Physicians and Associated Health Care Professionals
- MA, ATC, CES
Associate Athletics Director for Health and Wellness/Head Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.3237
E-mail: steven.grech@csun.edu
Bachelors degree: CSUN (1995)
Master's degree: San Diego State (1998)
Sport Assignments: Men's Basketball, Men's Golf
Steven Grech was promoted to Associate Athletics Director for Health and Wellness in August 2024.
An alumnus of the University, Grech has served as CSUN's Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer since 2005, beginning his 20th year with Matador Athletics in 2025-26.
In his role, Grech is responsible for the leadership in planning and executing the development of a nationally competitive athletics program, along with ensuring the annual operational objectives are established and achieved in the following functional areas; Sports Medicine, Athletics Performance (Strength and Conditioning), Nutrition, mental health services, and team physicians.
Additionally, Grech serves as the Designated NCAA Athletics Health Care Administrator for Athletics. In his role he is the primary point of contact between campus and the NCAA national office and a leader of Athletics health care team. As Associate Athletics Director, Grech is the liaison with campus mental health services.
As the leader of Athletics Wellness, he oversees Mental Health awareness programs to ensure health and well-being best practices are established and achieved.
In addition to his role as Associate Athletics Director for Health and Wellness, Grech serves as the primary athletic trainer for the Matador men's basketball and men's golf programs.
Grech is an expert in Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) having learned under the guidance of Robert Moore, PhD at San Diego State University. In 2015, he obtained a certificate in the Advanced Functional Biomechanics of the Lower Quarter through the Movement Performance Institute in Los Angeles. In 2012, he became certified as a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
Grech is also in his 10th season serving as a Certified Athletic Trainer Concussion Spotter for the National Football League (NFL) during Los Angeles Rams home games.
Prior to becoming the Director of Sports Medicine at CSUN, Grech served one year as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer in 2005-2006.
From 2002 through 2005, he was an Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Southern California, where he was a part of two consecutive National Championship teams in football.
From 1999 to 2002, Grech served as Assistant Athletic Trainer at CSUN, working primarily with men's basketball and football. He also served one year as the Head Athletic Trainer for the University of San Diego football program in 1998-99. He also gained NFL and NHL experience while working as a summer camp athletic training intern for the Oakland Raiders (1995-97) and the Los Angeles Kings (1995).
Grech earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from CSUN in 1995 while serving as an undergraduate student athletic trainer for three years, working primarily with the football and women's basketball teams.
He earned his master's degree in Biomechanics from San Diego State in 1998, following two years as a graduate assistant athletic trainer with the Aztec football and baseball teams has been a NATABOC certified athletic trainer since 1995.
Grech resides in Chatsworth with his wife, Donna, and their dog Marcus. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, mountain biking, hiking, and going to the beach.
Associate Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.5825
Email: patrick.landeros@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: San Diego State (2020)
Sport Assignments: Men's Soccer, Women's Tennis
Patrick Landeros joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff in June of 2022 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer and was promoted to Associate Athletic Trainer in February 2025. He currently works primarily with the Matador men's soccer and women's tennis programs.
Prior to becoming an Assistant Athletic Trainer, he pursued his master's degree in kinesiology from CSUN in 2022 while serving as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer from August 2020 to May 2022. During his graduate assistantship, he worked primarily with the Matadors' women's volleyball and beach volleyball programs.
Landeros earned his Bachelor of science degree in athletic training from San Diego State University in 2020. He has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association since 2018 and has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 2020.
Landeros resides in Sherman Oaks with his wife, Shadi, and their cat, Nala. In their free time, they enjoy walking to nearby restaurants and shops, going to the beach, and watching movies.
Associate Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.7516
Email: bec.black@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: Southern Utah (2021)
Master's degree: Southern Utah (2023)
Sport Assignments: Women's Basketball, Beach Volleyball
Bec Black joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff in June 2023 and was promoted to Associate Athletic Trainer in August 2025. She works primarily with the Matador women's basketball and beach volleyball programs.
