2025 National Assembly Opening General Session: Shine on O&P

Hannah Clark, MS, L/CPO is a clinician at Shriners Children’s Erie, Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, where she sees a wide variety of pediatric cases in both orthotics and prosthetics. As the primary scoliosis clinician at her multidisciplinary clinic, Hannah has created an ever-improving scoliosis care program for her facility to ensure the best compliance and in-brace correction for the patient, including the Physicians, Central Fabrication Technicians, Radiology Technicians, Social Workers, and Child-Life Specialists. Hannah believes the best care comes in a team-approach and is thankful to work for a facility that has the resources to provide sustainable, whole-person care, regardless of ability to pay.

Rebecca Denae is an author, speaker, and advocate based out of North Central Florida. Her focus is on educating current and future providers in a variety of fields about the importance of patient centered care. As an advocate, she focuses on bringing awareness to the difficulties amputees face in receiving the proper prosthetic equipment. Her memoir, Limitless, details many of the topics she speaks about and advocates for.

Cara has over 25 years working in the prosthetics profession. She serves as the Gainesville Practice Manager, Lead Prosthetist, and Residency Director. Cara’s education started with a Mechanical Engineering Degree with a concentration in bioengineering from Kettering University. She is a graduate of The Northwestern University Prosthetics Program. She spent her first eight years in patient care, gaining experience in technical fabrication, patient care, and patient education. She then worked for major prosthetics manufacturer in clinical services, research and development, product management and marketing, in the US as well as Australia. Cara has traveled the world working with practitioners on patient care best practices. Cara specializes in using video movement analysis for the orthotic and prosthetic profession. While working with clinicians globally, she found video to be a common language that she could use to show others her clinical decision process. This work now helps to show and quantify the care we provide to our patients and their physicians. Cara also received a Master’s Degree in Education, which helps to serve patients and the community by providing educational content that is fun and interactive.

I’m Caleb Cowan - an athlete, veteran, father, volunteer, adventurer, and lifelong student. In 2024 I had the honor of representing the United States internationally in the Para Climbing World Cup series. I’m passionate about advocating for people with disabilities and pushing for greater access and representation in sport and beyond. Whether I’m on the wall, in the community, or spending time with my daughter, I believe in the power of showing up, speaking out, and lifting others along the way.

William Conroy CPO Growing up, I always loved working with my hands. First, it was Legos. Then I graduated to bicycles, then to cars. At the same time, I always knew I wanted to work in the medical field—I just didn’t know how. After earning my general AA, I was looking through Bachelor’s programs at St. Petersburg College and discovered prosthetics. It was the perfect fit: a way to combine my hand skills with a career directly helping people. Fifteen years later, I’m still learning something new every single day. One of the things I love most about this field—patients who teach us, challenge us, and expand our knowledge. And still, after all these years, nothing compares to the moment when a new amputee stands for the first time. The smiles, the tears, the joy—it never gets old. That’s the heart of O&P, and why I feel grateful every day to do this work.

Aaron Holm, Founder and Executive Director of Wiggle Your Toes has spent the past 15 years in both business development and management in the Information Technology and Engineering staffing, consulting and outsourcing industry. As the result of an accident in January of 2007 Aaron lost both of his legs above the knee. Aaron’s quick and successful recovery efforts are the premise of the Wiggle Your Toes organization. In May 2008, Aaron founded Wiggle Your Toes with a mission to help other amputees regain independence and mobility.

Lucas Crisanti is a Lower Limb Prosthetic Clinical Specialist and Global Running Clinic Coach with Ottobock. He is an instructor for Ottobock’s U.S. Movement Events and Running Clinics and served as a prosthetist at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Lucas holds a Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics from Baylor College of Medicine and a Kinesiology degree from Michigan State University.