NAAOP Directors

"We have a very dedicated group of volunteer leaders. I've often said that our directors are like the conscience of the O&P profession. I feel honored and blessed to have been involved with NAAOP since its inception, and I look forward to an even brighter future."

George W. Breece, Executive Director, NAAOP

NAAOP's Officers and Directors invite all those participating in comprehensive O&P care to bring their energy and passion to support our profession. Contact us.

President

Thomas Guth, CP, is the Chief Prosthetist for the RGP Prosthetic Research Center and the current President of NAAOP. With over thirty-five years of experience in the prosthetic industry, Mr. Guth dedicated his career to developing new ways to increase the quality of life and comfort of amputees. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/History from San Diego State University and later postgraduate courses in Prosthetics at New York University and University of California, Los Angeles, Mr. Guth went to work for his father at RGP Prosthetic Research Center. He was the founding Director of the California Orthotic and Prosthetic Association from 1978 - 1980, President of the California Orthotic and Prosthetic Association from 1980 - 1982, and is a founding member of NAAOP.

Vice President

Mark K. Taylor, MLS, CPO, FAAOP, is Director of Clinical & Technical Services at the University of Michigan Orthotics & Prosthetics Center. He also serves as Vice President of NAAOP. He attended Brigham Young University for his under graduate work, University of Oklahoma for his graduate work, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital Orthotics Program for Orthotic Education, and Northwestern University Prosthetics Program for Prosthetic Education. Professional Organizations include the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. Other distinctions include: Former Commissioner for the National Commission for Orthotic and Prosthetic Education, ABC Examiner, ABC Facility Accreditation Surveyor, two time Thranehardt Lecturer Award. Mr. Taylor is married, a father of four, and busy in local community/schools affairs/sports.

Secretary / Treasurer

Paul Prusakowski, CPO, FAAOP, is the owner of O&P Clinical Technologies, an independent private practice in Gainesville Florida; President of O&P Digital Technologies, the developers of oandp.com; and lead architect of OPIE practice management / electronic medical records software. Mr. Prusakowski is the current Secretary/Treasurer of NAAOP; the immediate past president of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists; founder and moderator of OANDP-L, the global listserv for the O&P profession; co-founder and Director of the Digital Resource Foundation for the Orthotic and Prosthetic Community, www.drfop.org; and serves as adjunct faculty at Georgia Tech O&P program and St. Petersburg O&P program. He was actively involved in the establishment of a licensure law in the state of Florida in 1995. He is a 1992 Graduate of Florida International University O&P program. Mr. Prusakowski lectures nationally and internationally on clinical, computer technology, and business related topics in O&P.

O&P Alliance Rep.

Mark D. DeHarde is the President of Ultraflex Systems Inc, an international manufacturer of dynamic bracing and dynamic orthoses. Mr. DeHarde is committed to working with professionally organized O&P clinicians in all markets for the betterment of patient care. He served as the President of NAAOP for the 109th Congress, 2005-2006. Mr. DeHarde, a long time member of NAAOP, has served in the capacity of Executive Committee member and Chair for the Government Relations Committee. He currently serves as NAAOP's representative for the O&P Alliance. Mr. DeHarde received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Susquehanna University and a MBA in Finance from Saint Joseph University. Mr. DeHarde is an honorary member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. He is married and a father of two. He coaches basketball, soccer, and baseball and is active in his church community.

David Hoy, CPO, FAAOP, is the Director of Mansfield Orthotic and Prosthetic Center Inc., Mansfield, Ohio where current efforts are devoted toward patient management, the provision of educational seminars and scientific solutions for treatment of individuals with orthopedic and neurological deficits. Trained in prosthetics at Northwestern University in 1973, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in O&P from New York University in 1976 with additional clinical practice at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital and Newington Children's Hospital. Mr. Hoy has continued to pursue the advancement of orthotic and prosthetic care through research, publications, and the development of orthotic components for unique design applications

H. Richard Lehneis, Jr., CPO is President of Lehneis Orthotics and Prosthetics Associates, Ltd. He assumed his position in 1995 following a lengthy career in New York State and other parts of the country. He enrolled at New York University's Post-Graduate Medical School in 1978-79 for his formal orthotics education, and studied prosthetics at Chicago's Northwestern University in 1981, and at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1988. Mr Lehneis was certified in orthotics in 1980 by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics, and in 1982 in prosthetics. During his student years, he was employed as an orthotics and prosthetics technician by various companies at locations ranging from Louisiana and Tennessee to New York. As a practitioner, Mr. Lehneis works with patients of widely differing ages, from infants to the elderly. He has a special affinity for treating children and particularly enjoys the cross-section of patients he encounters in a hospital clinic setting.

David McGill is Director of Payer Relations and Legislative Affairs for Ossur Americas. In that capacity, he is responsible for representing Ossur before both governmental and private payers, as well as monitoring national reimbursement trends in order to assess their impact on the O&P industry. Before joining Ossur, McGill was the co-founder and Executive Director of a New York prosthetic facility, specializing in insurance reimbursement issues. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Amputee Coalition of America. McGill is licensed to practice law in New York, and has previously represented insurance companies in coverage litigations across the United States. He has also represented doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice litigations.