A native of Coffs Harbour, Australia, Black graduated from Southern Utah University in 2023 with her master's degree in athletic training. While working with the Thunderbirds, she was awarded Outstanding Master's Student in Athletic Training and Top Academic International Student.
During her time at Southern Utah, she assisted primarily with women's gymnastics and football, while serving as a Graduate Assistant for Athletic Compliance and women's soccer.
Black earned her bachelor's degree in exercise science from Southern Utah University in 2021. She has been a member of the NATA since 2023 and has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since May 2023.
Black came to the United States in 2017 and played basketball at both the University of San Francisco and Southern Utah University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, the outdoors, and exploring local restaurants and cafes.
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.4410
Email: shaun.crespi@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: Seattle Pacific (2019)
Master's degree: Long Beach State (2023)
Sport Assignments: Men's Volleyball, M/W Track & Field
Shaun Crespi joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff in September of 2024 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. She works primarily with the Matador men's volleyball and men's and women's track and field programs.
Prior to CSUN, Crespi worked as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at UC Santa Barbara, where she worked with the men's soccer, softball, and men's golf teams.
Crespi earned her master's degree in athletic training from California State University, Long Beach in 2023. While at Long Beach State, Crespi researched her master's thesis on the topic of mental health support on injury recovery timelines and was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Award within the kinesiology department.
Prior to earning her master's degree, Crespi played two years of professional volleyball in Hungary and the Faroe Islands.
Crespi earned her bachelor of science degree in exercise science from Seattle Pacific University in 2019. She has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association since 2021 and has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since May 2023.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dog Bowie, traveling with her boyfriend, and painting/reading.
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.7516
Email: megan.leavey@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: Virginia Tech (2021)
Master's degree: Point Loma (2024)
Sport Assignments: Women's Volleyball, Women's Water Polo
Megan Leavey joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff in July of 2024 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. She primarily works with the Matador women's volleyball and water polo programs.
Prior to joining the CSUN Sports Medicine staff, Leavey earned her master's degree in athletic training from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2024. A 2021 graduate of Virginia Tech, she earned her bachelor's degree in human nutrition, foods, and exercise.
She has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association since 2023 and has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 2024.
A Granada Hills resident, Leavey enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and watching sunsets at the beach in her free time.
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.7516
Email: kaelynn.nadonza@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: Arizona State (2022)
Master's degree: Northern Arizona (2024)
Sport Assignments: Softball, M/W Cross Country, Women's Golf
Kaelynn Nadonza joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff in January 2025 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. She works primarily with the Matador softball, men's and women's cross country, and women's golf programs.
Prior to joining the CSUN Sports Medicine staff, Nadonza served as an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Pasadena City College, working primarily with the football team.
Nadonza earned her master's degree in athletic training from Northern Arizona University in 2024. During her program, she gained hands-on experience at her clinical site at the University of Washington, working with the football and men's basketball teams.
She earned her bachelor of science degree in Sports Science and Performance Programming from Arizona State University in 2022. She has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association since 2023 and has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 2024.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family, going to Disneyland, and spending time with friends.
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.7516
Email: austin.falin@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: Towson State (2021)
Master's degree: Texas State (2023)
Sport Assignments: Women's Soccer, M/W Track & Field
Austin Falin joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff as an Assistant Athletic Trainer in July 2025. He will work primarily with the Matador women's soccer and men's and women's track & field programs.
Prior to joining the CSUN Sports Medicine Staff, Falin served as the Head Athletic Trainer at Hueneme High School in Oxnard, Calif., for two years through a partnership with Dignity Health. While at Hueneme HS, he oversaw the health & well-being of nearly 650 student-athletes.
