2022

Bonnie Koster (Spine and Rehab Specialists)

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While most girls at the age of 8 are playing with dolls, Bonnie was watching college football.  Her father worked most Saturdays from 5:30am so he could be home by 12:30pm.  He would call her at 11:00am and tell her to watch the game and every time someone scored to call him.  This began her fascination with college football.  Her freshman year at Bel Air High School, her health teacher Terri Patillo, introduced her to athletic training.  Thus, her career as a student athletic trainer began at just 15 years old. Richard Culler took her under his wing, and ignited her love of the profession, all because of his passion and dedication he demonstrated each day.

She attended Texas A & I University, a Division II college, on a full athletic scholarship, working football.  After one year, she made the move to New Mexico State University. Here she was also able to continue feeding her passion, while on a full scholarship, working specifically with the football team.  She loved attending both schools for the student athletic trainer college experience. When she graduated from NMSU in 1986, she wasn’t exactly sure of what she wanted to do.  She volunteered with the UTEP football program during two a day practices, meeting the Orthopedic surgeons from the EPOSG.  They offered her a job working in the therapy department. Now she had to face the task of utilizing her skill set with a group of Therapists, all of which were not aware of the potential she was bringing. 

She worked in the Therapy department of EPOSG for 17 years and truly loved her job.  She loved the working with most of the Physicians and loved helping everyday people recover from surgeries or injuries.  She started at the EPOSG from September 1986 and left September 2003.  During her employment with EPOSG, she attended Webster University for a Master’s in Health Administration and graduated in 1999.  In 2001, she returned to Webster and started studying Human Resource Management, finishing her course work, preparing herself for a new beginning.

She started working at Spine & Rehab Specialists alongside Harry in 2003.  Because of her passion for Athletic Training, she cannot pass on the opportunity to help with the UTEP football team, especially when Dawn was in need, jumping in for practices and games, as well as the “Texas vs the Nation” football games. She has an extreme passion for teaching as well, proudly representing UTEP since 2011, as an Adjunct Professor in the Kinesiology Department, teaching both the “Introduction to Athletic Training” as well as the Special Topics class on modalities. Bonnie also assists in the DPT Program at UTEP, sharing her wealth of knowledge of modalities and molding future Therapists minds since 2013. 

As an Administrative Director at Spine and Rehab Specialists, Bonnie oversees multiple departments. She has proudly taught her philosophy of the field, writing the book for the job with the Front desk and Billing and collections departments for both clinics. She also has utilized her Human Resources background to continue the growth of the company and its employees. All while holding strong to her roots, continuing to teach the Therapists with taping techniques and rehab practices. ​

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