Farewell and Thank You to George W. Breece Upon his Retirement as NAAOP Executive Director

NAAOP congratulates our Founding Executive Director, George W. Breece, on his retirement after 39 years with our association.  George has been an incredible leader of NAAOP through the past four decades and we wish him and his lovely wife, Dena Breece, well as they enter this new chapter of their lives.  George will be seriously missed as NAAOP forges its own new chapter as an active policy and advocacy organization, working to improve the lives of people with limb loss and limb impairment, as well as the providers who service this population.  Perhaps the greatest aspect of the legacy George leaves behind is the George and Dena Breece Fellowship.  Eight Breece Fellows have graduated from the program since 2018 and we expect a new fellow for the summer of 2026.  In this manner, NAAOP is helping to train and inspire a new generation of O&P policy advocates from the perspective of individuals who rely on O&P care to be functional and independent.  What a tremendous legacy that is!  Thank you, George!

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We also welcome to the NAAOP board of directors Bruce “Mac” McClellan, CPO, LPO, FAAOP(D), effective January 1, 2026.  Mac has a sterling reputation as an O&P practitioner and practice owner, and has participated in the O&P Alliance for years as an Academy representative.  His policy skills coupled with his clinical expertise will be invaluable to NAAOP’s board deliberations.  In addition, Paul Prusakowski, CPO, FAAOP, has become an NAAOP board member Emeritus, ensuring that the decades of service Paul has devoted to NAAOP will continue into the future.  NAAOP thanks Paul for his extensive, ongoing efforts on our website, video updates, and strategic counsel on O&P policy priorities.

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NAAOP’s officers have also been hard at work in 2026.  Nate Kapa, CP, continues as our President.  Jeff Cain, MD, was elected Vice President, and Regina Weger and Brad Watson, BOCO, BOCP, LPO, will continue as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.  We greatly appreciate their collective service to NAAOP in advancing our mission.

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NAAOP Policy Priorities for 2026:  NAAOP will be setting its 2026 policy priorities at its board meeting in February, but a short list of time sensitive threats and opportunities include:

• Securing O&P outcomes research funding under the Department of Defense in FY 2027

• Limiting the scope of future rounds of competitive bidding of off-the-shelf orthotics, and outright opposing the Remote Item Delivery (“RID”) system for OTS orthotics.

• Opposing dramatic caps in student loans for O&P professional education which could seriously impact the O&P workforce.

• Solidifying gains in Medicare and Medicaid coverage of anti-obesity medications to ultimately reduce the incidence of limb loss.

• Securing Medicare coverage of custom prosthetic breast forms for woman with mastectomy procedures.

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Thank you for your support of NAAOP and we look forward to an active year!