The Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA; a VGM & Associates division) and prosthetic and brace maker Össur have announced the recipients of two grants for individuals in orthotics and prosthetics.
Kaleigh Neely, an orthotics and prosthetics resident with Geauga Rehabilitation Engineering Inc., has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Russell Walker CP, LP Emerging Leader Grant. Abbey Senczyszyn, CPO, who is with Bremer Prosthetic Design Inc., has been named the 2023 recipient of the Todd Eagen Advocacy in Action Memorial Grant.
OPGA and Össur Americas co-sponsor and support both programs, which each help fund a current O&P resident and certified orthotist or prosthetist (or both) to attend and participate in the AOPA Policy Forum and the Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon Challenge.
“On behalf of Össur and OPGA, we are privileged to announce Kaleigh and Abbey as the recipients of these two grants that will provide professional development opportunities for the future leaders of O&P while memorializing the impact both these individuals left in the O&P profession,” said Adam Miller, president, OPGA. “Both Kaleigh and Abbey are rising leaders in the O&P profession and will be exceptional representatives at the AOPA Policy Forum and the Challenged Athletes Foundation Triathlon Challenge, two non-clinical events that are highly important to the O&P profession and the patients it serves.”
In its second year, the Russell Walker CP, LP Emerging Leader Grant honors Russell “Rusty” Walker, a practitioner that was passionate about mentoring the next generation of O&P leaders. The inaugural Todd Eagen Advocacy in Action Memorial Grant honors Todd Eagen, former president of OPGA, who unexpectedly passed on June 4, 2022, and was an important leader in the O&P profession.
