Rachel first heard about POP in middle school when she saw a commercial for the Wounded Warrior Project, but it wasn’t until her sophomore year of college – when her father underwent an amputation – that she truly understood the power POP has to positively impact people’s lives.

Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Southeastern Louisiana University and worked as a physical therapist (PT) technician for two years after graduation. She worked with several individuals who had undergone amputations during that time. Those experiences, combined with the profound impact POP professionals had on her father’s life, inspired her to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree in prosthetics and orthotics at Northwestern University.

Looking ahead, Rachel is excited to complete her residency and eventually help families like her own. She is especially interested in pediatrics, where she looks forward to building lifelong relationships with her patients and helping them run, jump, play, and “just be kids.”