NEWS
Winter 2026
Volume 47
Letter from the
Editor
As we look ahead to our upcoming Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, I am filled with excitement and anticipation for what promises to be one of our most dynamic gatherings yet.
This year’s agenda is truly jam-packed, featuring an expanded lineup of sessions and newly added workshops designed to deepen learning, spark collaboration, and highlight emerging ideas across our field. The response from our community has been extraordinary—submissions for papers reached an all-time high, reflecting both the vibrancy of our discipline and the remarkable talent and dedication of our members.
We are deeply grateful for the generous support that makes this meeting possible. Our sincere thanks go to the Pritzker Foundation for their significant contributions, as well as to our industry partners whose continued commitment strengthens our mission and amplifies our impact.
Philadelphia provides an inspiring backdrop for connection, discovery, and dialogue, and we look forward to welcoming you for what will undoubtedly be an energizing and memorable event.
Connie Summers, CO
Phoebe Scott-Wyard, DO
Letter from the
President
As the second year of my ACPOC Presidency draws to a close, I am reflecting back over the past two years. It has been a significant time in our organization with many highs and lows. We had a major changeover in the management team, an increase in membership, and the incredible addition of grant funding from the Pritzker Foundation to help us continue to build an even greater impact and reach for ACPOC. As I look toward the future, I am honored to pass the reins over to Rebecca Spragg as your incoming president. She has worked hard for years on the ACPOC board of directors, and has tirelessly supported me as the president in the past two. She is an incredible mom, educator, and clinician, and I know she will bring ACPOC to even greater heights as the incoming president. I will stay on the board as the immediate past president to support her and the rest of the ACPOC board. It has been my incredible honor to helm this organization in the past two years, and I could NEVER have done it without the help and support of the incredible volunteer board members and Corrine Marconi. I look forward to a bright future with ACPOC! I invite you all to get involved and help us continue to grow and improve patient care for our patients.
STATEMENT FROM ACPOC ON
EQUALITY
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We, the members of ACPOC, stand in solidarity against the violent acts of racism and gender discrimination that have led to the recent and horrific deaths of Nina Pop, Tony McDade, Monika Diamond, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, and those names who remain unnamed or unknown. At a time when racial and ethnic minorities are already disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is yet another terror to face within our communities. To live in constant fear for safety simply because you look or seem different within your own community, and even your own home, is agonizing. To suffer innocently at the hands of the same government that is meant to protect you is inhumane and intolerable. Where is the “liberty and justice for all”?
Change begins with recognizing the long-standing systemic racism and marginalization of individuals and groups that is embedded in our society for many generations. But this is not enough. We must speak out and demand a difference. If not, we passively allow what we know in our hearts is wrong. We must challenge the day-to-day ignorance that is pervasive and openly offer our support and love to those who are targeted.
As members of ACPOC, we devote our lives to the children and families who frequently experience bullying and feeling ostracized from society. We know firsthand the power of expressing our heartfelt support and the importance of advocacy within the home, our schools, and our communities. We would like to urge all ACPOC members to extend that same support to the families and communities experiencing so much pain, loss, and fear right now. Take the time to ask those around you if they are OK. If they feel safe. Stop and listen to their stories. And if you feel targeted or unsafe, seek a friend or colleague you trust and share your experience. We cannot fight this in our silos. As we grieve together, we can also build a stronger, safer, fairer world that celebrates our differences — together.
Words from our incoming President
As I step into the role of ACPOC President, I am both honored and excited about what’s ahead. I look forward to increased engagement with, and from, our members, and finding new ways to invite voices, ideas, and collaboration from across our community. At the same time, I’m committed to strengthening the financial stability of the organization so ACPOC can continue to grow, adapt, and support the important work happening every day while ensuring ACPOC remains a strong, sustainable resource for years to come. By expanding the reach of ACPOC, we can continue to advance the care we provide and improve outcomes for children and their families. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to this important work. I’m excited to move forward together and grateful for the collective energy that makes this organization so special.
Rebecca Spragg, CPO
Register Today
ACPOC 2026 Annual Meeting
Thank you to our Meeting Host, POPS Shriners!
Registration for ACPOC’s 2026 Annual Meeting, taking place April 29– May 2, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA is now open! We look forward to seeing you all again for 3 days of engaging educational sessions. ACPOC is now offering the option to stream the meeting virtually! So don’t hesitate and register today!
Meeting Registration
ACPOC Members — $525/$625
Non-Members — $825/$925
Students — $200
Register by February 23rd, 2026 and save $100 on Member and Non-Member registrations!
