuries.

Julie obtained a Bachelor of Science in athletic training at Indiana University. This July, Julie finished up her Master of Science in athletic training at Georgia Southern University. While completing her master's degree, Julie was awarded a National Athletic Trainers' Association Research and Education Foundation Osternig Master's Research Grant for her master's thesis. At the National Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Clinical Symposium in Atlanta in June, a case study of one of Julie's former athletes was presented. Julie will also present the results of her research at a future National Athletic Trainers' Association Annual Clinical Symposium.

Julie joined the Sports Health Division team in July of 2006.