Hanger Institute Associates
Clinicians, Researchers, and Educators
The core faculty of the Hanger Institute is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals in their disciplines of clinical care, research, and education.
Leadership
James Campbell, PhD
SVP and Chief Clinical Officer
Dr. Campbell has 40 years of experience in the orthotics and prosthetics profession with distinction in leadership and research. He is a named inventor on 5 issued U.S. Patents and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), as well as the American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists (AAOP), from which he received the Distinguished Practitioner Award in February 2013 and the prestigious Titus Ferguson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
Phil Stevens, MEd, CPO/FAAOP
Vice President of Clinical Affairs
Phil serves as Vice President of Clinical Affairs, developing evidence-based clinical programs designed to help patients improve their orthotic and prosthetic outcomes. Through outcomes implementation, landmark research studies and the establishment of Clinical Practice Guidelines, Phil has set national standards of care based on science and at the forefront of O&P care.
Shane Wurdeman, PhD, CP, FAAOP (D)
Vice President of Scientific Affairs
Dr. Wurdeman is the Vice President of Scientific Affairs. He entered the field of O&P as a technician before transitioning to working as an orthotist/prosthetist and finally into his role as a principal investigator. He has co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts, published 3 book chapters, and presented more than 100 conference abstracts within the field of orthotic and prosthetic rehabilitation.
Associates
Kathleen Carroll, MS, MSPO, CPO, FAAOP
Outcomes Program Specialist
Kathleen is an ABC-certified prosthetist/orthotist who serves as Outcomes Program Specialist in the department of Clinical and Scientific Affairs. In this role, Kathleen is focused on the development, implementation, and education regarding orthotic and prosthetic outcomes collection processes with the aim of helping clinicians to provide optimal patient care.
Todd Castleberry, PhD
Research Scientist
Todd is a Research Scientist within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. He began in this role after spending time in academia as an assistant professor, and subsequently as a lecturer. Todd has served as a principal investigator and co-author on multiple conference abstracts and manuscripts, and serves as an editor for two journals. Todd’s research focus has previously investigated the effects of supplements and exercise in both healthy individuals and individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Tom DiBello, L/CO, FAAOP
Director, Clinical & Scientific Affairs
Tom is a clinical research orthotist and a practicing orthotist at Hanger Clinic, currently serving as Director, Clinical & Scientific Affairs. Tom has been actively practicing for over 40 years, and his primary interest is in the management of patients with lower limb disability and weakness. Tom is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and received the Academy’s Distinguished Practitioner Award in 2007.
Patsy Diaz Delgado, MS
Research Associate
Patsy is a Research Assistant within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. She began her career in the field of nutrition where she gained research experience related to the diagnosis and treatment of muscle wasting disorders in cancer patients. Patsy’s research interests include Interventions to Address Food Insecurity in Food Deserts and Rural, and Factors and Mechanisms Leading to Differences in Health Outcomes in Minorities.
Dwiesha England, MSEng
Research Associate
Dwiesha is a Research Associate within Clinical & Scientific Affairs. She serves as coordinator on many research projects in addition to assisting with oversight of clinical outcomes collection across Hanger Clinic. She began her career as a chemist, and has extensive research experience, including peer-reviewed publications in cell culturing and DNA and RNA purification. She uses her computational expertise with statistical software to analyze O&P data.
Bretta Fylstra, PhD
Research Scientist
Bretta is a Postdoctoral Researcher within Clinical & Scientific Affairs. She was introduced to the O&P field while working in a biomechanics lab at the University of Delaware, studying customized 3D printed AFOs. She continued this passion by pursuing a PhD in the Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Engineering Lab at NC State. Her dissertation explored human-prosthesis coordination – specifically, how prosthesis users coordinate their movement with robotic lower-limb prostheses.
Liliana Komraus, MS
Director, Partner Professional Education
Lily leads the development and dissemination of evidence-based education to healthcare partners around the world. Lily works closely in collaboration with Clinical & Scientific Affairs developing programs that reach over 10,000 learners each year. Programs led by her and her team include, Hanger Clinic CE Program, Hanger Institute’s Virtual Classroom, and Hanger Clinic’s participation at national conferences and events.
