Rebecca Lamson Nitsche’s first introduction to orthotics was in third grade when she befriended a classmate who had spina bifida. One could say Rebecca’s first patients were her childhood Cabbage Patch dolls, for whom she made toilet paper tube AFOs (ankle foot orthoses), broken pencil with rubber bands and masking tape KAFOs (knee ankle foot orthoses) and various cardboard and tinfoil spinal braces.

Growing up in small town Minnesota with no local specialty services, it wasn’t until nearly 20 years later that she found out the name of the field and how one could become a certified prosthetist orthotist.

Rebecca holds a BA in East Asian Studies and Certificate in Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She also enjoyed previous unrelated careers in technical theatre and as production manager/co-owner of a bakery before a severe injury, long recovery and journey through partial permanent disability led to her rediscovery of the field and a path forward.

Rebecca began volunteering and learning to make orthotic devices in 2009. She earned her master's degree in prosthetics and orthotics (MPO) at the University of Washington in Seattle. Rebecca completed her orthotics and prosthetics residencies at Scheck and Siress and worked throughout the Chicago area. She later moved back to Wisconsin where she has been practicing in Madison since 2015.

Rebecca resides with her husband in the beautiful Driftless Area of Wisconsin, where she enjoys reading, encaustic painting, cooking, baking, gardening, hiking and nearly anything outdoors.