Diversity Enhances Everything

Angela Montgomery, CPO
Stephanie Porter, CPO

How long have you been in the profession? 

Angela: I started volunteering with Gary Berke at the University of Oklahoma in 1999 and eventually received my first ABC certification in 2002.

Stephanie: Since 2002.

What is your educational background (college through certification)? 

Angela: I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Health and Exercise Science and then attended the Newington Certificate Program in Connecticut. I did a rotational prosthetic residency throughout Connecticut and my orthotic residency at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Stephanie: I studied Pre-Med and Anthropology for my undergrad at the University of Notre Dame. I got my MS in Biomechanics at Georgia State and then went on to O&P school at Newington, where I got my Certification in Prosthetics and Orthotics.

What are your professional affiliations?

Angela: The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) and the American Orthotics and Prosthetics Association

Stephanie: Academy, Academy, Academy

Why did you choose this profession? 

Angela: As an athlete, I have always been fascinated by human movement. However, I was particularly drawn to the combination of art and science - the craft of creating things with my hands while also solving biomechanical challenges. I equally enjoyed the human connection and relationship building that occurs when you become part of someone’s journey.

Stephanie: I have always been interested in the clinical side of medicine. After tearing my ACL in college and warding off shin splints with custom-molded foot orthotics, I was introduced to the concepts of biomechanics and the power of being able to regain my mobility. Once I found O&P, it felt like the perfect combination of all of my interests.

What has changed most about the field since you first became a practitioner? 

Angela: Insurance requirements and documentation.

Stephanie: I would say the consolidation of clinical care providers and the integration of clinical care with prosthetic component manufacturers.

What has been most satisfying about your decision to go into the field? 

Angela: I continue to grow as an individual. Every client I work with teaches me something, and therefore I am constantly learning! This field has also given me a perspective on life that I am forever grateful for.

Stephanie: Seeing someone regain their mobility, find new mobility pathways, or return to the parts of themselves that were defining for them originally never gets old.

I also appreciate the smallness of the industry and the many incredible people I have gotten to know along the way.

What has been the most frustrating? 

Angela: Probably limitations to accessing the most appropriate care for an individual.

Stephanie: The opportunities for those of us who are interested in the manufacturing side are limited with a less defined path for how to make the shift.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of? 

Angela: Helping pass the So EveryBODY Can Move bill in Colorado, so individuals with limb loss and limb difference can have one less barrier to accessing prostheses for physical activity.

Stephanie: I have gotten to be a part of the development of products like the Empower ankle, the new Kinterra and the ShockWave foot that I hope have provided a greater quality of life for prosthetic users. With my current focus on the digital side of the business, I am excited about the opportunity to help ease the transition into what I see as the future of our industry.

If you were speaking to high school or college students, what would you say to encourage them to choose this profession? 

Angela: I tell them that there are few professions as rewarding as ours. We truly get to help improve people’s lives while also learning/growing from that same journey.

Stephanie: Ours is one of the few healthcare professions where you can create long-lasting relationships with the people you are caring for and get to see the fruits of your labor firsthand.

How has your Academy membership been valuable to you? 

Angela: The Academy has been an amazing academic resource as well as a community of top-notch practitioners looking to provide the highest level of care. I’ve enjoyed meeting other practitioners and collaborating on projects.

Stephanie: The Academy provides an opportunity to stay connected to other clinicians and colleagues that I see less often in my day-to-day life; in addition to continuous learning opportunities that help me grow my skills and stay current with the latest scientific findings and clinical best practices.

In an effort to get a sense of what your interests are outside of O&P, what do you like to do when you are not working? 

Angela: I love spending time with my family and friends! I have an incredible wife and two awesome kids who remind me what life is all about. I love the outdoors and exploring our beautiful state of Colorado as well as traveling to learn about cultures different than our own. At home I’m always looking for something to build or fix and in my community, I like to be engaged in anything from advocacy to the quirky keep-Boulder-weird traditions. I love to surround myself with art and music but am also a sucker for all things athletic.

Stephanie: When not working, I love travel, live music, hiking, cooking and doing any of those things with my family and friends.

What’s one thing that people in the O&P industry would be surprised to know about you? 

Angela: In my life before O&P I was a competitive heptathlete. I was the top in the country, trained at the Olympic Training Center and received a full college athletic scholarship. My athletic career was cut short by a pole vault accident in which I broke my back. As devastating as this was to me, it ultimately played a role in my discovery of the O&P field.

Running the So EveryBODY Can Move bill in Colorado was truly a full circle moment for me to talk passionately about prosthetics and the benefits of movement!

Stephanie: I was a collegiate soccer coach prior to joining the O&P industry.

How does diversity enhance the O&P field? 

Angela: Diversity enhances EVERYTHING. The more access we have to people with different life experiences, the better we are at providing care to all kinds of people. As a minority, I often look for examples or even role models of people proving what is possible. I think diverse representation not only benefits the perspectives in everything from clinical care to education and research but also can serve as an example to younger generations of what is possible.

Stephanie: An environment that supports diversity draws from a breadth of life experience, which in my opinion, builds greater empathy, encourages an openness to new perspectives, and inspires a willingness to battle through difficult times; all of which becomes the foundation for stronger connection and a higher level of care.