Ivan R. Sabel, CPO, is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc., and Clinical instructor in orthopedics at Georgetown University Medical School in Washington, D.C. Mr. Sabel received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics from New York University in 1967, became a Certified Prosthetist in 1968 and a Certified Orthotist in 1970. He is a member of the Valley Forge Military Academy Board of Trustees, Treasurer of the American Physicians' Fellowship for Israel, Chairman of the American Board for the University of Haifa, Haifa Israel, member of New York University Parents Committee and Capital Campaign, member of the Economic Club of Washington, member of DJ Orthopedics Medical Advisory Board and member of the Strategic Planning Committee of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association. He is a past President of the American Board of Certification in Prosthetics and former Chairman of the National Commission for Health Certifying. Mr. Sabel is a recipient of the 2000 Howard M. Rusk Humanitarian Award from the World Rehabilitation Fund and the 2000 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Healthcare.

Jan Stokosa, CP, FAAOP- Okemos, Michigan. Jan credits and honors his father, the late Walter J. Stokosa, CP, for guiding and mentoring him in Prosthetics. Initiated to prosthetics at age 7, Jan assisted his father in the fabrication laboratory of the private facility where his father was employed, then at the Prosthetic and Orthotic Department at the University of Michigan Hospital, which his father helped create. In 1967, Jan graduated first in his class from Northwestern University's pilot Prosthetist Practitioner Program, and joined his father in private practice. He was certified as a Clinical Prosthetist by the American Board for Certification in Prosthetics in 1969. In 1976, he co-founded the Institute for the Advancement of Prosthetics with William G. Barr, an above-knee amputee, in Lansing, Michigan. The purpose of this non-profit Institute was to provide the maximum possible contribution to the quality of life of amputees, serving those members of the amputee community who were unable to return to their day to day lives due to complications experienced from amputation surgery and prosthetic care. Jan has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors which include the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists Distinguished Practitioner Award, the New Advancement Research Award from the Michigan Legislative Council for the Handicapped, the Outstanding Professional Award from the Michigan Rehabilitation Association, inducted in the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame for sponsoring, teaching, and organizing handicapped skiing in Michigan, an inductee in the 95th Congress of the United States for providing "model" professional care to amputees. Jan is a consultant to Private and institutional Prosthetic Clinical Facilities. He is a staunch supporter of new technology and techniques that assist amputees, regardless of the complexities they present. He continues to push for stringent education requirements and participates in many state and national committees to advocate for positive prosthetic rehabilitation legislation.

Rhonda Turner, PhD, JD, MBA, BOCPO, CFm- Rhonda Turner, PhD has certifications in prosthetics, orthotics and mastectomy fitting. She holds doctorates in psychology, naturopathic medicine (hon.) and law as well as advanced degrees in business and advertising. She is currently working on a Postdoctoral Certificate from the University of London in Chinese International Business Development.

Dr Turner has been an active participant in the DMEPOS industry leadership for 10 years, serving on several boards and committees. She is considered an industry expert on facility accreditation, and a recognized Quality Standards consultant regarding for the mastectomy industry.

In April of 2007, Rhonda founded the American Association of Breast Care Professionals. AABCP is a national member organization that advocates and lobbies for the post mastectomy industry.

She is an active speaker, lobbyist and writer. You may find her articles in INC magazine, O & P Business News and online at EZine and featured in The Edge and HME News. Her O & P Facility, The Prosthetic Center, is located in Houston Texas and has been featured on the Discovery Channel and Fox TV. The Prosthetic Center has been recognized for excellence in 2004 by the Inc 500, 2006 by the Stevie Awards, 2007 by NAWBO and is a 2006 and 2007 recipient of the Houston Business Journal’s Fastest Growing Women’s Businesses Award. This year The Prosthetic Center was listed as the 3rd fastest growing women-owned business by HBJ.

NAAOP's Executive Director

George W. Breece is the current and founding executive director of NAAOP. Since 1987, Mr. Breece has worked to preserve NAAOP's unique role as a trusted government relations advocate for professional O&P care. Mr. Breece's professional experience includes being a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives; former chief lobbyist for Ted Turner, Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Washington DC; former Vice President of Special Projects for the National Cable Television Association. He is currently the host of a Monday morning talk show heard throughout southeastern North Carolina on radio station WFNC. He also moderates a local television show "Eye On The Community" for Time Warner Cable. Mr. Breece is very active in his hometown community of Fayetteville and is currently serving as the Chairman of the Cumberland County Society of Patriots, Chairman of the Air Quality and Land for Tomorrow Committee's for Cumberland County. He is a former Chairman of Military Affairs Council for the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce and is currently a member of their Board of Directors. Mr. Breece is a member of the Hay Street United Methodist Church and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Atlantic Christian College and served 3 years active duty in the United States Army Mortuary Branch.

NAAOP's General Counsel

Peter W. Thomas is a principal at the law firm of Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, P.C., a Washington, DC law firm specializing in health care and education. He focuses his practice on health care law, legislation and regulation, medical and vocational rehabilitation, and disability law and policy. He has served since 1991as general counsel to the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP), a national non-profit association of orthotic and prosthetic providers and routinely advises O&P businesses and practitioners on the billing, fraud and abuse, and regulatory requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers. He routinely writes articles for industry publications and has been the lead attorney teaching an industry course on O&P compliance with federal and state health care laws. Mr. Thomas is admitted to practice law in New York State and Washington, D.C. and attended Boston College and Georgetown University Law Center.

Our Leaders Put the O&P Patient First

NAAOP's vision has always been to put the O&P patient's needs first. During our 20th year, NAAOP is celebrating the commitment, loyalty, and dedication of our volunteers, members, and staff. Their support has been generous and untiring. Celebrate with NAAOP by viewing our story on video, reading the NAAOP Director's commemorative message, and by viewing our photo history and list of founders and past presidents