U.S. Ski & Snowboard Names Dr. Joseph J. Ruzbarsky Head Physician of U.S. Snowboard Team
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Names Dr. Joseph J. Ruzbarsky Head Physician of U.S. Snowboard Team
The Steadman Clinic orthopaedic surgeon replaces his mentor, Dr. Thomas R. Hackett, who was promoted to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Medical Officer
VAIL, Colo. — Oct. 9, 2026 — Joseph J. Ruzbarsky, M.D., has been promoted by U.S. Ski & Snowboard to Head Team Physician for the snowboard team. Dr. Ruzbarsky, a shoulder, knee, hip and elbow preservation surgeon at The Steadman Clinic, fills the role vacated by Thomas R. Hackett, M.D., fellow surgeon at The Steadman Clinic, who recently was promoted to the position of Chief Medical Officer at U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
Dr. Ruzbarsky, who is based out of The Steadman Clinic’s Aspen and Basalt locations, completed two fellowships at Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI), including a Sports Medicine Fellowship (2020) followed by a Hip Preservation Fellowship (2021). He joined The Steadman Clinic as a member of its surgical staff after completing his fellowships and has since built a practice focused on preserving joint function and helping patients return to peak performance.
“It’s truly an honor to be entrusted by Dr. Tom Hackett to take over a program that he has built over decades of hard work, which delivers the highest quality of care and expertise to these athletes,” said Dr. Ruzbarsky. “Although tremendously large shoes to fill, I am excited to do all that I can to keep these athletes healthy in such a high-risk, high-demand sport.”
“There is no better fit for this position of head team physician than Dr. Joe Ruzbarsky,” said Dr. Hackett. “His dedication to the profession, as evidenced by his devotion of two straight years as a fellow learning two different disciplines of orthopaedic surgery, is remarkable. He is not only an outstanding surgeon and physician, but also possesses the leadership traits necessary to succeed in this demanding role on an international stage.”
“Dr. Ruzbarsky's journey from fellow to surgeon and now head team physician for the U.S. Snowboard Team exemplifies the mission of The Steadman Clinic and SPRI to cultivate the next generation of leaders in orthopaedic sports medicine,” said Marc J. Philippon, M.D., chair of SPRI and managing partner of The Steadman Clinic. “We are proud of his accomplishments and confident that he will continue to make a meaningful impact on the health, performance and long-term well-being of these athletes.”
A former collegiate athlete (javelin) himself, Dr. Ruzbarsky graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in biology in 2010 and medical school in 2014 from the University of Pennsylvania. Following medical school, he moved to Manhattan for his surgical internship at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and his orthopaedic surgery residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He then moved to Vail for his sports medicine fellowship at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI where he first provided medical coverage for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams and remained for the second fellowship in Vail focusing on hip preservation with Drs. Philippon and Joel Matta.
Dr. Ruzbarsky credits his readiness for the opportunity to serve as the snowboard team’s head physician to his experience at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI and, particularly, to his many mentors there.
“Learning from my mentors, including Drs. Marc Philippon, Tom Hackett and Peter Millett, about how to manage elite athletes from the snow or field to the operating room to returning to sport has always been the goal,” Dr. Ruzbarsky said. “This opportunity allows me to continue this passion of mine at the highest levels of competition including the World Cup circuit and Olympic Games.”
“I am honored to be another small part of an amazing legacy pioneered by Dr. Steadman himself and continued by my colleagues at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI,” continued Dr. Ruzbarsky. “Living and working in a valley and region that has such a rich history of snow sport legends including Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsay Vonn, Chris Klug, and Alex Ferreira—I am looking forward to contributing all I can not only to our current superstars, but also to all of those up-and-coming athletes in our local pipeline.”
While serving the U.S. Snowboard Team, Dr. Ruzbarsky will continue his active orthopaedic and sports medicine practice at The Steadman Clinic’s Aspen and Basalt locations. He will work closely with Dr. Adam Wilson, based out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who will serve as Co-Head of the U.S. Snowboard Team.
For more information, please contact: Marianne Kipp — mkipp@sprivail.org | 970-401-8734