Here is a sneak of the meeting Program
- Longer day of Technical Workshops
- Session on Spine which will include heavy topic on scoliosis including bracing, outcomes, and rehab
- Session on motion analysis with presentations on case studies
- Session on Surgical which will include amputation indications and interventions, Physical therapies, clubfoot, and case study
2026 Guest Speakers
We are excited for Local Philadelphia physician speakers Dr. Samdani, Dr. Arkader, and Dr. Sankar
Presidential Speaker
Susan Apkon, MD
Read Bio
Dr. Susan Apkon is the Fischahs Chair in Pediatric Rehabilitation at Children’s Hospital Colorado and Visiting Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Colorado School of Medicine. She leads a nationally recognized pediatric rehabilitation program that provides innovate and evidenced based care to children and adolescents with changes in function related to injury, illness, or congenital conditions.
Dr. Apkon’s clinical focus is on the care of children with neuromuscular conditions and is the Co-Director of the Neuromuscular Clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Dr. Apkon’s research interests are focused on providing novel treatments to children with neuromuscular conditions and has been involved over the last 15 years in clinical trials, some of which have led to FDA approved drugs that are changing the course of pediatric neuromuscular diseases.
Hector Kay Lecturer
Jessica Cox, Motivational Speaker
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Jessica Cox is a motivational speaker featured on TV shows like Ellen, CNN, National Geographic, Fox and Friends, and BBC News. Her speaking career spans 18 years, 28 countries, and audiences up to 40,000 people. Companies like AT&T, NASA, the Smithsonian, State Farm, and Cisco have asked her for inspirational workshops, keynotes, and more.
Jessica was born without arms and uses her feet the way most people use their hands. Jessica grew up asking with frustration and anger, “Why me? Why do I have to be different?” She learned to see the blessings in her life and accept herself as a whole person. Now, Jessica flies airplanes, drives cars, is married, and otherwise lives a normal life. Jessica is the author of Disarm Your Limits, an autobiographical self-help book that has sold more than 10,000 copies. She also writes a monthly article for Flying Magazine.
In 2020, Jessica announced plans to build The Impossible Airplane, a custom 200 mph, 4 seat airplane she will use to circumnavigate the world. When she’s not flying off into the sunset, Jessica continues to train in Taekwondo, where she’s a Fourth Degree Black Belt.
Sponsor the 2026 Annual Meeting
ACPOC is once again excited to offer sponsorship opportunities for our industry partners. Many event sponsorship levels are available, including exhibit space, event sponsorships, and other exciting opportunities.
Time slots for Technical Workshop Presentations fill up fast. Submit your sponsor form today!
During the exhibitors’ technical workshops, commercial devices/products can be presented by the vendor without having to meet any of the normal scientific guidelines required of the scientific workshops. Here, commercial content will not be scrutinized. Essentially, this is a chance for you to present your techniques, manufacturing tools, devices, etc. to the audience and provide information on indications, fit, repair, solutions, etc.
Interested in learning more, or want to register for any of the sponsorships? Contact info@acpoc.org today for more information!
Friday, May 1st, 6–9pm
Queen & Rook
123 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
Cost $65.00
- Buffet Dinner, includes pizza, and appetizers to choose from
- Two drink tickets of bottled beer or house wine
- Each attendee will be responsible to pay for any additional food or drinks
Guests are welcome! Please be sure to add each guest in the Social Event registration form.
ACPOC Annual Meeting Orthopedic Resident Travel Award
Proudly Sponsored by:
Through a generous grant for the second year, from the Anthony & Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation, we are excited to expand access to collaborative multidisciplinary healthcare for children and adolescents through educational opportunities for physicians in the orthopedic field. The Pritzker Family Foundation funds medical research and clinical innovation to improve service delivery, patient care, behavioral health, and wellbeing.
2025 Orthopedic Travel Award
Proudly Sponsored by:
Daniel Whittingslow
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Dr. Daniel Whittingslow completed his MD/PhD training at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2021. There he specialized in fabricating novel wearable devices for longitudinal monitoring of musculoskeletal health. He matched into orthopaedic residency at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 2021, and was selected as the research resident for his class with an additional year dedicated to entirely to orthopaedic research.
At this time, he plans to pursue a fellowship in spine surgery and is hoping to continue to serve underserved populations by both performing surgery and designing wearable devices to aid in rehabilitation and recovery of his patients.
Justin Reagh
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J.J. Reagh holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Ohio University and a Master’s in Biomechanics from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey. As a Whitaker Fellow at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain, he conducted research in spine biophysics. Currently a fourth-year orthopedic surgery resident at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, GA, he plans to serve as a general orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. Army before pursuing subspecialty training in pediatric orthopedics.
