Speaker: Mary O'Connor, MD, FAAOS
Mary O'Connor, MD, FAAOS: Hello. I'm Dr Mary O'Connor and honored to be this year's recipient of the Academy Diversity Award. I am Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Vori Health , a nationwide virtual musculoskeletal medical practice. I'm Professor Emeritus of Orthopaedics at Mayo Clinic and Past Professor at Yale School of Medicine. I chair. The board of Directors of Movement Is Life, a national nonprofit focused on health equity.
Mary O'Connor, MD, FAAOS: This award acknowledges the work that I and so many others I've had the privilege of collaborating with, have done to advance diversity in our profession and improve health for women, individuals of color and those in rural America. This award recognizes the value of these contributions, and it is very meaningful to me.
Mary O'Connor, MD, FAAOS: So many people have supported me over the years and continue to address the critical work of health equity and I've been blessed with incredible mentors. Many have received the same diversity award from the Academy - Franklin Sim Gus White, Laura Tosi, just to name a few and I'm grateful for all the Academy volunteers and staff that supported me in my prior roles as chair of the Academy Women's Health Issues Advisory Board and the Diversity Advisory Board. But in particular, I'd like to acknowledge Movement is Life. We were formed in 2010, the brainchild of Verona Brewton, Director of Minority Initiatives at Zimmer Biomet and supported by then CEO David Dvorak. I'd like to acknowledge my fellow orthopaedic surgeons who are current or past board or steering committee members. Ramon Jimenez, Dan Wiznia, Tamara Hoff, Mel Harrington, Randall Morgen, Charles Nelson Thomas, Green, Dwight Burney and of course the incredible Gus White furthermore that commitment from Zimmer Biomet leadership has been ongoing and special recognition to CEO Bryan Hanson and Chief Communications and Administration Officer Keri Mattox for their support as we transitioned to a non-profit last year. Finally, special, special thanks to doctors Lisa Canada, Tamara Hoff and A. J. Johnson for nominating me for this award
Mary O'Connor, MD, FAAOS: Thank you again for this great honor I am truly touched.
