The National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) has elected five new board members for 2020. Members were elected at the NAAOP board meeting at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association National Assembly in September.
New members are:
Nathan J. Kapa, CP, is president of the Michigan Orthotics and Prosthetics Association and a partner with Baranek & Kapa Prosthetics, Flint, Michigan. Kapa has been active in O&P advocacy with Michigan’s legislature and congressional delegation. He is a graduate of Michigan Technological University and Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center.
Kapa
Nicole Ver Kuilen lost her left leg below the knee to cancer when she was ten. She was the inaugural NAAOP Fellow in 2018 and her documentary film, 1500 Miles, has been honored by five international film festivals. A national champion at the 2019 Paratriathlon National Championships, Ver Kuilen is also the founder of Forrest Stump, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to raising the standards of care for those with amputations.
Ver Kuilen
Robinson
Christian Robinson is senior vice president at Össur, Reykjavik, Iceland, and responsible for the Össur Americas supplier business. He joined Össur in 2012 and has served in executive positions, including general counsel Americas and vice president of finance Americas. Previously, Robinson practiced corporate law. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School.
Symms
Kevin A. Symms, CO, BOCPO, LPO, is an educator in medical device reimbursement and in providing technical and clinical support. After a career in clinical and executive positions with Hanger, Austin, Texas, Symms started a Minnesota-based consulting firm, OandPServe.
Weger
Regina Weger is vice president and general manager of SPS, Alpharetta, Georgia. Weger attended Brenau University and started her career in O&P in 1992 at JE Hanger Southeast in Alpharetta. She is a member of the executive operating team at Hanger, a 2015 recipient of the JE Hanger Leadership Award, and a leader/mentor for Women in O&P Leadership.
“We are fortunate to have these O&P leaders joining our board in 2020. They each bring a wide breadth of real-life experiences, which I know will help us continue to be a strong voice for quality O&P patient care on Capitol Hill, with CMS and the VA,” said George Breece, NAAOP executive director.
Rebecca Hast, the 2019 NAAOP president said, “We are particularly pleased with the varied backgrounds, rich experiences and energy each of these members will bring to our organization.”