Molly McCoy, CPO
Clinical Documentation Specialist
Molly has more than 20 years of experience, having worked as a clinician, educator, and technical adviser in settings ranging from independent small practices to level one trauma hospitals, nursing and rehab centers, and pediatric outpatient specialty clinics. In her role at Hanger Clinic, she focuses on driving culture change in O&P, advocating that documentation is an integral part of patient care. When done right, it engages patients and referring physicians in care and provides context for O&P devices in overall health.
Erin O'Brien, CPO, FAAOP
Clinician and Clinical Education Specialist
Erin is a Portland-based Clinician and Clinical Education Specialist within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. She specializes in care for pediatric patients and for patients with upper limb amputation or limb deficiency. Her time is split between the clinic and Clinical and Scientific Affairs, where she focuses on educating clinicians, researching and establishing clinical practice guidelines, and testing new and emerging technology.
Shannon O'Shea, CPO
Area Clinic Manager and National Clinical Specialist, Pediatrics
Shannon is a Kansas City-based Clinician, Area Clinic Manager and National Clinical Specialist, Pediatrics. She provides orthotic care to children with a wide variety of diagnoses, including cranial remolding for infants with plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis, the treatment of idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis, and the orthotic management of cerebral palsy. Shannon is a strong believer in education, and helps educate hundreds of Hanger Clinic clinicians across the country.
Matthew Parente, MS, PT, CPO, FAAOP
Clinical Education Specialist
Matt is a Clinical Education Specialist within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. He possesses a unique knowledge of the fields of Physical Therapy and Prosthetics and Orthotics. He has been the primary instructor for 17 post-graduate courses, and the secondary instructor for 3 additional courses over the past 20 years. He is also the Director of the Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics program at the University of Hartford.
Doug Reber, L/CO
Director, Education & National Residency
Doug is the Director of Education and of Hanger Clinic’s National Residency Program within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. He has worked within the O&P field for over 35 years, with a focus on education for the last 10 years. In addition, he spent 10 years on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, culminating in his two-year term as President, 2016-2018.
Eric Weber, CPO, FAAOP
Clinician and Clinical Research Associate
Eric has managed the clinical operations of multiple prosthetic and orthotic clinic locations, overseeing the evaluation, design and fabrication of prosthetic and orthotic interventions. He is frequently called on to assist in complicated cases from a diverse range of pathologies. He actively participates in education, research, and development of orthotic and prosthetic technologies, dividing his time between patient care and his role as a Clinical Research Associate.
Jasmine Khan, MPH
Clinical Research Assistant
Jasmine is a Research Assistant in the department of Clinical and Scientific Affairs. She began her career in the field of public health as an Epidemiologist. In her current role, Jasmine works with research scientists and clinicians to coordinate clinical research studies, collect and analyze patient reported outcomes and clinical data, maintain databases, and prepare presentations and manuscripts. She is passionate about using research to continuously improve patient care.
Emily Steffensen, PhD, MS, CPO
Clinician and Clinical Research Scientist
Emily is an ABC-Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist and biomechanist working both as a clinician and research scientist with Hanger Clinic and Clinical & Scientific Affairs. Clinically, her background as a prosthetist/orthotist has largely been in pediatric and adult orthotic management for neurological disorders in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Her research interests include orthotic and prosthetic interventions, gait biomechanics, and rehabilitation of injuries and disorders that affect mobility.
Kristin Nalivaika, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist and Clinical Research Associate
Kristin Nalivaika is an occupational therapist and a Research Associate within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. As a skilled occupational therapist with experience in skilled nursing facilities, acute rehabilitation hospitals, and home care settings, Kristin has an extensive amount of knowledge of the field. In addition to providing patient care, Kristin has also served as a clinical instructor and as a capstone subject matter expert, mentoring occupational therapy students.
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