AHTF Orthotics Educational Scholarship 2025 Awardees

Kyla Salisbury

Kyla Salisbury, MOTR/L, CHT, earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary in 2016 and became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2023. She provides outpatient hand therapy at a critical access hospital in Livingston, Montana, where access to specialized upper extremity care is essential for those whose livelihoods depend on their hands, including individuals injured through farming, ranching, manual labor, and the demands and adventures of Montana’s winter conditions. This scholarship supports her continued education in the design and fabrication of upper extremity orthoses, helping her deepen her clinical expertise and continue delivering compassionate, high-quality, patient-centered care to her rural community.

Linda Parocua

Linda Parocua is a graduate of the MSOT program at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 2013. Since graduating, she has worked in multiple clinical settings, helping the adult and older adult populations. These include acute rehab, nursing facilities, inpatient hospitals, and independent living centers. She landed her dream job in 2021 at Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center in Compton, California, where she provides outpatient OT services to the underserved communities of South Los Angeles.