Joe Gonzalez joined Pomona-Pitzer at the beginning of the 2026-27 athletic season as the Director of Sports Medicine.
As Director of Sports Medicine, Gonzalez oversees the department's athletic training operations, including the supervision of the athletic training staff, management of the athletic training facilities, and coordination of comprehensive medical services for Pomona-Pitzer's 21 varsity sports.
Prior to joining the Sagehens, Gonzalez spent 13 years at Occidental College, serving as Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine. During his tenure, he led a staff of certified athletic trainers while coordinating medical care for nearly 500 varsity student-athletes. In addition to providing oversight for all varsity sports, he served as the primary athletic trainer for women's basketball, baseball, and men's and women's golf. Gonzalez was also an active member of Occidental's Student Success Team and Emergency Preparedness Committee and volunteered regionally as a District 8 Peer Support Provider for the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) ATs Care Program.
Before his time at Occidental, Gonzalez spent 11 years as an assistant athletic trainer at Loyola Marymount University. There, he worked with several NCAA Division I programs, including men's soccer, women's basketball, baseball, and men's and women's water polo. He also served as an Approved Clinical Instructor for LMU's accredited athletic training education program, mentoring athletic training students through their clinical rotations.
In 2002, Gonzalez volunteered as an athletic trainer at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, providing sports medicine services for the long-track speed skating competition.
Earlier in his career, Gonzalez worked in the physical therapy department at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, Utah, while also providing athletic training services to Kearns High School.
Gonzalez earned both his bachelor's degree in Biology and his master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. He is a Certified Athletic Trainer through the National Athletic Trainers' Association and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He also holds certifications in the Graston Technique and Functional Movement Systems.