His clinical and research interests include prosthetic design, biomechanical modeling, and optimizing surgical techniques for young patients. Hobbies include mountain biking and all things outdoors.
Read Impact Statement
Thank you again for the opportunity to attend the ACPOC Annual Meeting through the 2025 Orthopedic Resident Travel Award. The experience was valuable and offered perspective well outside of traditional orthopedic conferences.
What stood out most was ACPOC’s multidisciplinary emphasis. Hearing directly from prosthetists, therapists, surgeons, and rehabilitation specialists showed how each discipline contributes an essential component of the treatment plan. The meeting demonstrated that these perspectives are not merely parallel viewpoints, but interconnected pieces that shape more effective and realistic care. This comprehensive approach is especially important when managing complex issues such as limb differences in a growing child, where decisions must balance surgical planning, prosthetic feasibility, rehabilitation goals, and long-term function. ACPOC’s structure made it clear how early alignment among all team members leads to better outcomes.
The case discussions were particularly helpful. They highlighted how treatment plans evolve once each discipline contributes—for example, adjusting surgical goals based on prosthetic considerations or shaping rehabilitation timelines according to device capabilities. These conversations gave me a practical understanding of how my surgical decisions intersect with the work of other team members and reinforced the importance of involving the entire care team early in the process.
The meeting also allowed me to build relationships with colleagues and mentors, and I expect those connections to play an important role as I move toward a career in pediatric orthopedics
Tyler Hunt
DocMatter
ACPOC Community Snapshot:
- Members: 496
- Discussions: 35 total (17 in 2025)
- Discussion Posts: 164 total (65 in 2025)
Popular Topics in the Community (click below to see examples)
Consider Renewing Your ACPOC Membership
We have big plans for 2026 and want you to be a part of them! You won’t want to miss out on our upcoming programs, including:
- Member discount to the ACPOC 2026 Annual Meeting! Next year’s meeting is being held on April 29 - May 2 in Philadelphia, PA. Early bird registration is open!
- Opportunities to learn about the latest insights, perspectives, and trends in children, adolescents, and young adults with various musculoskeletal differences in our triannual newsletter.
- Join our new Webinar Series featuring monthly topics in orthotics and prosthetics, Registration is free for Members!
- New membership levels for students and clinics-receive a 10% discount for 3+ people
- Clinic listing for individuals and clinics
- Clinician and physician guided forums providing opportunity to present challenging cases. Members share experiences and recommendations for interventions at Annual Meeting and on our new platform, DocMatters.
There is a grace period until 1/31/26 to renew your membership.
All Membership levels begin on 1/1 of every year. We don’t pro-rate membership if you decide to renew after 1/31
Call for Nominations
The Association of Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics Nominating Committee, is requesting nominations for members willing to serve on the ACPOC Board of Directors. The following positions will be accepting nominations:
Current members are welcome to nominate him/herself or another member, with the stipulation that the member is aware of and accepts the nomination. With the nomination, please confirm the position in which the candidate should be considered.
Add Your Heading Text The commitments of the ACPOC Board of Directors are as follows:
All Members
- Attend, or participate via conference call, in all ACPOC Board Meetings – traditionally on Wednesday and Saturday of the ACPOC Annual Meeting and the first Saturday in November.
- Share all disclosures and conflicts of interest with the ACPOC Board of Directors prior to all Board Meetings, excluding self from participation in any discussions in which a conflict exists.
- Create committee liaison reports as needed.
- Participate in Strategic Plan, Bylaws, and Policy and Procedure voting, review and updates
- Actively participate in Board Committees and committee assignments
- Assist in ACPOC’s membership growth and leadership development
Secretary-Treasurer
In addition to the member commitments above, the Secretary-Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Accounting Officer of the Corporation. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be in charge of its financial affairs, funds, securities and valuable papers and shall keep full and accurate records thereof. The Secretary-Treasurer will be responsible for reporting on the association’s financial status at each board meeting and the Members Business Meeting.
Vice President
In addition to the member commitments above, the Vice President shall be responsible for filling in for the President if the President becomes indisposed. The Vice President will need to be prepared to fill the role of the Presidency after their two-year term has been fulfilled.
Nominations must be submitted by 5:00 pm Central Time, on Monday, March 23, 2026. Verbal nominations may not be accepted. If you applied last year and would like to be considered on the ballot again, please apply again to confirm your interest to be on board and what position you would like to run.
The slate and a proxy ballot will be sent to members prior to the 2026 ACPOC Annual Meeting for those unable to attend. A hard copy slate and ballot will be provided to members at the ACPOC Member Business Meeting on Friday, May 1st in Philadelphia, PA.