Leadership Team

Amandi J. Rhett, MS, CLPO, FAAOP

IAAPOC Chair

Amandi is a faculty member in the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) MS program within Baylor College of Medicine's (BCM) School of Health Professions (SHP). She also serves as The School of Health Professions Assistant Dean of Community Health and is the past Chair of AAOP's The Collaborative on Inclusive Action and Engagement.

Amandi has planned and led several of AAOP's change management sessions since 2021, and is dedicated to ensuring the field of OP holistically serves its patient and clinician base alike.

Rondell Richardson, CPO

IAAPOC Vice Chair

Rondell Richardson, Owner and certified prostheticist orthotist, has provided services to amputees for over 20 years and founded Richardson Prosthetics in 2020.

His passion for the field began as a child after his great-grandmother became an amputee, and since then, he has not stopped advocating for amputees.  Rondell's expertise and joy are found in specializing in lower extremity prosthetics for pediatrics, adults, and athletes.
 
Rondell received his undergraduate degree from UNC Charlotte and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Queens University of Charlotte. He also received degrees in Orthotics and Prosthetics from the Newington Certificate Program at the University of Connecticut. Rondell mentors students interested in Orthotics and Prosthetics and serves as vice-chair of the International African American Prosthetic Orthotic Coalition (IAAPOC).

Tony Thaxton Jr. CPO, LPO

Treasurer

Nationally certified Prosthetist-Orthotist by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, & Pedorthics (ABC),  and licensed by the State of Georgia to provide custom Prosthetic and Orthotic services, Tony has provided P&O services since 1982. Before relocating to Atlanta, Ga. Tony worked in New Orleans, LA for twenty years and briefly stayed in Orlando, FL, Seattle, WA, and Augusta, GA.

Upon graduating from the University of Washington in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in P&O, Tony trained in Orlando, Florida with JE Hanger, Inc.  Continuing his training in New Orleans, Tony completed his Prosthetic certification in 1984 and Orthotics certification in 1986. “While my early interests were in prosthetics, I have grown to enjoy orthotics.”

To contact Tony Thaxton Jr. please email him at thaxton.jr@comcast.net.

Dandre “Dre” Mostella, CP

IAAPOC Board Member

Dandre "Dre" Mostella is a certified prosthetist and the owner of Orthotic & Prosthetic Solutions LLC, based in Louisiana. Dre is dedicated to providing personalized care by traveling directly to patients for consultations, evaluations, fittings, and follow-up appointments in the comfort of their surroundings. For those who prefer, transportation to and from the office can also be arranged. Currently, Orthotic & Prosthetic Solutions LLC serves patients across Louisiana and Mississippi, ensuring accessible and convenient care for all.

Adrienne W. Hill, MHA, CLPO, FAAOP

IAAPOC Board Member

Adrienne Hill, MHA, CPO(L), is transforming the minds of the next generation of O&P professionals as the MSPO Program Director and Clinical Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University. She earned her Master’s degree in Health Administration at the George Washington University School of Public Health, and her B.S. in Physics and Mathematics at Spelman College. Adrienne is a certified and licensed Prosthetist Orthotist after completing post-baccalaureate courses at Newington Certificate Program through the University of Connecticut. In her most recent clinical role, she served as the Area Clinic Manager at Hanger Clinic in Atlanta, GA. During her 17-year career tenure, she has had the opportunity to experience different aspects of O&P through clinical care, patient advocacy, and mentorship. 

These experiences have reinforced Adrienne’s love for the field and fueled her determination to promote the profession through community outreach. Adrienne is a true ambassador of O&P and a shining example of educational and clinical excellence. Adrienne is an active volunteer in the O&P field. She is actively involved with student-resident initiatives and was recently elected to the AOPA Board of Directors.
 

Jack Steele CO, FAAOP

IAAPOC Board Member

Jack is the owner of Center for Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc., in Memphis, TN, and has practiced Orthotics in West Tennessee for more than 30 years.  He has a unique, broad range of expertise that encompasses everything from acute care to outpatient rehabilitation to a vast, extensive knowledge of treating pediatrics.  Jack has a reputation for being a detailed and skilled practitioner who always seeks the best outcome for his patients.  This core value has made him an integral part of the highly specialized team of healthcare professionals at LeBohner Children’s Hospital and The MED.  

Jack's areas of specialty include Scoliosis, Plagiocephaly, Club Foot Disorder, Spina Bifida, and Cerebral Palsy.  He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists. In addition, Jack is the past president of the Tennessee Society of Orthotists and Prosthetists and a founding member and past president of IAAPOC.

Michael P. Smith, C.P.O.

IAAPOC Board Member

Michael P. Smith, C.P.O., is the clinical director and owner of American Orthotic & Prosthetic Center, Inc., headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia. Michael founded the center in 1990 in Richmond, Virginia, and has since expanded its reach with offices in Hampton, South Hill, and Virginia's Eastern Shore.

In addition to his role at the center, Michael serves as the Director of Prosthetics and Orthotics for Montero Medical Missions, an organization dedicated to developing sustainable healthcare projects worldwide through volunteer training. Montero Medical Missions also provides free Health Fair Screenings for veterans throughout the Hampton Roads area.

Michael's commitment to global health is further demonstrated by his volunteer work with Physicians for Peace, where he helped establish a Prosthetic Clinic at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila in 2005.

Alpha I Sanusi, BOCPO

IAAPOC Board Member

Walking toward the doors of a local restaurant during a trip to West Africa, Alpha Sanusi spotted a group of tattered men asking for spare change outside. This was not an uncommon scene in the third-world country of Sierra Leone, but this instance struck a sensitive nerve for the Southern California business owner visiting his native home. His pocket coins clinked as they landed into each of their cups and hands, their expressions grateful while facing the atrocities of his country’s past conflicts.

“They had amputated arms, amputated legs, they were on crutches,” he remembers. “This could have been me. I’m no better than these guys; I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time.”

It was a narrow escape from a rebel attack during the Freetown Civil War in 1997 that uprooted Alpha to the United States safely, but not without the stinging memory of the war’s signature barbarity: limb amputation. His witnessing of the war’s aftermath of mutilation caught fire with his entrepreneurial spirit and humanitarian warmth. This moment would be the first rung on his ladder to success as a business owner. It was the beginning step for ALCAM Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics and a hopeful stride for the victims of the disfigured victims of Freetown.  
 
“Ever since I was a little boy, I knew I wanted to be something in life that would translate to helping others,” he proclaims. “I didn’t know specifically what I wanted to be, but I knew it was to give back to my community.” 
 
This strong yearning to offer a helping hand was instilled within Alpha since childhood, and it would be the compass to guide him to his future rise in business. Alpha is the co-owner of Alcam Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics with nine locations throughout southern California. He became a board-certified orthotist and prosthetist with the hope of giving back to his community. Being the newly elected President of the International African American Prosthetic Orthotic Coalition, Alpha hopes to use this platform to promote his mission as a community leader and contributor.