So Every BODY Can Move Launches Medical & Research Advisory Committee (MRAC)

So Every BODY Can Move (SEBCM) is proud to announce the creation of its Medical & Research Advisory Committee (MRAC)—a dedicated team of healthcare professionals and researchers united by one mission: to expand access to activity-specific prosthetic and orthotic care for the limb loss, limb difference, and mobility-impaired community.

MRAC provides the clinical and medical expertise to strengthen SEBCM’s legislative and implementation efforts and advances the organization’s mission and vision.

Why This Committee Matters

Movement is medicine, but outdated insurance policies and gaps in care still deny thousands of people the mobility tools they need to thrive—whether for physical activity, safe daily living such as showering, or simply participating fully in everyday life. 

MRAC brings together leading physicians, prosthetists, orthotists, physical therapists, and academic researchers to ensure SEBCM’s legislative, advocacy, and implementation efforts are backed by evidence-based best practices, leading research and the real-world experiences of patients.

With policy and implementation expertise and a strong grassroots advocacy network built into SEBCM’s structure, the committee adds vital clinical insight to strengthen these efforts—shaping state legislation, guiding research, and developing the systems to measure the impact and outcomes of new laws.

How the MRAC Supports SEBCM

MRAC will serve as SEBCM’s scientific and clinical think tank and advisory group. 

Members:

–  Advise national and state leaders on legislative priorities and implementation strategies

– Define research initiatives and collaborate on studies and projects that support SEBCM’s legislative and implementation efforts

–  Support the creation and review of educational resources for providers, patients, and policymakers

– Represent SEBCM at conferences, professional forums, and public events to amplify the call for equitable mobility access

MRAC’s Current 2025 Projects

The committee is currently advancing key projects to strengthen the evidence base for policy change and track the impact of access made possible through SEBCM legislation:

– White Paper: The Medical Necessity and Value of Activity-Specific Prosthetic and Orthotic Care—a comprehensive review of clinical evidence and patient outcomes to inform legislators, payers, and healthcare providers.

– Universal Outcomes Survey & QR Code: a standardized data collection system to measure the impact and outcomes of access to prosthetic and orthotic (O&P) coverage for physical activity and well-being in states that have enacted SEBCM legislation.

Both projects are scheduled to roll out in early 2026, creating the foundation for consistent, actionable data to guide future policy and implementation efforts.

Meet the Inaugural Members

Medical Advisors

– Dr. Noel So (2025–2026 Chair for SEBCM MRAC) — Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician specialized in Limb Loss/Difference and Polytrauma

– Dr. Prateek Grover — Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — PennState Health

– Dr. Victoria Heasley — Musculoskeletal Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Sports Medicine Physician — UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute

– Dr. Melissa Tinney — Clinical Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation — Michigan Medicine

– Dr. Jeff Cain — Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine — University of Colorado

Researcher Advisors

– Geoff Balkman, PhD, CPO — Outcomes Researcher and Principal Investigator — UW Center for Outcomes Rehabilitation Research (UWCORR)

– Michelle Hall, MS, CPO, LPO, FAAOP(D) — Lead Prosthetist; O&P Residency Director — Gillette Children’s

– Dr. Alena Grabowski — Associate Professor, Integrative Physiology — University of Colorado, Boulder

– Shaneis Malouff, CO, MS — Founder & Chief Analyst; Certified Orthotist — Upstream Informatics, LLC (Colorado)

– Cody L. McDonald, PhD, MPH, L/CPO — Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine — University of Washington

– Dr. Sara Morgan, PhD — Clinical Scientist and Co-Director, Spine Research Program — Gillette Children’s

– Ciera Price, MSPO, CPO/L, FAAOP — Research Clinician/Doctoral Researcher — Uniformed Services University/Department of Defense; Defense Health Agency; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine; Center for the Intrepid; UT Austin

– Dr. Cara Welker — Assistant Professor, Biomedical, Robotics and Systems Design — University of Colorado, Boulder

Vision Council Members on MRAC

– Dr. Benton Maglinger — Director of Medical Affairs — BrainRobotics

– Molly McCoy — Director of Scientific and Clinic Affairs — Hanger Clinic

– Future Representatives from Click Medical & Cascade Orthopedic Supply

Partner Support

– Maggie DeMaria — Student and Young Professionals Interest Group Liaison / CPO Student — Northwestern

– Morgan Fabber — State and Federal Advocacy Manager — AOPA

Strengthening the SEBCM Structure and Movement

The Medical & Research Advisory Committee is a formal part of the So Every BODY Can Move structure and joins a growing network of advisory and thought-leadership bodies guiding the movement’s strategy. 

Alongside the Steering Committee, Vision Council, and Legislative and Implementation Committees, MRAC strengthens SEBCM’s ability to blend lived experience, clinical expertise, and policy insight.

Together, these leadership groups are driving toward one ambitious goal: passing legislation in at least 28 states by the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics and laying the groundwork for national reform.

More information on SEBCM’s structure click here. 

Get Involved

Want more information or interested in learning how you can get involved with the SEBCM Medical & Research Advisory Committee?

As SEBCM’s goals and priorities develop, the committee will expand to include additional members whose expertise supports those evolving needs.

Contact Kyle Stepp, SEBCM Strategic Partnerships Lead, at kstepp@amputee-coalition.org to learn more about opportunities to collaborate or support this work.

About So Every BODY Can Move

So Every BODY Can Move (SEBCM) is a national disability rights and healthcare initiative working to create life-changing access to prosthetic and orthotic (O&P) care for physical activity, independence, and overall well-being. Today, this care is often denied coverage—deemed “not medically necessary” by most public and private insurance plans—even when it enables people to work, play, and thrive.

Founded and led by people with disabilities, SEBCM centers the leadership of those with lived experience of limb loss and limb difference (LL/LD community). Across the country, grassroots advocates are organizing with support from O&P and allied health professionals to modernize outdated insurance policies through state-by-state legislative reform.

SEBCM’s flagship effort—the 28×28 campaign—aims to pass legislation in 28 states by the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, building toward broader national reform and a future where movement is a right, not a privilege.

SEBCM’s founding was made possible by a coalition of national leaders in the field, including the Amputee Coalition, American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics & Prosthetics (NAAOP), and American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP).