Quality of Life: Adaptive Driving
May 24, 2019
Tammy Phipps, MS, OTR/L, CDRS, MAJ (USAR RETIRED)
Driver Rehabilitation Center of Excellence, LLC
Tammy Phipps is an Occupational Therapist, earning her MS at the University of South Dakota in 2000 and CDRS. By 2003, she had developed the third hospital-based driver rehabilitation program in the state of South Dakota, serving Northeastern South Dakota. Tammy deployed as a Reservist to Iraq for one year, from June 2007 to June 2008. In 2008, she developed the first comprehensive driver rehabilitation program in the Department of Defense (DoD). She provided driving rehab services to over 600 military service members with limb-loss, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and anxiety, paralysis, burns, visual deficits and complex poly-trauma from October 2008 to October 2016.
Tammy served as the spokesperson and subject matter expert (SME) for driving related issues for WRNMMC, the National Capital Region, the DoD Center of Excellence; and the Office of the Surgeon General. She has received numerous awards for her work in the field of driving rehabilitation including the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), a military award presented to military members who distinguish themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement; for her work with Wounded Warriors in Driving; and in 2016 she received The Ralph W. Braun Spirit of Ability Award. In August 2016, Tammy opened her own private practice, Driver Rehabilitation Center of Excellence, LLC in Chantilly VA. She provides driver rehabilitation services to people with disabilities. Striving to make community mobility/driving accessible to as many as she can reach.
Sandy Hanebrink, OTR/L, CLP, FAOTA
Touch the Future, Inc
Sandy Hanebrink is the executive director of Touch the Future, Inc. Sandy was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis in 1985. She is a Paralympian with gold, silver and bronze medals. She has set many national and international records over her career and still holds American records for shot put, discus, javelin and in swimming. Sandy is an occupational therapist who has developed a practice niche in advocacy, assistive technology, and networking individuals with disabilities and service providers to the necessary resources and funding to achieve individual life goals. She has multiple presentations and publications at the local to international levels, including topics on effectively educating and employing individuals with disabilities, reasonable accommodations, disability laws, disabled sports, and assistive technology. Sandy has received many awards and recognitions for her work.