Mary Vacala - Sports Medicine, 2026
Mary Vacala has devoted her career to the health and performance of athletes and the advancement of sports medicine in Savannah and beyond. Her 47-year career as a certified athletic trainer has included coverage for local high school and college athletes, founding Armstrong State University’s sports medicine program, and serving as the inaugural department chair and program director of South University’s Physician Assistant program in Savannah. She has served on the USA Olympic and Paralympic Medical Team, supporting athletes at the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Games, including multiple Paralympic gold medal teams. She is also an AAPA Distinguished Fellow and a member of the U.S. Olympic Sports Medicine Society.