Bio

Brenda Valdez Nava
Athletic Trainer
Office: Sports Medicine Building

Brenda Valdez Nava is a proud product of the Coachella Valley and a lifelong Roadrunner, first joining College of the Desert in 2011 as a student-athlete before returning in 2017 as a certified Athletic Trainer. Today, she serves the campus and community with the same passion, leadership, and commitment to excellence that defined her own student journey.

As a student at COD, Brenda was more than an athlete—she was a campus leader. She competed for the Roadrunner Tennis team, interned with the Sports Medicine Center, and held leadership positions with Associated Students of College of the Desert, including Academic Affairs Officer and Student Representative on the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee. She also helped guide student advocacy as part of the Alas Con Futuro Club and One Future Leadership Team. Her hard work and campus impact earned her multiple honors, including the 2014 Most Inspirational Female Athlete award and the COD Board of Trustees Certificate of Service Appreciation. Graduating Summa Cum Laude in Kinesiology, she also earned a Fitness Specialist Certificate and several scholarships from the COD Alumni Association and community partners.

After COD, Brenda transferred to California State University, Fullerton, where she was accepted into the prestigious Titan Athletic Training Program. She thrived as both a scholar and leader—co-founding the Titan Safe Sports School Award Community Outreach Project and serving in leadership roles at the state, district, and national levels. Her service included the California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA), the Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association (FWATA) Student Leadership Committee, and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) as District 8 Student Representative. Her academic excellence was recognized with multiple scholarships, including the FWATA “Gail Walddon” Scholarship, the NATA Foundation “William Chambers” Scholarship, and the PHATS “Blynn DeNiro” Memorial Scholarship. She graduated Cum Laude in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and Health Science.

Brenda’s professional experience is as diverse as it is impressive. She has worked with student-athletes across community college and NCAA Division I programs, including championship seasons with Fullerton College Football, Mt. San Antonio College Football, and College of the Desert Athletics. At the Division I level, she contributed to Big West champions in Men’s Soccer and Baseball, as well as Men’s Basketball and Track & Field at CSUF. Her clinical experience also includes working at CSUF Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation Center, local Movement for Life Physical Therapy, and as an industrial sports medicine specialist for Costco Warehouse employees across the Coachella Valley.

Beyond her hands-on work, Brenda continues to give back to the profession at the regional level as Scholarships Committee Chair for FWATA, representing California, Nevada, Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam.

Brenda embodies what it means to be a Roadrunner—dedicated, resilient, and committed to service. Her return to COD allows her to not only provide top-level care for student-athletes but also inspire the next generation of leaders from the same community where her own journey began.

~ Bio current as of August 2025