Board of Directors
Mary Novotny RN,MSN is a rehabilitation nurse, educator , advocate for persons with different abilities and consultant. Mary survived cancer, which resulted in a hip disarticulation amputation in her teens. Her Master's degree focused on Rehabilitation and Education. At the University of IL clinic she worked with families to assess the biological, psychological and social affects of limb loss and to identify adaption strategies. Working with Rehabilition teams at the University of IL, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, LaRabida Hospital, Shriners Hospital and the University of Chicago she formed Families and Amputees in Motion. FAIM volunteers produces a newsletter, started and annual picinic and held annual Peer Visitation Training programs. That support program joined with other groups around the country to share resources and training. In 1986, under Mary's leadership, Amputee Coalition was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization with a mission of OutReach, Education and Advocacy for all persons with limb loss. In 1997 she earned funding for National Limb Loss Information Center NLLIC thru a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease (and Prevention) CDC. Mary's volunterr work with the Digital Resource Foundation continues her mission of providing resources, support and advocacy.
Paul Prusakowski, CPO, is an orthotist and prosthetist who maintains an active clinical practice and is an avid participant in many professional organizations. Paul is the founder and moderator of OANDP-L, the e-mail list server that connects over 3000 professionals worldwide. He is also President and founder of O&P Digital Technologies (OPDT), the leader in Internet technology development in this field since 1995. OPDT has created many of the industry's top web sites, maintains the leading O&P information portal, oandp.com and launched OPIE Software, a leading software platform (EMR) for O&P. Paul's inside understanding of how the orthotics and prosthetics community can benefit from technology helps to guide the Foundation's projects and ensure that they are both successful and highly relevant.
W. Brent Wright, CP, BOCO, practices at Eastpoint Prosthetics and Orthotics in Raleigh, NC. He has been in the field since he started as a technician at age 16 and has seen first hand how additive technology is evolving and impacts patients not only in the US but also in the developing world. While consistently using FDM, Brent is pioneering techniques to effectively use additive technology such as MultiJet Fusion and Selective Laser Sintering to create dynamic prostheses that are light as well as flexible. He is excited that prosthetists have a chance to be a part of the industrial revolution where mass customization and patient outcomes collide. Brent is the Clinical Director of LifeNabled, a non-profit that specializes in manufacturing all new low-cost and high quality prostheses. LifeNabled has developed a scanning app for the iPad and iPhone called Digiscan3D and also has developed a suitcase 3D printer that can be deployed anywhere in the world. He sees a world where all amputees have access to prostheses because of scanning and 3D printing.
