O&P Woman of the Year Award

Brianna Sehrer

CPO

Orthotic & Prosthetic Specialists

Brianna Sehrer is a CPO who has spent her career helping patients with a wide range of orthotic and prosthetic needs in communities across several cities. She earned her Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics from Eastern Michigan University in 2014. Since then, she has been actively involved in advancing the orthotic and prosthetic profession. She has served as an NCOPE residency mentor, is a member of AOPA’s Coding and Reimbursement Committee, and currently serves as an AOPA State Representative. She is also the Louisiana State Lead for the So Every BODY Can Move movement, which recently celebrated the passage of its legislation during the previous legislative session. Brianna currently serves as President of the Louisiana Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists. In this role, she works to support professionals across the state, advocate for patients, and promote greater access to quality orthotic and prosthetic care in Louisiana.

Cody McDonald, PhD, CPO

Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Prosthetics and Orthotics

UW

Dr. Cody L. McDonald is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Prosthetics and Orthotics, at the University of Washington and a Certified Prosthetist Orthotist with extensive clinical, academic, and research experience. A UW-trained practitioner and scholar, she completed her orthotics and prosthetics residencies at UCSF before returning to UW, where her work focuses on improving the health and quality of life of individuals marginalized by the combined effects of social identity and physical impairment. Her research has earned national recognition and funding from the National Institutes of Health, Royalty Research Fund, and other organizations, with studies addressing patient-centered outcomes, grief after amputation, biases, disability inclusion, and health equity in O&P. Dr. McDonald was recognized with the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists Research Award in 2025 and was part of the research team awarded the 2025 Blatchford Team Prize for Innovation at the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) World Congress. She is also a dedicated educator and mentor, known for teaching and supporting the next generation of clinicians and researchers, while contributing broadly through professional service. Dr. McDonald is the current Research Chair of the Live in Motion Foundation (previously the O&P Foundation), a member of the Medical and Research Advisory Committee for the So Every BODY Can Move initiative, a member of the Collaborative on Inclusive Action and Engagement, and the Vice Chair for the U.S. Chapter of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Diane Atkins

Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Baylor College of Medicine

Diane Atkins is an internationally recognized occupational therapist specializing in upper limb amputee rehabilitation, with experience working with more than 2,000 children and adults with amputations. An Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, she is also a Fellow of the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics. At the request of the U.S. Surgeon General, she trained rehabilitation teams at Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Centers in upper limb loss management ahead of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. She is co-editor and author of two textbooks on upper extremity amputation management, has authored peer-reviewed articles and a chapter in Bionic Limb Reconstruction, and has presented extensively at AAOP and AOPA conferences. Diane also serves on the Advisory Panel of the National Limb Loss Preservation Registry and designed and coordinated the Bionic Reconstruction Conference, a multidisciplinary international forum connecting prosthetists, surgeons, and advances in upper limb prosthetic technology.

Gwen Ansier, CO

Clinician

Hanger Clinic

For more than 20 years, Gwen Ansier has dedicated her career to improving the lives of children through exceptional orthotic care. A Certified Orthotist with Hanger Clinic, she is a nationally recognized lower extremity pediatric specialist who partners with multidisciplinary teams throughout the Chicagoland area to help children achieve their fullest potential. Gwen earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Chicago and completed post-graduate certifications in Orthotics at Northwestern University and Prosthetics at the University of Hartford. Known for her expertise in pediatric AFO design, innovation, and clinical education, Gwen developed a nationally adopted toe-walking treatment algorithm and has played a pivotal role in advancing treatment strategies for children with gait abnormalities. She is passionate about mentoring fellow clinicians and creating educational resources that improve patient outcomes across the profession. Beginning her O&P career as a technician in 2005, Gwen’s enduring commitment to clinical excellence, innovation, and compassionate patient care continues to shape the future of pediatric orthotics and positively impact the lives of children and families nationwide.

Molly McCoy

Director, Clinical and Scientific Affairs

Hanger Clinic

Molly McCoy is a Director in Clinical and Scientific Affairs at Hanger, a CPO licensed in Washington state, and a graduate of the University of Washington P&O, program. Over her 28-year career in P&O she has worked as a clinician in both private and Hanger practices, a full-time lower limb prosthetics instructor at UW, and an owner and chief consultant of McCoy Consulting working with small, independent P&O practices on clinical reasoning documentation strategies and on the payer side as a clinical reviewer. Since 2018, her work at Hanger supports clinicians and management to communicate clinical reasoning effectively across the US healthcare system. Current work includes knowledge translation support for research, foundational conceptualization and operationalization of shared decision making through artificial intelligence tools, implementation of value-based care in clinics through relationship-centered patient interaction, and legislative advocacy.