Falin earned his master of science degree in Exercise Sport Science, with a concentration in strength & conditioning from Texas State University in 2023. While at Texas State, he also worked as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer at Class 5A Lehman High School in Kyle, Texas. He was awarded a Citation of Merit for outstanding achievement and meritorious service as a graduate assistant.
Falin earned his bachelor of science in Athletic Training from Towson University in 2021. He has been a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association since 2019, and a NATABOC-certified athletic trainer since 2021.
Falin currently resides in Woodland Hills with his girlfriend, Annie, and their dog, Winnie. In his free time, he enjoys exploring local restaurants, cooking, weightlifting, and watching TV shows & movies.
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Phone: 818.677.3888
Email: natali.cerritos@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: CSUN (2018)
Master's degree: Northern Arizona (2025)
Sport Assignments: Baseball, Women's Golf
Natali Cerritos joined the CSUN Sports Medicine Staff in October 2025 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. She will be working primarily with the Matador baseball and women’s golf programs.
Prior to joining the CSUN Sports Medicine staff, Cerritos earned her master's degree in athletic training from Northern Arizona University in 2025. During her program, she gained hands-on experience at her clinical site at Cal State Monterey Bay, working with the soccer and baseball teams, among others.
She earned her bachelor of science degree in Kinesiology, with an emphasis in Applied Fitness from CSUN in 2018. She has been a NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer since 2025.
As a Los Angeles native, Cerritos enjoys spending time at the beach, baking, watching sports, and spending time with her family.
Marisol Lopez
Athletics Case Manager
Phone: 818.677.5944
Email: marisol.lopez@csun.edu
Bachelor's degree: San Diego State (2015)
Master's degree: University of Southern California (2020)
Marisol Lopez joined the CSUN Sports Medicine staff as Athletics Mental Health Case Manager in February 2024.
Lopez, who will also work with CSUN University Counseling Services (UCS), comes to CSUN with over eight years of experience working with individuals in various outpatient/inpatient mental health settings. As a former high school student-athlete and first-generation college student, she is aware of the unique challenges and pressures faced by individuals who are expected to excel in their respective sports while simultaneously managing their mental well-being.
This personal connection has fueled her dedication in destigmatizing mental health within athletics and she firmly believes that fostering mental health awareness among student-athletes is of paramount importance. Additionally, Lopez aims to continue to contribute to the creation of a nurturing and empathic environment where student-athletes can thrive both in their sports and in their mental well-being.
She serves as a mental health liaison for all student-athletes and assesses student-athletes needs for psychological, psychiatry, medical and sports performance-related services. She provides consultations, crisis intervention, and case management, and works collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team of professionals (UCS, sports medicine staff, etc.) to support the holistic care of student-athletes and address their unique mental health/wellness and sports-performance-based needs.
Lopez earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from San Diego State University and her master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks with her two dogs, working out, and watching/attending live sports games.
Julie Plaia
Health Insurance Coordinator
Phone: 818.677.5944
Julie Plaia joined CSUN Athletics as Health Insurance Coordinator in May of 2020. She will primarily be responsible for administration of student-athlete insurance and medical documentation as well as serve as the liaison with insurance companies. In addition, Plaia will certify student-athlete eligibility as related to sports medicine among other duties.
She joins CSUN Athletics after 11 years as the office Billing Manager/personal assistant at Lynne A. Steinman, Ph.D., A Psychogical Corporation. While at the Steinman corporation, Plaia managed all aspects of the office, including providing comprehensive administrative and personal support to the owner of the practice in a highly confidential environment.
Prior to that, Plaia served as the Contracting/Billing Manager at Specialty Medical Management Services in El Segundo. From 1997-2004, she managed administrative, billing and office staff consisting of approximately 12-15 individuals as well as off-site personnel. Plaia also has previous work experience in a variety of medical specialties such as cardiology, orthopaedics, worker's comp, urology, radiation oncology and behavioral psychology.
Plaia holds a bachelor's degree in business/sociology from CSUN.
